Dawn of the Moon

by Skye Valkyrie

All there is, is a fine mirror between the past and the present. Shatter that, and destinies begin to intertwine.

25. Newfound Trust

Chapter Twenty-Five: Newfound Trust

Usually, when Kunzite returned to his quarters after actively taking part in an operation, he would have a sit and mull over the success or inefficiencies of the work. He would take hours, sometimes, to figure out what had gone wrong or what could have gone wrong, to wonder if the Youma could have preferences with who they worked with, to recall if there had been any evidence left of their existence to the humans. It was his obsession for detail that kept them so hidden so far, that still kept the humans from knowing the truth. It was what made him strong, and so this night, after returning from his first battle with the Sailor Guardians, he sat down.

He had lost the Guardians. Shame could not allow him to admit their defeat, for though they had run, they had survived. And if there was anything he had learned from his brothers, was that they always came back stronger. His brothers' deaths were proof of that. That the Guardians had his brothers' soulstones were testament to their ability to learn. Children, they might look; ancient warriors they truly were. He had thought he had learnt enough, that when they had captured his spies he had nothing else but to commence an attack to support the intelligence gain. He was not too prideful that he could not confess to his rashness. Spies he had lost, this battle he had lost, but not without the gain of valuable new information.

He stood, renewed with a goal. A plan for a real attack. He needed to recruit the right Youma and the control centre would give him that.

Unfortunately, the room was not empty. He seethed at the door, cursing his luck, but having the notion to keep it internal. She stared back at him, calm and unaffected, as if daring him to enter. Thetis, one of the three demons of the Youma, neither under the Shitennou's control, nor above them. They cooperated well enough with his brothers, but Thetis seemed to have a personal contempt for him.

He broke first word when she was about to ignore him and return to her work. "I need this room," he said curtly.

Her shoulders moved a little, though she made no sound and her faceless face was a mask. A scoff.

He stepped in with the intention of riling her, and indeed, she peered up at him through her dark fringe. "Queen Beryl has given me command to do what I need to learn more about the Guardians. I have, and I have plans with the right Youma."

This time, her scoff was not silent. "Talk to them then. Ask for one that can do what you need instead of picking one you think can do what you need."

He snorted with derision. "What would they know? They're Youma."

"I am one of them."

"Exactly," he returned.

She smiled dangerously—how he knew she was smiling he could never know. Reaching under the computer counter, she tugged, and then showed him a bunch of unmarked wires just as the hum of the machines quietened some. "Oops," she said drily, "I just disconnected the drive you need from the main system."

He growled. "Fix it back."

She let the wires fall and went back to her work. "Can't. I'm just a Youma. What do I know?" He went to grab her, but she merely weaved out of his grasp and sauntered back to her worktable. "Oh, that's right," she crooned, "I built this technology. I collected all the data here. How about that?" She tapped a finger to her featureless chin. "Guess I know more than I let on, huh?"

"You will pay for your insolence," he said through gritted teeth.

"Insolence?" She was suddenly so close to his face that the glow of her pale, smooth skin became painful to his eyes. "I am the right hand of Metaria, Beryl is the left. What do you think that makes you? A tool." She smiled wickedly. "A mutt fit only for the off-hand. I wouldn't even touch you."

He grabbed her collar and shook her with a snarl. "You lie." The next thing he knew, he was up against the wall, the black eyes of the silent demon Hysminai boring into him. He spat in Thetis' direction. "So you hide behind your dog!"

"Correction," she purred, running her fingers lovingly down the arm of the tall demon. She wrapped one arm around Hysminai's waist and nestled close. "My sister."

It was not as sly as he expected in her tone, and Thetis drew back immediately, turning her back on him. Hysminai released him and stepped back, and she looked like a lifeless doll awaiting her master's puppeteering orders, arms limp and down by her side, head slightly downcast that he could almost see the third eye at the back of her head. She stood still as death, unmoving even when Kunzite took a step back to Thetis, almost sorrowful. Thetis came back, brushing by him and cupped the back of Hysminai's neck, guiding her down with a tenderness he did not know she had, and she whispered into her ear. And then Hysminai left without even an acknowledgement in his direction.

"I'll give you this one friendly advice, Kunzite," Thetis said, all her contempt and mockery suddenly gone, replaced only by weariness. "Forget your Youma. Without Metaria or the benefit of an army, your Youma will die without giving you what you want."

"They cannot be so powerful," he argued.

"Say that out loud again," she said, back to her usual sneer. "You're smart, Kunzite. Strong, nearly invulnerable. Why don't you go face them instead of the weaker Youma like all your honourable brothers have done?"

"I have."

"With the aid of nearly two dozen Youma." And she added, "As always."

He was taken aback. Something about that last comment upset him more than it should have; a tingling at the back of his head that it was more than a snide remark. "What do you mean?"

But by then she was already back to her work with a posture that told him she would no longer speak to him. It was the second humiliation he had received today and it was only due to the last of his pride that he managed to compose himself. The Youma were beneath him and Thetis was lying only to get a rise out of him, he told himself. It was impossible for her, a lowly demon, to be so valued by the master. He pushed the event out of his mind; he had better things to do.

He found Queen Beryl sitting on her dais in the throne room, eyes closed with a forlorn smile on her beautiful features, her long legs curled up on the steps beneath. Her hands were cupped in her lap, thumbs stroking an object he could not make out from where he stood. "My queen," he said, and held his bow until she responded.

