Disclaimers: Are as they usually are.
The Return/
By: Hokushin
§§
Her phone rang. She let out a frustrated sigh before picking it up. "Hello? Kino residence." She had continued the habit of answering the phone with a hello, followed by 'Kino residence' after her parents' death. Makoto had hoped that by continuing that, her parents would be back and everything would have been just a nightmare. But she really was alone in her apartment. It seemed to her these days more than anything that she wanted to share her residence with somebody…maybe she should get a dog, if for anything, just to make Luna and Artemis a little more apprehensive whenever they visit.
Nah, that's evil, Makoto. Of course it is. Makoto shook her head.
She listened for a moment as the voice on the other line spoke.
"Ah! Yukishiro-san!" The expression on her faced morphed from genuine surprise at receiving a phone call from Mrs. Yukishiro to utter concern when she heard the shake in the older woman's voice. Her tone softened when she next spoke, trying to forget her desire to go apologize to Ami, "Yukishiro-san, what's wrong?" She listened for the few minutes that her boss' wife spoke and was stunned into silence. She didn't know what to say and she couldn't bring herself to say anything except: "Where are you at right now?"
She nodded as she took note of her location. "I'll be there as soon as I can. Take care now, Yukishiro-san."
When Makoto got off the phone, she didn't know what to feel. Instead, she hurriedly made a quick snack for Mrs. Yukishiro and left her apartment.
§§
Ami slowly ambled down Makoto's street, lifting heavy feet, hanging a heavy head, and sighing from a heavy heart. Her resounding anger towards Makoto dissipated as she walked further along down the street and turned a few corners. She heaved another hollow sigh and shivered while scolding herself for leaving her jacket at Makoto's in her rush to leave. The weather was getting colder and though it was already quite late in the morning, she could see her breath escape her body in visible, transient strands.
She couldn't seem to understand Makoto lately and begun to wonder if she had ever understood her at all. Her behavior is so perplexing that Ami started to go over the reasons why there were no tutors for relationships anywhere. There is no reason for there not to be, considering how they have tutors for everything else: math, college entrance exams, giving birth, losing weight.
She glanced around the bustling street and noticed that she was right in front of the restaurant where Makoto worked. Maybe Makoto had gone to work and Ami would have a better chance of talking to her there too. Besides, she was feeling a bit hungry herself.
When she walked in, she was not greeted by a cheerful Mrs.Yukishiro, in fact, she was not even greeted by Mrs. Yukishiro because she was not even there. Ami knew for a fact that she was as faithful to the restaurant as she was her husband and would be here everyday to greet her customers. Ami asked a nearby waitress about Mr. and Mrs. Yukishiro's whereabouts.
"Hospital?" Ami said with disbelief. "My goodness!" She thanked the waitress and ran off. Mr. Yukishiro is so healthy though! She hailed a taxicab and gave the driver orders to the hospital where Mr. Yukishiro would be. He's been so kind to me. And I'm sure he suspects something about us, Makoto and me…if there still is something that is. Where has it gone wrong?
With much trouble from the information station, she managed to convince the employees there to give her Mr. Yukishiro's room number. Something about a new law…she could care less. She took an elevator up to the second floor: to critical care. This is where she began to worry. Critical care…
The rooms of the hospital were arranged in an oval track shape with hallways connecting through the long straight-aways, like the theta symbol. She walked and read off room numbers in her mind until she came around the first curve and spotted the room. The door was slightly ajar. She peeked in and saw Makoto kneeling at the side of the single bed in which a broken and beaten Mr. Yukishiro lay, comforting Mrs. Yukishiro by making soft noises as she would to a child and letting the older woman cry a bit in her arms. Ami pushed the door open a little and knocked loud enough for Makoto to look up. Ami's name slipped out of Makoto's arm in surprise. Mrs. Yukishiro looked up, and made motions to wipe her tears. Makoto handed her some tissue.
