Chapter 10

The Party

Their painful conversation left Makoto and Zakuro somewhat late for the premiere party, but they did arrive. It was at the Tokyo Hilton, as the parties for first two films had been. Standing side-by-side near the door, they surveyed the scene. The first thing they noticed was that Usagi was over at the bar – with her ridiculously long blonde hair, she was always easy to spot. At the bar she was apparently pouring things down about as quickly as she could. Zakuro gently poked Makoto to catch her attention, nodded toward the blonde magical girl, and said in a low voice, "She never learns, does she?"

Makoto shook her head. "Never, or almost never," she replied. "Well, I suppose I had better do something." And she began crossing the room toward Usagi.

Zakuro followed her, but before they could reach Usagi, Ohara Saburo, the director, approached them. He wore his hair somewhat too long and his clothes somewhat too tight for a man his age. He had a rather sneering smile on his face as he greeted the girls, "Well, good evening, Ladies." After Makoto and Zakuro returned the greeting, he lowered his voice and spoke to Makoto. "Ah, you had better watch out whom you're seen with. Hang around with washed-up old actresses – er, former actresses – and people will start thinking of you the same way." He openly smirked.

Zakuro watched Makoto's fist clench, but as quickly as it clenched, it unclenched. Makoto was maturing at least a little! But before Makoto could say anything, Zakuro said, "Ohara-san, I really have to thank you…"

"Thank me for what?" the director responded, somewhat mystified. Zakuro's words were hardly the response he expected to an insult.

Zakuro shrugged. "When you cut me out of the cast, you saved me from being part of that awful piece of garbage we watched this evening." She stared at him but did not smirk. She did not have to.

The director's face became suddenly dark. "You're still all pissed that you didn't get the part? Well, too bad. But I'd keep my whining to myself, if I were you. I could make it really hard for an aging actress to get any work at all in this town."

"Not nearly so hard as it will be for you to get funding for any future films, after this thing bombs," Zakuro retorted. "Investors won't touch anything you're directing with a ten-foot pole. No producer would be fool enough to hire you…"

"You petty little turd!" Ohara growled. Then he stuck his nose into the air and stalked away, still fuming.

Zakuro did not respond to the crude insult, and she and Makoto stood in silence for a while before Makoto said, "You're really into burning bridges, aren't you."

Zakuro looked into her friend's eyes, and said, "Some bridges are worth burning." Then she lowered her eyes, and muttered, "Maybe… you shouldn't hang around with me. That jerk could make trouble for you, if you're seen with me. And… I'm sorry about running down the movie so much. I guess I'm even more bitter about the whole thing than I thought I was. But they did treat me horribly. And I don't like what they did to you, either."

"What they did to me…?" Makoto began asking; and then she grew silent.

Zakuro took her friend by the shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes. "They dishonestly trapped you in a contract that required you to give up your personal standards. They reduced one of the greatest superheroes in the world, one of the most beautiful women in Japanese films, and one of the finest people I know, into a kinky image for guys to fantasize about when they… uh… play with themselves."

"So that's what you think of me!" Makoto snapped. "Well, Fujiwara Zakuro, you've been a sex symbol since you started acting at 15, and don't tell me that guys don't fantasize about you when they… uh…"

Makoto didn't finish her sentence, and she didn't have to. And Zakuro responded, with her voice soft rather than hard. "I know… and yes, it flatters me. I have my vanity, too, and I've got an exhibitionist streak. But I've tried, always, to draw a line and not cross it, so that at least people can think of me as something other than a sex object. So, bikinis are OK, but not less. Maybe I'm a fool, but I try to hold that line. Maybe it doesn't mean much, but tell me: did you ever think of me as Zakuro the hentai model, Zakuro the perv, or anything like that?"

Makoto took a deep breath and thought long before answering. "No, Zakuro, no one thinks of you that way."

"Thank you, Kino Makoto," Zakuro responded. "I just don't want people to think of you that way, either."