"What is it, Kunzite?" she asked distractedly. "I'm busy."

"My queen, forgive me. I…" He trailed off when he saw the clear crystal moonstone in her hands. "Has the crystal discovered the identity of Sailor Moon, my queen?"

"Hmm?" She opened her eyes and glanced down. "Oh, no. No, it showed me a girl that did not come from here. Perhaps Sailor Moon is just a fortuitous visitor after all."

"What about Sailor V?" he said. "The one who claims to be the Princess that holds the Silver Crystal?"

She shrugged. "I haven't gotten to that yet. Probably a visitor playing along with the Guardians too."

He bit his tongue to cut off the growing expression of doubt on his face. It was just a week ago that his Queen returned, and now here was the shadow that had been ruling over his brothers' with a mood as unstable as it was weak. A woman who would not be called Beryl with her indifferent attitude toward the goal of reviving their master. "Why not?" he asked carefully.

"Come. I'll show you." She took his hand, and suddenly, he was not where his body stood. He felt himself in both worlds, could smell, hear and see the distinct differences. But only one scene stood out in his mind: the chill of a cold winter day, the smell of crisp air after a heavy snowfall, the tittering sounds of young children, the sweet taste of joy, and the sight of a fair-headed boy so much like a young Jadeite. No more than three, bundled up in thick clothing and little boots, the boy struggled against the snow, coming up to Kunzite. "Mama," the boy cried happily.

Kunzite gasped when the sensations tore away from him abruptly. Queen Beryl tossed away his hand with a look of disgust and went back to sit on the throne. Her voice was cool and stabbed him in the heart with pleasure and fear when she spoke. "I saw you return empty. Is that why you are here, Kunzite?"

"I-It is true, my queen," he said, stumbling over his words. "The Sailor Guardians had managed to slip from my grasp."

"And you came to beg for forgiveness?"

"Respectfully, my queen, no," he said, inclining his head, if only for the chance to recompose himself. "I came to discuss options."

"Oh?" She gave him the courtesy of leaning forward with curiosity. "Discuss away."

"Thetis…" he began, flicking his tongue in distaste at the mere mention of the demon, "suggested that the Sailor Guardians are more than a match for the Youma. Do you have anything to add to that?"

"One on one, certainly," Queen Beryl replied without hesitation. "I don't doubt even if it is three Youma to one."

"And when they are whole as a team, the number is greater than their individual capabilities," he added.

She cocked her head, an irritated huff escaping her lush, red lips. "We know this well, Kunzite."

"We have always been limited by the number of Youma we can send after them at one time because we still have need to remain hidden from the humans." He waved his hands and several projections of military meetings appeared in the air between them, showing Youma disguised as senior officers being the most vocal about the ridiculousness of 'monsters'. "The Youma are to the common human squad as the Sailor Guardians are to them. Still, it is always a game of numbers, and we are few in comparison. That is, until our master comes and grants us more."

"Soulless and dolls both." She smiled; it was both cruel and sad. "And? Are you suggesting we wait?" She smirked. "Because if that is the case, I should remind you now that that was my last command to you. It was you who had thought you had found an opportunity and believed you could seize it."

"If I may correct this misunderstanding, my queen," he quickly said before she lost herself in his supposed failure, "the opportunity I saw was not to destroy the Sailor Guardians, but to assess their strengths and weaknesses myself with minimal risk. And I have found so many things, my queen." He paused for her to absorb his words. "Most of the Guardians have specific roles in the team. Sailor Mercury has shown herself to be a very proficient coordinator and battle analyst. Sailor Jupiter, clearly being one of the strongest, is their primary offensive. Sailor Mars, though far restrained compared to the others, appears to be the all-rounder of the team. Sailor V, the one they claim to be the Princess, the keeper of the Silver Crystal; she acts very much their leader, but not a princess that is to be guarded."

Queen Beryl's eyes widened as realisation dawned. She fingered the clear crystal in her hands, giving him her eager attention.

"Yes," he said, "that leaves Sailor Moon, who does not appear to have any specific role. And in a team such as theirs, is that not suspicious?"

"No." She leaned back, waving her hands dismissively, yet there was doubt in her voice. "Impossible. She cannot be the Princess just as this Sailor V is a pretender."

"Consider, my queen," he pressed. "Three of your four past Guardians currently work in this team in the same respective roles your past Guardians were known for. For that, the Princess must be under their protection."

"What worse place to find protection than right in the middle of battle?" she argued.

"What safer place for the Princess' Crystal power to thrive unnoticed than in the middle of battle?" he countered.

"But that means the Princess is a Senshi," she muttered, brows furrowing deeply.

"Sailor V is claiming to be the Princess."

"Sailor V is a fraud. She cannot be the Princess, but I also don't know who she is. Perhaps…"

"Can't the Princess have been reborn a Senshi?" he asked when she seemed to be lost in her own thoughts.

Queen Beryl rubbed her temples with a deep sigh. "She told me no." Then, without elaborating on this 'she', she sneered. "But she also told me the Queen is the only Keeper of the Silver Crystal. And Zoisite had supported their claims that the Princess is the current Keeper." Suddenly, she slapped her fists onto the arms of her throne in rage. The old moonstone shattered under the force and she swept them to the floor with a snarl. "That lying bitch!"