Ami's voice was soft when she spoke, "I'm so sorry, Yukishiro-san… I heard and came over…" Mrs. Yukishiro made an effort to smile.
"Ami, thank you." She sighed and commented on her appearance, "I must look silly, an old woman like me weeping like a child."
"No-" Ami started.
"He'll be alright, Yukishiro-san," Makoto said softly and gave an encouraging smile. "You must be thirsty…how about Ami and I go get us something to drink?" Makoto offered as an excuse to pull Ami out with her privately and to leave Mrs. and Mr. Yukishiro some time to themselves. Mrs. Yukishiro nodded and settled back into her chair, a glassy far off look in her eyes, like a woman lost.
They walked silently to the cafeteria. Ami kept pace with Makoto but she could not help but shudder at the distance between them. She looked down and saw Makoto's hand limply down at her sides. She wanted so much to hold them. Ami knew Makoto was holding it in, trying to be strong. She loved and hated her for it. She wished that she herself would have such a will to bottle up her essence like that, her emotions, everything that made her Ami. Nowadays, it seems like Makoto has a switch that turned her emotions on and off.
Makoto turned suddenly towards an empty space that jutted out of the hall and led to an exit. She walked out stiffly. Makoto clamped her jaws heavily together so that she would not cry. She had not cried in a while and she was not going to start now, at least, that was what she promised herself. Ami slowly inched herself behind Makoto a bit off to the side. Makoto let off a shaky sigh. Her chest heaved as she tried to ward off the tears that threatened to fall. Her fists clenched tightly at her sides until she folded them up against her torso.
Ami watched Makoto struggle with the pain, feeling her own heart go with her. She couldn't bear how lonely Makoto looked at that moment and practically threw herself against Makoto, arms quickly encircling her and tightening when Makoto began a half-hearted struggle. Makoto settled down with a small whimper and let the tears fall. Silently. Makoto turned to face Ami and wrapped her arms hermetically around Ami. "He's like a grandfather and father to me, Ami. I can't lose…"
"Shh…I know, Makoto. I know." They stood without moving, tears freely coursing down Makoto's cheeks and quickly dampening Ami's shirt. Ami felt Makoto relax against her and was glad for she was so tense only a moment before. She wondered if the tension would eventually snap Makoto's spirit had she stood against herself any longer. Her dismay at Makoto's earlier behavior subsided for the time being, in light of recent occurrences. Ami tightened her hold on Makoto, not wanting to let go. With some guilt, she was elated to have Makoto in her arms, to feel her, smell her fragrance and sense that vibrant spirit near her own though it was drowned in sadness for the moment.
"Thank you, Ami," Makoto whispered in Ami's ear. It was a simple phrase that Ami knew didn't need to be spoken. She understood. Makoto sighed in relief that Ami had not begrudged her of her early actions. Ami has been her security, the one thing that is constant in her life right now. Makoto almost felt undeserving of such devotion from her love.
Ami nodded against Makoto. She felt the need to say something. It was comparable to an urgent desire to say it. She needed to affirm her relationship with Makoto.
"I love you, Mako-chan."
Maybe it was circumstances surrounding their current predicament, or the way the words were said, or just the emotional state Makoto was in, but Makoto let more tears fall from her eyes, her soul. And she was not ashamed of them either, not this time, because they were partially tears of joy.
§§
They had pulled apart from their embrace quite reluctantly as both would have been perfectly comfortable staying like that for the rest of the night and quite possibly the rest of their lives, wrapped in the comfort of each other and savoring the peace that one brought to the other.
It was Ami who finally broke the silence. "Don't you think Mrs. Yukishiro would be expecting that drink right now?"
Makoto nodded and flushed, thinking that she had actually forgotten the reason she stepped out with Ami. "Oh, right. So… which way to the cafeteria? Or the nearest vending machine?"
Ami pointed in the direction down a corridor nearest the hospital gift shop. There was a vending machine hidden in a cubbyhole behind the gift shop. They got what they wanted and headed back up to Mr. Yukishiro's room.
