Notes: Episode 136, "Protect Mamoru! Jealousy of Usagi the Ninja". Or, "The one where Rei is stalked by Ninja Usagi".
Episode 136
How she should bring it up was the big question.
Mako sat back on the park bench and glanced at Ami. Reading, as usual. Mako tried to catch a glimpse of the book's subject, but one look made her eyes cross and her mind recoil in horror.
Math, then. No thank you.
The sound of splashing drew her attention to Minako, lounging at the fountain's edge across the path. She flicked her fingers in the water in a mindless, lazy gesture. Mako noted the nearby "No playing with the water!" sign and smiled. Since when did rules apply to Minako anyway?
"There's nobody cute here," Minako said with a pout. "What's the point of getting up early and looking fabulous if there's nobody here to appreciate me?"
Ami didn't glance away from her book as she replied, "Give them time. You're a lot to deal with before breakfast."
Then the words echoed back to her ears. She dropped the book in her lap, her eyes wide with alarm. "I-I didn't-!"
"Ami-chan, so mean!" Minako clutched at her heart like she'd just been fatally wounded. Which was clearly the tack she was going to take. As Ami stammered apologies, Minako just gurgled and twitched in her prolonged death scene.
Mako would have to save Ami in a minute of course, but took the opportunity to gather her thoughts.
She'd hastily arranged this morning meeting after last night's disturbing … visit. As soon as she was free she'd called Ami and Minako (Rei was out, for obvious reasons) and asked them to meet her at the park first thing. They'd agreed without asking questions, and Mako loved them for that, since she hadn't been sure what to say at the time.
She wasn't sure what to say NOW.
It didn't seem like time was going to help the situation though, so fuck it, no point in waiting any longer.
Very deliberately, Mako cleared her throat. Ami stopped apologizing, Minako stopped thrashing, and they both gave her their undivided attention.
Mako took a deep breath, stealing a final moment. "I'm worried about Usagi." There. It was out now.
Minako's entire posture crumpled, like she'd lost half of her bones, and she sighed in relief. "Oh thank god, I'm not the only one."
"I was hoping that's what this was about," Ami confessed. "I was going to bring it up if you hadn't."
Mako was surprised at her lack of surprise. Of course they'd noticed it too. For one thing, it was Usagi.
For another, it was Usagi was stalking Rei in a red ninja outfit.
There was only so far you could justify feeling jealous about your boyfriend, and Mako was pretty sure swords was it.
Speaking of. "She wanted a sword."
"Oh please say you didn't give her one." Minako rubbed her forehead wearily.
"I gave her a practice blade."
Neither Minako nor Ami looked reassured.
"Even Usagi would have to try hard to do damage with something that dull."
Ami's expression became more worried. Minako raised an eyebrow.
"You're right. I'll go get it back after this."
A much better plan and everyone relaxed. But just slightly.
Ami settled next to Minako at the fountain's edge. The calm burbling of the water was a contrast to her obvious concern. "Unfortunately that's treating the symptom and not the cause."
"Well we can't let her treat the cause. We still need Rei," Minako joked. Nobody laughed, not even Minako.
"So you guys saw it too?" Mako asked. At she wasn't alone in bearing witness to Usagi's getup. She wasn't sure how to explain it, and was relieved she wouldn't have to.
"Last night she asked me for books about ninjas. I showed her a few pictures. She declared them her spiritual brethren and ran out of the apartment." Ami's concern did battle with a newfound wonder. "I didn't know she knew what 'brethren' meant."
Minako shook her head in wonder. "She showed up at my place wanting to know how to be sneaky. I was going to tell her red wasn't the best choice, but hey, at least Rei will know she's coming."
Ordinarily, Mako would've found Usagi's actions funny and charming. That was Usagi. Funny and charming, and yeah, prone to a bit of overreaction sometimes. This though? This was way more than "a bit". And it wasn't the first time.
"She's getting worse, isn't she?"
Neither Minako nor Ami said anything, and that said everything.
Mako nodded and crossed her arms. They were all on the same page. Time for action then. "Okay, so what's wrong with her?"
"You KNOW what's wrong with her," Minako immediately replied.
Mako felt her stomach shrivel. She was hoping for … a virus. An allergic reaction. A bully who moved in next door. SOMETHING. Something they could fight against, something they could defeat. Something they could show to Usagi and say "Look, this thing that hurt you? We've taken care of it, and you can be okay again."
Something that wasn't an unspeakable evil from another dimension that Usagi had had to face alone. Something that wasn't from a confrontation they still didn't know the faintest thing about.
Something that wasn't Pharaoh 90.
"So," Mako began. She caught the waver in her voice, swallowed hard, and tried again. "So what can we do?"
Even as she said it, Mako turned to Ami. Minako was already doing the same.
Ami noted their attention, but didn't shrink from it as she might under normal circumstances. "I'm researching that now. It's difficult. This isn't exactly a situation you find in textbooks." She looked firm and resolute. "But I won't give up."
Minako clenched her fist and gave it a determined shake. "Exactly! None of us will!"
"Right!" Mako agreed, fully caught up in the moment. They didn't have all the answers right now, but answers were out there, and the Sailor Senshi would find them. "What do we do in the meantime?"
"Be there for her," said Ami.
"But not for weapons," Minako added.
This time Mako did laugh. As the others joined in, Mako felt her heart lighten. It was the best sound she's heard in days.
The moment was cut painfully short. They gasped simultaneously as a shock of pain and fear flooded them.
"Rei!" Ami exclaimed, looking over her shoulder despite the distance between them and the shrine.
Minako already had her henshin wand in her hand.
A wicked grin spread across Mako's face as she called the lightning and the lightning answered. And here she'd just been hoping to beat the shit out of something. These assholes picked the wrong girl today. Jupiter was going to make damn sure they regretted it.