He stepped back, unsure. "My queen?"

Queen Beryl shot to her feet, looming tall and fearsome with the shadows crawling at her back. "She lied to me! How could she lie to me?" She paced, like a lioness on the prowl. "She's been lying to me from the start! They were friends!" She stopped abruptly and laughed wickedly. "Well, I'm glad I betrayed her then. She deserved to feel the pain Beryl had felt for her lies."

Confused at the irregular references, he wisely chose not to comment until she had calmed down.

"Give me a way to pay back the liar, Kunzite," Queen Beryl demanded as she finally sat.

He smiled. "I have a plan that will draw out the true identity of the Princess and bring down the Sailor Guardians."

---

"They're arguing."

Usagi followed Minako's gaze to the bedroom where Makoto had taken Ami for them to change into newer clothes. The smell of antiseptic and dried blood still hung in the air and it would take more than a change of clothing to get rid of it, Usagi thought, but still she smiled at the muffled voices behind the door.

Minako popped a candied walnut into her mouth. "What are they arguing about, Rei?"

Rei sipped at her tea, leaning against the kitchen counter on the other side of the bench Usagi was sitting at. She sighed at Minako's simple question in a way that Usagi decided it wasn't so innocent after all. "How would I know?"

"You're the one with the cat ears," Minako quipped.

Rei pointed at Luna. "Real cat right there."

Luna huffed indignantly. "The politically correct term is Mauii."

Minako snorted. "Tell that to Artemis. He gets pissy when I yell at him for scratching my furniture."

"I will."

"Good." Minako again idly picked around the snack bowl Makoto had laid out for them. "So, what are they arguing about, Rei?"

"I told you—"

"I think Makoto's trying to get her in a dress," she said over Rei. "Don't you think so, Usagi?"

Usagi shrugged, and motioned for the bowl. "What's Ami got against dresses?"

"Ah, but that's the question. I've never seen her in one."

"Don't be ridiculous," Rei said exasperatedly. "Dresses have zips at the back and frilly shoulder straps and ties and long pullover material. Be a little more aware of her condition."

"How about a skirt?"

"I've seen her in one," Usagi said.

"Mini, modest or ankle-length?"

Rei shook her head. "And now they're talking about fashion."

"Short sleeves then?" Minako said.

Usagi nodded with a full mouth. "Possible."

"Invisible powers," Rei muttered. "Why can't I ever use them in battle?"

"I don't know how she stands the sleeves in this heat," Minako groused.

"I don't know how your mind works." Rei glowered when a walnut sploshed into her tea. And Minako cried out when she grabbed the back of her head and threatened to force scalding—now too sweet—tea down her throat. Usagi was giggling uncontrollably at the scene by the time Makoto rushed out the bedroom.

"Guys, keep it down!" she said, waving one arm frantically. "School night, remember?"

"I'm so delirious with sleeplessness and the knowledge I'm going to fail my last test that I don't care anymore," Minako declared. Then she stared at the walnut in her hand and wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Ugh. I'm eating sugar in the middle of the night and I don't care. Someone take the bowl away from me."

Usagi stared at the unusual pouch of Makoto's belly sticking out beneath her crossed arms. Makoto gave them a careful berth as she slid behind Minako into the kitchen area and paused as she met Rei's scrutinising gaze. Ami sat down on Usagi's right and her intrigue shifted.

"Everything all right?" she asked softly.

Ami gave a small smile that did not yet reach her eyes. She pulled up the collar of her loaned jumper, self-consciously rearranging the cover over her painful shame. Even after spending the better part of the night confessing her fears and uncertainties, Ami was still resentful of what she had always deemed a loathed part of her life. The others had been as understanding as Usagi was, and she had hoped it would ease Ami's mind. But she supposed that only a miracle could work overnight and if Ami kept her promise to mull healthily, she would wait as the ever supportive friend.

"Everything will be all right?" This time, it was a prompt. Patience was never her forte; sometimes, she just needed a verbal acquiescence even if she knew better.

"It will," Ami promised. "I am just…thinking."

She smiled and gave Ami's left hand a quick squeeze, revelling when the other girl did not pull away. "Promise that you'll come to us if it ever gets bad again."

Ami nodded.

"Like seriously," Minako said, suddenly in their conversation, forcing Usagi to lean back. She had propped herself almost over the bench and was now right in Ami's face. "Anytime at all your thoughts turn unhealthy, call us. You call me even if it's the middle of the night and you've just woken me from my beauty sleep and I'm yelling at you for your idiocy."

"Minako, I don't think that's helping," Rei said.

Minako ignored her, her tone losing its sharpness. "You call me to remind you you're being an idiot, okay?"

Usagi couldn't say that she was good at reading at situations. She had tried once before, and it had ended up being wildly inappropriate. Yet, it was when she didn't try, when she just let instinct and emotions take over, that she always just knew. At least, that was what Naru had claimed, though she was doubtful. It was interactions like this, one that she wouldn't understand if she tried, but that made her heart jump in unknown joy, that she felt inclined to believe Naru.

With a smile that went far beyond simple gratitude—there was comprehension and acceptance, among others that leapt to Usagi's awareness—Ami said, "Thank you."

Minako nodded, then began to push herself back down. "S'cuse me," she said perkily as her elbow nearly met Usagi's nose.