They stayed for another hour or so until Mrs. Yukishiro practically kicked them out saying that they'd probably have something to do that day.
"Call me if anything changes, Yukishiro-san," Makoto requested as a parting message.
"Of course. Thank you. Thank you very much, Makoto." Mrs. Yukishiro retreated into herself again and her loving gaze settled onto Mr. Yukishiro.
Slowly strolling out the hospital's sliding glass doors, Makoto looked back for a whisper of a moment. Her breathing hitched as she involuntarily skipped a breath. "I remember walking out of similar doors like this," she started to explain to Ami, "I was with a woman and she held me tightly by the hands, but I felt quite alone then. She was really kind to me, telling me that everything would all right, and that she would find somebody to take good care of me. You know, it is a really funny thing to say to a kid- saying that everything would be all right when her parents just died, consumed in a ball of flaming wreck." Makoto was almost nonchalant in recounting her story, as if it was just a story. However her last words contained more than just a drip of sarcasm.
"I never stepped anywhere near that building after I ran away from that woman that day. They try to help you but they never know that they only hurt people more." Makoto paused and concentrated on how her steps matched Ami's step by step by step. "I guess what I'm trying to say is…
"Actually, I'm not too sure what I'm trying to say," Makoto concluded half-heartedly.
Ami smiled secretly to herself and sheepishly, yet boldly, took one of Makoto's hands in hers and held it tight against her body. "Come on, let's go grab some lunch with-let's just get something to eat."
Makoto relaxed and felt assured from Ami's fortitude. She nodded and let Ami lead her along the streets to find a street cart that sold ramen. Upon finding an empty one, they sat themselves down at an extension of the cart and helped themselves to a large bowl of ramen noodles each. Ami secretly had fallen in love with street food vendors: not only did they sell the best food aside from Makoto's sandwiches; they were of a decent price too. One could easily find a vendor of takoyaki, udon, ramen, pastries and candied nuts and quite possibly Chinese dumplings.
"Ah…so my cooking has been replaced by ramen noodles from a cart," Makoto sighed wistfully.
"Only because this is more 'instant' than your cooking." Ami leaned in close and whispered secretively, "but don't worry, going from your cooking to this ramen is a long fall from delicious." Makoto smiled. "But don't tell him," Ami gestured to the middle aged man who owned the cart, "that I said that."
"Ami, you're so bad."
"Don't blame me for being opinionated."
Makoto scoffed and finished her noodles. "I suppose college does that to people."
"And culinary school makes people overbearing and exaggeratedly proud of their own cooking and particular tastes."
Makoto shook her head and conceded to Ami's wordplay victory, largely in light of the truth in it. They grew silent and Makoto focused on distant thoughts, Ami on something more tangible.
§§
Ami swam furiously with no relent in sight as she often did when extremely frustrated. Her graceful yet powerful body cut through the water with the effortless precision as one would expect from one with an affinity with water. When Ami finished another set of laps, she dunked her head under the water and let off an uncharacteristic scream.
She resurfaced to hear the fading echoes of laughter. She whipped her head around to see her mother sitting at one of the benches that lined the walls of the gymnasium. Her mother stood up and walked over to the pool.
"Well, now I know why I had you take swimming lessons as a child." Her mother smiled warmly and knelt down where she stood.
"Hello, mother." A pause. "You don't have work today, mom?"
"Surprised? Ah, well…I decided to take a day off."
"Day off? But-"
"What? Not happy to see your mother?"
"No! Of course not. You know I'm always glad to see what I can of you. It's just…odd that you'll take a day off."
Her mother smiled at her again and shook her head as she began berating her child's foolishness. Her smile became a grin. "Besides, do you honestly believe that your mother here never played hooky?"
Ami's eyes widened. Her mother had practically drilled the virtue of punctuality into her being and she grew up being chided with the maxim that truancy, unless in the case of emergencies, is a sin. "Well, that I refuse to believe, mother."