"Watch out for the bowl!" Makoto snatched it up before it toppled over, nearly dropping it as she struggled to contain her loose pouch. Usagi watched with interest. How she really wanted to know what Makoto was hiding now.

Rei narrowed her eyes. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," Makoto replied, too quickly. She replaced the bowl and waved Rei's attention away. Her eyes shifted suspiciously, landing with frequency on Ami.

Usagi turned her gaze back to Ami as she sighed. "Kino-san, do you have a pair of pliers? Needle-nose preferably."

Ooh, Ami's in on it! No, I shouldn't pry. Oh, but she was curious. Usagi decided the snack bowl was the best distraction for now if she wanted to remain neutral for Ami's sake.

"I see you hiding something," Minako sang playfully.

"Leave me alone. I gotta get that pliers." Makoto moved to bypass Rei to the cabinet under the sink, then paused, and cursed. She spun around and dug into a drawer, producing the pliers.

"Your toolbox was underneath," Ami said exasperatedly.

"Yeah, well, you obviously haven't needed to debone fish before," she muttered, handing the tool over.

"Busted!" Minako grinned. "Show."

"No." Makoto went to leave the kitchen, only to have Minako standing unashamedly in her way.

With a second, heavier, sigh, Ami pulled up her right sleeve and rested her hand on the bench top. She then began inserting the tip of the pliers into one of the punctures in her arm.

"What the hell are you doing?" Rei shouted, yanking the pliers away.

Minako turned away from Makoto. "Hey, unhealthy. You promised."

"Ami…" Usagi said worriedly.

"It is not what you think," Ami said, motioning for the return of her weapon. "I need a reason to explain this damage. I was checking to see if that fits well."

"Monsters roam around Japan," Minako said, throwing her hands wide for emphasis. "Use them."

"The monsters are slowly being accepted as terrorists. Not to mention the fact there hasn't been a recent public attack that I can blame this on, and I wouldn't want to because of the police interrogations that would surely be involved. And this?" Ami tapped her right shoulder. "This is obviously self-inflicted. It is easier to explain them both within the same situation than to involve outsiders."

"Are you really going to tell your mother that you intentionally hurt yourself?" Rei asked.

Ami looked away, managing a small, unbelievable, casual shrug. "It has happened before."

Several clanging sounds rang out before anyone could press on that. Their attention was drawn back to Makoto, who by now was halfway to her bedroom, several flat metal cans rolling around her feet. "Oops," she said with such fake, resigned, sheepishness that Usagi could only feel sorry instead of miffed. The Kino-Mizuno assistance agreement had ended in Kino's lost.

"Beer?" Rei exclaimed.

Minako clicked her tongue. "A drunk Senshi is a dead Senshi, Makoto."

Maybe I should start a scene and demand to know this Senshi secret thing, Usagi thought grimly. But not yet, not with Ami now, she decided, even if Ami was a part of the conspiracy.

Makoto groaned and fixed her ruffled shirt. "I swear, I didn't drink it," she said, hastily grabbing the evidential cans and tossing them into the bin under the sink.

"Really?" Usagi blurted out.

Makoto bristled. "Where's your trust? I haven't touched a single drop since that day."

"What day?" Minako asked distractedly as she began to open cabinets.

"That day you weren't around. What the hell are you doing?"

"Opening cabinets. What's it look like?"

Luna sauntered across the counter to the bin. "So what's seven empty beer cans doing in your bedroom?"

Makoto crossed her arms and stared her down. "My aunt visited last weekend. She drinks."

"I found the stash," Minako announced gleefully at the opened fridge.

"And she left the alcohol here with you," Luna prodded dubiously. "What kind of aunt leaves beer with an underage girl?"

"The kind who's not even thirty and nurses a busy career better than she knows how to take care of a teenager." She threw up her hands. "Trust me, okay?"

"Never trust an alcoholic." Minako studied intently the can in her hand.

"I'm not an alcoholic!"

"All right then," Rei said. "Minako, hand—don't throw it!" With arms stretched as far away from herself, she turned around and popped the lid, pouring the contents into the sink behind her.

"Wha—hey!" Makoto lunged for Rei. "Don't waste it! I have limited funds unlike you guys."

"So you admit to drinking."

"I did. I used to. Damn it, Rei, have mercy. One or two is fine, but if the whole carton is gone, my aunt will really think I've drunk it." Makoto groaned, pressing her hands to her face as she leaned against the bench. "Fine, if it'll get you to trust me, toss it all. But you're helping me replace it before she visits for the parent-teacher conference."

Usagi decided to take pity with her, though the memory of her last drunken state was still a sore thought. "Rei, I think it's all right."

Rei raised an eyebrow at her, but the hand that held the upturned can never wavered. Minako strutted over with another opened can, but took a curious sip before sputtering loudly and dropping the offending item into the sink. "Minako, I swear—" Rei cried angrily, jumping back, but the girl only began to flick her tongue irritably.

"Serves you right," Makoto muttered.

"Chuck it all!" Minako demanded with a dramatic point of her finger.

"Guys!" Usagi rapped her knuckles on the bench top for good measure. "Leave Makoto be. She's fine with it."

"How can you be so sure?" Luna asked.

"She told us her reasons for drinking." Usagi reached over and patted Makoto's arm encouragingly. She met her eyes and understanding passed between them. Makoto nodded and smiled gratefully. "You don't have those problems anymore."