"Since I am here, why don't you have lunch with me? That is, unless you do not have any other engagements."
Other engagements? Highly unlikely, mom. Ami thought wryly. "Um…sure. Let me get dried up and changed then." Ami pulled herself out of the pool with the practiced ease of one who has trained in the water all her life. She grabbed her bag that was set by the benches and headed towards the showers and locker rooms while her mother gathered her purse and keys.
"I'll wait in the car, Ami."
"Okay, I won't be long," Ami called back and disappeared into the shower room.
§§
They settled on a small café as far away from the hospital where her mother worked at but still within the limits of the Juuban district. Within ten minutes or so, the waitress had gotten their orders and set their drinks in front of them. It did not take long for Ami to drink half of her iced tea. She was thirsty from her mid-morning laps at the pool. Swimming usually left her parched and seeking to quench her thirst. Her mother politely sipped at her coffee, biding her time and waiting for Ami to speak. There was obviously something that hung on her daughter's mind. The last time that her daughter was prompted to swim like this was when she had thought she had failed a calculus final due to inadequate amount of time spent studying the subject.
Ami returned her mother's gaze with her own expectant one. Ami's mother sighed, knowing her daughter would be tight lipped about whatever it is that concerned her.
"I had a hard time with your father when I first met him." Ami's interest perked up, her eyes stared straight into her mother's, and a slight blush arose in her cheeks, knowing how close to the bull's eye her mother was in guessing what had been bothering her lately. "He would be loving and distant at the same time. I never knew what to expect from him. Maybe that was what attracted me to him so much at first. He was this mysterious, somewhat troublesome, struggling artist. He had a certain bad streak but he is such a romantic. Whoever is lucky enough to be with him now will sure feel like Romeo's Juliet. I know I did." Her mother smiled as memories from the past resurfaced. "He's such a passionate man that sometimes I felt that he didn't know where best to place his passions, I guess. Sometimes it'd be you and me, other times it would be his art. I think in the end, he was very confused and afraid to get hurt. Passionate people are hurt most easily because of their great love for whatever drives them. So I concentrated more on my job as he did his art. I never really understood him until it was too late." At that moment she fell silent and took another sip of her coffee. She looked to see that Ami had finished eating her plate of angel hair pasta with shrimp topped with Parmesan cheese. Looking down at her own plate, she found it untouched. So she took a bite out of her sandwich.
Ami had in fact absorbed all that her mother had said while eating. Her mother rarely talked about her father these days, and especially about the sentiments that she had just presented. So it would be in her best interest to listen. But, what was her mother trying to say?
Her mother had been waiting to catch Ami's eyes. When she did, she leaned forward until she was sure she had Ami's attention. "Makoto is a passionate young woman. I see it in her eyes. I am sure that you have seen it but do not recognize it. Give her the time she needs to figure things out, but don't let her step away from you that easily- whether she likes it or not. You got me?"
Ami gulped and flushed scarlet. Her mother was never this blunt, usually forgoing brusqueness for tact. "Yes, mom, understood, ma'am." She had to smirk a little at the 'ma'am'.
"Good, because she's a gem and I wouldn't mind having a son-in…a daughter-in-law sometime soon. I am getting quite old to be worrying about you and your future. You may be on the fast track to a good career, but your train has definitely halted on the love-life route." She was startled to a halt when she heard coughing and choking coming from her tomato-faced daughter. Ami's eyes were wide with disbelief as she continued to choke on the sip of iced tea that she was in the process of swallowing. Her mother reached over and patted her on the back.
§§
Minna-san!