"Doesn't sound very convincing when you have a walnut lump sticking out of your cheek, Usagi," Minako commented.

There was a loud thump. Rei had her head on the table, arms shielding her face, mission forgotten. But by the shudders wracking her body, it was clear to Usagi that Rei's funny bone had been hit. Bad. The contagious scene found its victims and soon enough, everyone was held up by giggling fits, so much so that it brought Ami out of her silent musing. Usagi tried to explain; a futile effort. Ami, however, seemed to have deduced enough that a smile slowly crept up her face.

"You should spit it out before you choke on it, Usagi," she said gently.

She tried, she really tried. But she could barely stop laughing, let along control her tongue. Their laughter eventually subsided, until Rei returned to dumping beer into the sink and Makoto made one last desperate plea of being able to cook with it. Minako promptly began to guard the rest of the carton against Rei and declared that anyone who hadn't tasted beer battered fish and chips had not lived.

Her sides hurt. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. She was as tired as she was wakeful, and she was sure everyone felt the same. They had one last test day to go, and they hadn't slept in the past twenty-four hours. They had monsters and evil entities as enemies and Ami was leaving them for at least a month, but it all didn't matter now. It was moments like this, when her friends were all happy and together like this, that Usagi was just grateful to be around them.

---

Makoto tried her best to stifle the next yawn, but by the glances turned her way, it was clear her gaping mouth had won the fight. She was too eager to get out of there to care anyway. In celebration of the end of finals, Minako had declared that tonight was a rest night; that was, short of a Youma attack on civilians, they were to congregate, uninvited, at Makoto's place again, to await Ami's message of safe landing. But really to create messes in my tiny apartment, Makoto thought.

Still, she found herself grateful. She didn't know if she could keep calm by herself knowing Ami would be in one of those godforsaken things.

"Kino Makoto-san?"

She blinked at the female student before her. Judging by the uniform, the girl was in the high school department. She was rather short, with shoulder-length black hair and a slightly plump form. She was pretty enough, and had very much the innocent look. But it was the eyes that got to Makoto. Makoto did not like her eyes.

"You are?" she asked instead, immediately dropping her hands from their position behind her head, but having to fight the urge to bring them into a defensive stance instead.

"Suzuki." Warning bells rang in her head at the incomplete name. Suzuki attempted a friendly smile. "Can you come with me, Kino-san? There is someone I'm sure you'll want to see."

It was curiosity and the confidence in her strength that made her follow the suspicious girl. That, and perhaps foolishness, she could admit. Suzuki led her in a roundabout trail, taking routes less travelled, around buildings with few ground floor windows, silent as a snake. They made their way to the shared gym, to the side entrance used by the high school students. There, by the sinks near the entrance, Makoto saw Ami. Three girls surrounded her, two flanking her sides as they sat on the edge of the steel sinks.

It took all Makoto had not to deck them right there and then when she had stopped close enough at Suzuki's gesture. Anger clouded her mind and made her slow to realise that neither of the two who had put their arms around Ami's shoulders in mock friendliness, including the one who had been assaulting her yesterday, was Shinoda Mio. Shinoda Mio was the third one, the smart one who kept her hands clean and her distance safe, the one who bore a bruise on her cheek with cautious triumph. Long, straight, black hair, slender and tall, with a beauty comparable to Rei; no one could accuse Shinoda Mio of being cruel just by looking at her.

"Ah, you." Ami said to Suzuki, and it surprised Makoto that she did not seem submissive, as she had been yesterday. "I forgot about you. The wannabe."

The one on Ami's right, with the beauty mark by her lips, made a shooing gesture. "You can leave now, Suzuki."

Suzuki wrung her hands nervously. "Um…"

Shinoda Mio smiled at her, though it looked more like a predator's expression. "We'll talk tomorrow, Aki-chan, I promise. You did well." Looking like a child who had just been praised, Suzuki bounded off, leaving just the five of them alone. "Kino Makoto-san." Shinoda Mio smirked, a nasty smirk that did not match her outward beauty.

"Yeah, that's my name," Makoto said. Whatever the girl had to say, it didn't really matter to her. She was more curious at the sight of Ami twisting the tap behind Beauty Mark and watching the water pool with an unreadable expression. The older girls watched her with amused snickers and taunts, but did nothing to stop her.

Shinoda huffed in a bored tone. "Now, now, Ami-chan, I know you love water, but I'm trying to have a conversation with your friend here."

"That reminds me," Ami said, standing up abruptly. She dug into her pocket as she headed to Shinoda, and it seemed, intentionally knocking into Beauty Mark's knees, toppling her into the wet basin. "I have something to show you." She tapped on her phone's screen, then showed the contents to Shinoda.

"Bitch," Beauty Mark screamed. With a tap to her shoulder, Makoto sent her sprawling back into the basin. The third girl with glasses perched smartly on her nose matched her appearance and wisely kept her mouth shut.

At first, Shinoda Mio only looked amusedly disinterested. But as seconds passed and the questionable sounds made their way to Makoto's ears, she went from shock to disbelief to anger. Snatching the phone out of Ami's hands, she tried to shut down the video that Makoto could not see, and was pretty sure she didn't want to.

"How the hell did you get this?" Shinoda hissed. She raised her hand.

"I have copies," Ami said calmly. "Unfortunately, I don't have copies of my phone, so I would rather you not break it."