Hi guys! How is everything back in Tokyo? Haven't quit our night jobs have we? Sorry it's taking so long for me to write you guys a decent letter and I promise I'll write more 'personalized' letters to you all individually (as soon and I remember your correct addresses that is…). Who would have thought that modeling would entail so much work every single day! So far I've only done photo shoots and ads for some French clothing line. But it's all fun and besides, the camera loves me. I was walking down the street the other day and it felt so weird seeing my face plastered to the side of buses and the walls of buildings. On the other side of the bus they had this poster of a Calvin Klein ad- the guy on it is so hot!
I still miss you all and wish I can come back soon for a vacation. Besides, isn't Christmas coming up soon? I'll have to see… We had snow a while back and I have to tell ya, it's wonderfully beautiful. Everything looked so soft, under a blanket of puerile snow… But it's awfully cold. But now it's nasty- I admit that I was luckily awake for the first sprinkling of it. Just as soon- civilization ruined it. Enough of that- I sent pictures!
Mako-chan! I love the picture you sent me of your cooking, but I must admit that it does not taste as good as the real thing! Try dry freezing a meal and send it my way, please. The picture was not funny! You have a cruel sense of humor you know. Happy belated birthday! Usagi-chan, when the first rainless day of the season came, I made a beeline to the shopping areas. I wish you could be here to share it with me, I know you'll love it. But don't worry, there are other ways to share that doesn't require you coming here. (wink). Ami, Ami-good luck! And hang in there- you know why. Rei-chan, pray for me will you? I have a big test coming up, and knowing me…well let's not go there.
Artemis has been whining for me to go back to Japan- says he misses the food. Right. We all know who he's missing at the moment. Just kidding, Luna. But to be serious: Artemis has been talking about getting strange vibes the past month or two, and frankly I've been feeling something odd too. What's up on your end? Something feels really…strange. I can't place the feeling to anything yet. More later.
Write back! (ALL of you),
Love Minako2002.12.15
§§
"On to the weather: the forecast for the next week is looking down as our satellite has picked up a storm front moving in from the east…" The television blared silently in the lightless room. Its glow shifted amorphously as the pictures on the screen changed. The only occupant of the room did not hear the weather report since she herself was locked in the chains of an unshakable nightmare. Makoto thrashed about on the couch, mouth moving as if it wanted to speak, or to scream but was unable.
Something was holding her back. Something of great strength because try as she might, Makoto could not wrench herself free of her captor. The vision in front of her moved her to anger- anger at her captor and anger at herself for not being strong enough. Her friends were in trouble and she could do nothing to help. She was helpless- it is a feeling that is not very known to her. And she hated feeling this way. Movement caught her attention and she turned her head to the right, just in time to see a dark figure hanging maliciously above an incapacitated Ami. She renewed her struggle with vigor and finally struggled free. At the chance, she stumbled forward and proceeded to run towards Ami when she felt herself slow down- an act not by her own doing.
Suddenly she found herself in a large, cold room. It reminded her of an antechamber in a palace with its marbled floors and columns, great walls made of granite, and crystal chandeliers. Her breath caught tight in her throat as she unconsciously gasped and repelled air from her lungs, rejecting the sharp copper smell of blood. The air reeked of the smell of battle and death. The chamber was washed in blood and bodies littered the floors haphazardly. All were dead. And among them were faces that she had hoped not to see in such a state. Her friends. Their faces were locked in horror and unbelievable pain.
Off to the corner there was movement so she directed her focus there. Like a movie, she felt everything enlarged as the scene zoomed in to the corner. A cloaked figure kneeled over Ami's body. A bony, sickly arm poked out from the cloak, the only sign of the figure being human. It had a long, slender dagger in one hand- covered with blood, Ami's own lifeblood no doubt. The other hand was placed over Ami's chest, also soaked in blood. In a moment she felt a great force slam into her chest- she looked down…
Makoto choked down a pained cry as she was wrenched awake from her nightmare. She remembered it vividly. Momentarily, she felt in her mind that it was never a nightmare, but a reality. But would that have been the past? Or worse…the future? Fear gripped her heart and rendered her shivering helplessly. A coldness chilled her spirit. She glanced at the clock sitting on her nightstand and saw that it was well past midnight.