Shinoda grabbed her collar. "Well, let's have a visit to your home, shall we?"

"Kino-san, wait," Ami quickly called out, stopping Makoto with a sharp look. There was something different in Ami today, Makoto noted. Something that assured her the dollmaster was back at work. "I have a proposition for you, Shinoda Mio."

Shinoda scoffed. "And why should I listen?"

"I think you are clever enough to know you do not have the upper hand here," Ami reminded evenly, and as she had done with Minako, she twisted Shinoda's grip off, taking the older girl by surprise. "You will not get the copies and I will not give you the copies. Nor will I give them to anyone else, if you agree to abide by my conditions." When Shinoda hesitated, she continued, "I know you know what will happen if your grandfather finds out about your relationship with him."

"What do you want?" Shinoda seethed.

"In short, to be left alone." Ami glanced at Makoto, but kept her air of dangerous surety. "But to be precise, no harm of any sort, be they mental, physical, social and the like, will come to me, my family and friends, those I consider acquaintances and those my acquaintances consider acquaintances, by your hands or the hands of your associates, by your order or by favours done in your name. You will not retaliate against Kino-san for that mark on your cheek, even if it is in your right through proper measures by the school. You will not redirect your anger on anyone in this school. You will control your current and future lackeys if they cannot abide by this condition. As long as you follow these conditions and their implied associations, I can promise this video will never been seen again. And I will not retaliate for all your past transgressions."

Makoto's head was spinning by the time Ami had stopped; she didn't even know where it was she had lost track of the lengthy speech. Shinoda Mio, however, had caught every word of it, her face darkening with barely restrained fury. Ami went to her schoolbag and took out a black tablet—her supercomputer in disguise, Makoto knew immediately.

Again, Ami showed Shinoda, and only Shinoda, the contents of her screen. "Even in your young position, you know some of these names," she said. "You know what I can do with those names and details."

A different expression replaced Shinoda's rage. She narrowed her eyes warily. "You wouldn't."

"The economy will suffer, but it will eventually pick itself up. Your family won't. You won't." Ami put away the computer. "In the event you decide your hatred of me trumps your love for him, remember this." She patted her bag. "It will be done before you can even come near me."

Shinoda, instead of lashing out like Makoto had expected, took a step back and closed her eyes. Still holding onto Ami's phone, she lightly tapped her head with the edge of the device as she appeared to be calming down. It wasn't long before she exhaled slowly and silently offered the phone back, all anger vanished from her features.

"Mio," Beauty Mark barked out, "you're not seriously—"

"Be quiet," Shinoda Mio said coolly.

With a motion of her head, Ami led Makoto away from the group. The gym was barely out of sight before she lost it.

"Really?" She swung her arms back in the older girls' direction. "That's it? That's all you needed to do? Just blackmail your way out? Not even going to try to get her to change into a better person?"

"Shinoda Mio is a very intelligent person," Ami replied. "She knows what she is doing."

"That's not what I meant."

Ami sighed. "That video did not exist until a week ago."

"What about that other one?" she asked.

"It would take a great threat to myself or another before I even consider carrying that out. Prior to today, Shinoda Mio would surely have been able to call my bluff with confidence," Ami said. "I was putting it mildly when I said the Japanese economy will suffer. It will crumble horribly."

"Wow." Then Makoto stopped walking, forcing Ami to pause and glance at her curiously. "So, it's really all fine now? You're… You're okay?"

Ami had to think about it. "I am… No, not yet, exactly," she finally said, shaking her head. "Just as heartfelt words won't get Shinoda Mio to change her ways because she knows exactly what she is doing, I won't get over seven years' worth of repulsion and distrust overnight." She smiled, and this one reached her eyes. "But unlike Shinoda Mio, I am getting better."

"Good." Makoto returned the grin happily. "Good, good."

"Thank you, by the way."

Makoto frowned quizzically. "For what?"

"You brought the attention to yourself when it got difficult for me," Ami said.

"You were doing the same for me before."

"I wouldn't have to if I hadn't goaded you into disposing of the cans straightaway."

"Stop!" Makoto held out a hand. "I can already tell where this is going, and given our history, I'm going to lose. Let's call a ceasefire."

"Practice makes perfect, Kino-san," Ami said, almost teasingly.

"Makoto," she said immediately. Then, almost shyly: "Yeah. Makoto. If…that's all right with you."

Ami smiled, not a practised one or one based on the timing of communication expectations, but a truly pleasant one. Makoto thought it was much nicer than the cold one she usually took. "Makoto," she said, as if testing the sound on her tongue. Then she held out her hand, her right hand. "Friends."

Makoto took it, and felt it grip her back in the softest of touches. "Yeah, Ami. Friends."

---

In all her life, Rei had never been late for anything. If there was one thing her peers had to say about her, it was that she was punctual to a fault. Aside from the witch rumours, of course. Good witch, bad witch; she still had that stigma over her head though she didn't hate it. It gave her standing from those who revered her for it, silly trouble she could easily ignore otherwise. But punctuality… Punctuality was hers to be proud of. Punctuality was her arranging meeting handouts before the first other committee member entered the room. Punctuality was her changing attires and shooting at targets before the other club members were even set up. Punctuality was her just being there first.

Well, today she might not be there first, but at least she'd still meet the technical definition of the word. If only she could just run without looking like an idiot. She shouldn't have taken that nap.