She had a sudden desire to bathe the room in light and banish the darkness. Her hands shook as she reached for the light. Instead on hitting the switch on her lamp, her fingers landed on the keypad of her mobile phone. She picked it up and decided to call Ami. She had to make sure that Ami was okay- and safe. Never mind that it was 3 AM in the morning. Makoto knew that Ami kept her mobile on twenty-four hours a day, in the event that her mother should need her or something should happen. Her fingers punched in the memorized number and pushed 'send'. She waited as she heard the phone ring once, twice, thrice…until finally she heard the click that meant Ami picked up.
In a groggily concerned voice that Makoto would in any other circumstances find cute, Ami answered, "hello…?" Makoto let out a relieved sigh, knowing Ami was safe. She immediately felt contrite at having woken her up.
"Ami. It's me."
There was a slight pause before: "Makoto?"
"Yeah. Look…I'm extremely sorry to have woken you up…it's just…"
There was movement and she guessed that Ami was sitting up and moving about doing something or other…like turn on the light. Ami interrupted, slightly irritated, and moreover just concerned, "what?" It had come out slightly clipped and had sounded harsher than she had intended. Her nerve was slightly on edge. The late night phone call had her very concerned and a bit frightened, knowing that phone calls during the late hour usually meant bad news.
Makoto felt rebuked hearing Ami's tone and it silenced her for a moment. Ami felt bad and apologized.
"Mako-chan? Are you all right?" Ami's voice was so soft, and Makoto reveled in its comforts.
There was no answer and for a moment Ami thought Makoto had hung up if the display on her phone didn't say 'connected to Kino Makoto'.
"Yeah." The voice was shaky. "I had another nightmare." There was another period of silence in which Ami decided not to say anything and waited for Makoto to continue. The silence was deafening, but Makoto felt it wrap itself around her, keeping her safe. She felt content, and relieved of a fear knowing that Ami was just on the other side. "Ami…"
"Yes?"
"Do you think…" there was a sigh, "never mind. I'm sorry to wake you. Good night."
"Wait. Mako-chan. You can't seriously just hang up on me if you call me at…3 AM in the morning without giving me a more substantial reason. Tell me what's wrong. I'm here for you, Mako-chan- you know that."
"I'm just…afraid."
Mako-chan afraid? The two words were never meant to fit together in one sentence. Ami's heart raced and for the life of her, she couldn't figure out why. "Mako-chan, hold on, don't move. I'm coming over."
"Ami, don't. It's dangerous-" The line disconnected with a click. "Shit," Makoto cursed before hanging up. Makoto grabbed a pillow and a blanket and settled herself onto her window seat where she could keep a lookout for Ami. A moment later, she tossed the pillow and blanket aside, grabbed her keys, coat and darted out the door knowing this was no time of night for anyone to be walking around alone.
§§
Almost there. Almost there, Ami thought as her heart raced, her breath coming in and out as steamy wisps in the chill night air. Her body leapt from her skin at little sounds, like a leaf scraping across the street, the rattle of a windowpane. At this point, she would like nothing more than to crawl into bed and fall back into the dream that Makoto's call had pulled her from. Why dream when you have the real thing? She wondered idly as she picked up the pace. As she drew nearer to Makoto's apartment, sounds of a scuffle reached her ears as well as the sound of an all too familiar voice.
She peered around a corner and there she was! Surrounded by three teenagers looking like they need a haircut and six weeks in boot camp, Makoto stood belligerently above a writhing body on the ground. One of the boys lunged at her, arms outstretched and screaming an obscure obscenity. Makoto grabbed an arm while delivering a sharp kick to his stomach. With a sickening twist and a loud crunch, she broke the boy's arm. Ami's cry of "Makoto!" was drowned out by the boy's own gut wrenching cry. Makoto heard Ami's voice and turned to find her location. Makoto is not Makoto. Makoto's normally gentle, warm green eyes had been replaced by hollow, dilated dark orbs. A flash of recognition streaked across Makoto's features before disappearing into the shadows of her face.
"Makoto?"
"A—?" A pause. Makoto's eyes burned with a flame not hers, and her image seared itself in Ami's eyes. "Stay away!" Makoto managed to rasp out. Ami's legs locked in place as she stood shock still watching in horror as Makoto seemed to struggle with herself, pain evident in her features and body language, as she writhed and hissed against an unseen force. Torn between running to her and running away, Ami, after a painfully long moment, chose the former. "Get away!" came Makoto's strained voice, this time sounding desperate. "I'm dangerous—get help…"
"Mako-chan!" What the hell?
"Please. Get away!"
"No. No! I can help." Ami reached out for Makoto's shoulders and managed to clasp her hands on them when Makoto began struggling away. She flinched and weaved left when she saw Makoto's fist come at her. Eyes wide with surprise, Ami stared at the unlucky wall that fell victim to Makoto's mean right fist. Could have been me!
"I'll hurt you. No control. Monster—" Makoto grunted and struggled with the words. "It's growing. Taking over." Makoto's eyes, the real Makoto's eyes, looked deploringly into Ami's, begging her, for the life her, to get away from this place. And to bring help because whatever it is that is taking control of her body was attacking her from the inside. Makoto felt utterly powerless, and entirely at its mercy.
When Ami made no motion to move, Makoto shoved Ami back a couple of feet with an arm as another wave of pain gnawed at her insides. A thousand voices, alien voices spoke to her inside her head, sending her head into locker of pain. Ami watched the transformation of Makoto's face into a snarl, while tears simultaneously fell from Makoto's green eyes.
§§
"Artemis," Minako said, her voice barely a whisper. She was sitting on her bed, reading the latest e-mail from Rei. Very much a traditionalist, she knew would have preferred writing an actual letter and sending it via the postal system. However, this latest disturbed Minako. E-mail meant expediency, and coming from Rei, it meant urgency.
She looked out the window of her apartment, watching life pass her by on the streets below, still alive past nine at night. She loved the city; it breathed the same air she lived on. She loved her job and she was finally managing her studies at school, with some help of course.
"We need to go to home."
Artemis raised his head, his tail flickering left and right. "Aren't we?"
"I mean Tokyo. Something's happening. We need to go home."
"When? I haven't had a good feeling for the past few weeks." Minako reached out and stroked his head.
"I know." They were silent for another moment, neither wanting to process nor speculate upon the news that Rei had sent. "Earliest flight possible, Artemis. I'll have Charles make up an excuse for me and cover for me. Gods I hope that every nerve in my body is wrong and it all turns out to be nothing more than an error in my system."
Artemis jumped into her lap and settled down while saying, "Now there's a slim hope if I've ever heard one. Nothing involving us is ever simple." Something about Makoto's monster issue was niggling at his mind ever since he read Rei's e-mail. "Minako, how much do you remember of the past?"
"The past? Everything before my 10th birthday is somewhat of a blur. Why do you ask?"
"I didn't mean this lifetime's past, Mina."
"Oh. Ohhh," she said with more enthusiasm. "A lot, I think. I get a lot of dreams, flashbacks."
Artemis' tail whisked leisurely as he gave himself time to think. He arched and stretch before asking, "Do you remember when a demon infiltrated Serenity's palace? He came in as one of the Prince's personal guards…"
"It was at a ball. When the thing intended to kill Serenity, right?" Minako stood up with a gasp, chucking Artemis off her lap and forcing him to test his feline capabilities. "None of us noticed anything until Endymion saw him lurking around the royal chambers.
"Usagi! Pack your things, Artemis! We need to get going now!" I never thought the princess would ever need protection from one of us!
"Like I have anything pack," Artemis grumbled, ego still bruised from being unceremoniously tossed like a salad and landing on his bum.
§§