"Makoto." She slowed down when she came to the intersection where the taller girl stood, peering around the corner as if she were in the middle of spying. "Again?"

Makoto whipped her head back, startled. "Oh, it's you, Rei." Then she gestured for Rei to stand in front of her, behind the corner wall. "For the record, whatever I see when standing on my balcony does not constitute spying."

Rei sighed as she crouched down to allow Makoto to see above her. "What am I looking at?"

"Minako."

A few paces down the road was the gate to the exquisite condominium complex in which Ami lived. Standing by it was Minako, shuffling her feet awkwardly as she seemed to be waiting for them. Her camera that she seemed to be taking everywhere with her hung carefully from her neck. "Yeah, what about her?" Rei asked.

"Is she a bitch or just misunderstood?"

"I'll be neutral and say bipolar." Rei watched as Minako jumped away from the wall and waved with, ostensibly, a nervous twitch. "So, why are we here?"

Ami came into view and Minako greeted her stiffly.

"You should've guessed by my question that I'm not comfortable with her."

Rei considered leaving it to Minako to mend their relationship. It would be rather troublesome defending someone she didn't know that well herself. Except…she knew it was not really in Minako's control. "She's not too bad, really," she finally said.

She felt Makoto shrug behind her. "I can only take your word for it."

Rei watched the two settle into a smooth conversation. "Remember when I caught you up with the Princess story last night?" she said. "Remember the thing about past lives? Whether we believe it or not, Minako certainly does. She has Venus' memories and I think Venus was a whole different person compared to her."

Minako suddenly gestured to Ami's cheek with a lowered gaze, her overall posture slumping with her mood.

"So which is Minako?" Makoto asked softly.

Ami pointed at Minako's wrist and Minako began to laugh with a nonchalant wave of her hand. It was a laughter that carried over to where Rei was, and she could hear the childish joy in it.

"That girl laughing over there," she said.

Makoto clapped a hand on her shoulder, and when she turned back, she saw her smile. "Let's go meet up with them," Makoto said.

"Rei!" Minako greeted when they approached. "You are…"—she checked her watch—"one minute late." She mocked a gasp. "Tardy for a meeting! I'm disappointed. But now you can't yell at me for being slow. Yes! Hey, Makoto."

Makoto smiled in amusement as she returned the greeting.

"How's everything?" Rei said to Ami.

Ami glanced back at the building. "Mother is packing at the last minute again. But we should make it to the airport on time."

"Can we help?"

"If we could, she would have been done already." Ami shrugged. "Even I am not allowed to help because she has certain ways of ordering her belongings. It should be fine."

Makoto tilted her head. "You don't sound confident."

"Recent events have made her…a little distracted."

"Oh." Makoto scratched her head. "Was she mad?"

"She was more frightened than angry." Ami's gaze dropped sadly.

"Cheer up!" Minako began slapping her back. "At least it's over now. Right?"

"Not helping, Minako," Rei said as Ami winced at the onslaught.

"No, no, Minako is right." Ami subtly moved away from Minako's reach, rubbing her right shoulder. "It was all in the mind and I needed to understand that. I… I wasn't looking at things right…blaming the wrong things, ignoring others. I understand that now." She met Minako's gaze briefly. "Sometimes, we just need someone to help us see the real things."

Minako's cheek twitched, so slightly that Rei wasn't sure she actually saw it. Certainly, Minako had on a plastered smile that was deceptively genuine, if not for the dark emotion Rei could feel.

A black sedan pulled up beside them. Its window rolled down and the driver, a young man in a dark uniform, leaned across the passenger side. "Hey, Ami. How's it going?"

"Good evening, Takuma-kun," Ami greeted, and went to the car.

"I guess that means she's leaving already," Makoto said.

"How nice," Minako whined. "I wish I could skip the last two weeks of school too."

"Do you get perfect grades?" Makoto asked.

"Only in English," Minako grumped.

"That's why you're stuck in school with the rest of us." Makoto smirked.

"Oh, you get perfect grades in English too?" Minako batted her eyelashes innocently.

"More importantly, where's Usagi?" Rei scowled. "She's very late."

The driver was suddenly running past them into the condominium building, giving them a toothy grin. "Hi, Ami's friends."

"Charming fella, isn't he?" Makoto quipped.

"Must be nice to be upper class," Minako mused.

"We are hardly upper class," Ami corrected as she returned.

Minako gestured with both hands at the building's entrance, fingers splayed in dramatic fashion. "You have a chauffeur!"

"Company's driver." Ami glanced down the road worriedly. "Besides, there is a difference between being upper class and being…fine, I won't deny it, relatively wealthy. For example, my family is wealthy, Rei's is upper class."

Rei growled. "Don't remind me."

"Oh, a princess in our midst!" Minako made a very exaggerated, but well-balanced, curtsy. "I am not worthy."

"Glad you realise that."

"Ami!"

"Usagi's here," Makoto stated as she peered over their heads down the road.

"Finally," Rei said as Ami exhaled with relief.

"Ami!" Usagi was still far enough away that her features were not quite distinguishable aside from the waving hands, but there was no doubt it was her voice shouting Ami's name. Repeatedly.

Rei pinched the bridge of her nose. "Please tell me she's not shouting Ami's name for the world to hear."

"She's not shouting Ami's name for the world to hear," Minako said tonelessly. "Just the neighbourhood. Usagi!"

"Minako!"

Rei groaned loudly when the two began a back and forth yelling of each other's names.

"We can count a social princess and a troll in our little group," Makoto said drily. "Excellent combination."

"Gangway," Minako suddenly screamed.

"Why are you—" Rei was cut off when Minako yanked her back. Usagi, who had been sprinting down the road to get to them, had only just begun to slow down a few—too few!—steps away. If it wasn't bad enough that it seemed like she wouldn't stop in time, she tripped. On what, Rei would never know and could only close her eyes as Usagi stumbled into Ami and sent them both ploughing into Makoto, who only just managed to keep her balance.

Someone gasped softly, as if from far away. "Ami!" Rei opened her eyes to see Ami's mother on the entrance steps with a horrified expression on her face. The driver, Takuma, gaped soundlessly beside her, luggage bags in both his hands. Saeko began heading toward them, as fast as her high-heeled legs could take her.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," Usagi exclaimed as she struggled to disentangle herself from the other two. "Ami, are you all right? You're not hurt, right? I'm sorry. I—"

"Usagi, I am fine," Ami said with a light chuckle. There was an amused twist on her lips that even Saeko could see as she slowed down.

"Don't wish to intrude and all, but I'm not," Makoto exclaimed gruffly. Even Rei felt uncomfortable for her as she tried to remain standing with a back bent nearly half backwards and legs—one still badly injured too!—curled awkwardly under her.

"Hold it!" They stared disbelievingly at Minako as she held up her camera and snapped a photo. "Okay."

"Why'd you even listen to her?" Rei muttered. To Usagi: "So? What is your excuse for nearly missing Ami?"

Usagi rubbed her head sheepishly. "Naru's mother brought pastries," she mumbled.

Before Rei could even reply, Minako had cupped a hand around her mouth. Should she do it? It would be disgusting and childish and absolutely beneath her, but she was tempted. Boy, she was tempted. Damn hand… "Any for us?" Minako asked.

Usagi brandished a box proudly. But it had only two pastries as far as a fuming Rei could see and she offered it to Ami. "For you and your mother, for your trip," she said. "Naru said it was a peace offering."

"Who's Naru again?" Minako whispered into Rei's ear.

She jerked away and rubbed her ear. "The girl that Youma impersonated." She didn't like the cheeky grin that began to spread across the other girl's face.

"Peace offering?" Makoto raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know she and Ami were at odds."

"Actually…" Usagi pointed upwards, where Luna perched on the wall with a wrapped box by her side. "There's one for the rest of you. She said you don't have to understand why. Except for Minako."

Minako pouted. "Why not?"

"She doesn't know you, oh astute Princess of ours," Rei said.

"You can have mine, Minako," Usagi quickly offered. She rubbed her belly with a blush. "I've more than my fair share."

"Usagi, you gracious goddess you!" Minako crushed Usagi in a playful hug.

By this time, Saeko had already come up to them and cleared her throat. "Ami, we should get going."

"Oh, Mother, yes." Ami began to straighten imaginary ruffles in her clothes.

"Mizuno-sensei," Rei greeted, bowing.

"Ah, Rei." Saeko smiled. "Lovely to see you again. And…"

"Mother," Ami began, and with a gesture, she said, "these are my friends."

Courteous bows were extended at each introduction, and Saeko surprised them all by taking each of their hands and uttering only one phrase, "Thank you." Then she and the driver were in the car and Ami hesitated, her hand resting on the closed passenger door. She turned back with an anxious look.

"I shouldn't be leaving you all at a time like this," she said.

"Don't worry about us," Makoto said.

"You say that but—"

"Ami," Usagi cut in, her tone gentle yet firm. "All you need to do is come back well, and we'll be here, I promise."

"Such a promise isn't exactly in your hands, Usagi." Then she cringed as Usagi rolled her eyes teasingly at her.

"Ami." Rei smiled and motioned at the others. "Stop being logical for a second and look at who your friends are."

"Yeah, we're above logic and the odds," Minako piped up.

"Trust us."

Ami stared at Usagi in wonder. Then she chuckled. "Strangely, I feel like I can now."

"Ami." Minako quickly snapped a picture when Ami turned back again. She held the camera to her chest, smiling softly, a lonely, pleading smile. "Before and after."

"You too." Ami looked at Rei first, then met each of their gazes, before she opened the door.

---

The door closed behind him with finality, leaving the corridor shrouded in darkness. She stood there for uncountable moments. What did she expect? She turned her head to her left, to look into the mirror on the wall, to see what it was telling her. Nothing. Her face half hidden in the shadows, her eyes unexperienced to the subtle revelations. She couldn't tell. She didn't know what to make of it. Should there be tears? She couldn't cry. Should her throat feel constricted? She had not screamed.

What did she expect?

The mirror told her nothing; her reflection betrayed nothing. Emptiness. A child who couldn't understand what she felt and called it nothing, who shouldn't be expecting anything.

It was dark. It was day. It was quiet. Her mother was sobbing.

Mother was in her study. She had always been in her study lately. Reading. Typing. Reading. Writing. Sobbing. Mother would look at her and cry also.

Would Mother be leaving too?

Mother was hugging her. Making promises he made. Making promises of the future she could not have control of. Wetting her right shoulder with her tears. She could barely feel it. She couldn't feel anything.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

Maybe just a bit longer this once.