Again Makoto paused long, and then she said, "You know, Zakuro, you're a damned tough friend to have. Right about now I'd like to knock your teeth through the back of your head. But… I need your friendship too much…"

Zakuro suddenly interrupted her friend's words. She pointed and said, "Look! We've got trouble."

Makoto looked, and she saw Tsukino Usagi, clearly at least three sheets to the wind, stumble uncertainly away from the libations bar and toward her friends. And they saw Ota Hideki moving toward her. "I guess we have to do something. Quickly!" she said. And so the two girls hurried across the floor with Makoto in the lead.

But Ota was unable to catch up to Usagi before she reached her friends, and when he arrived, he had to begin by greeting the girls, With his trademark smile he greeted them all, giving a special bit of attention to Minako by greeting her first, since she had acted in the movie. He then went on to Rei, and his eyes swept over her taut and shapely figure, so revealed by her slutty dress. He gave an approving nod, and Rei winked back at him, thoroughly enjoying his attention. Then he greeted Ami, who got in his face and smiled her best sparkling-eyed smile. But Ota ignored that and turned to Usagi, leaving Ami to turn away with a fallen face. Both Makoto and Zakuro saw what happened, and they both wondered how such a genius as Mizuno Ami could maintain a girl-child's crush on the actor. She had to know that she would get hurt; but she never seemed to give up hope.

But Usagi had gained Ota's full attention. "It's been too long!" he said to her, with a beaming smile. And Usagi replied with the same kind of smile, and said, "I think so, too! I've so wanted to see you again…" She slurred her words quite heavily, though.

Ota then reached out to touch Usagi's cheek; but Chiba Mamoru stepped between him and Usagi. "Uh… the lady's with me," he said, tight-lipped.

"Really?" Ota responded, not missing a beat, a smile on his face.

"Yes. With me." Mamoru's tone was hard, and his eyes were harder.

"Perhaps we should let the lady decide?" Ota said, still smiling.

"Perhaps… you should stop trying to hit on a young girl that's had too much to drink," Mamoru responded, his voice harsh.

"Hey, I haven't… well, not too musshh…" Usgai broke in, clearly drunk.

But Mamoru ignored her words. "I suppose… you have good insurance," he said to the actor. "To get your teeth fixed after I knock them out of your head."

"Ooh… a duel for the hand of the most beautiful woman on earth!" Ota said. "That's so romantic!"

"Yeah! The most beautiful…" the drunken Usagi half-shouted, half-mumbled.

But again Mamoru ignored her, though all of her Senshi cringed. Instead, Mamoru just clenched his fist and faced Ota. The two men were both tall, both slender, and both handsome, though Ota did have the advantage in looks, or at least the girls thought so. And Ota clenched his fist in turn; but then he said, "I really don't want to ruin the party with a brawl." So he shrugged and turned away.

Usagi was not at all pleased. "You… you ruined everyching!" she blurted out drunkenly at Mamoru.

At this Mamoru turned to his Princess and shook his head. "It's time to go home," he said.

"No!" Usagi half-shouted; and she turned away, pouting. Then, with her back turned, she growled, "I'm having fun, and I'm going to stay. You can either stay here with me, or leave me to Ota Hideki. But I'm staying!"

Mamoru's face turned red, but he did not shout. Instead, he sighed, and turned her back toward himself. "OK, I'll stay," he said. "But… no more drinking."

"And what if I want to? What will happen then?" Usagi challenged him.

"Then… you'll fall over, and you'll be carried out." Mamoru sighed again, a very big sigh. Then he said, "Usako… please. No more."

And Usagi stuck her nose in the air and turned away again; but she did not head back toward the bar.

Makoto turned to Zakuro and whispered, "That was close!"

Zakuro nodded. "And to think… she's supposed to be the most powerful magical girl in the world. It's scary."

"She's a teenage girl," Makoto whispered; and Zakuro nodded.

But the emergency apparently had passed; and Usagi and her Senshi went back to talking in more normal tones. That should have ended the troubles; but then the voices of Rei and Minako began rising.

"Well, he really looked at me!" Rei was saying.

"He looked at you and laughed," Minako came back. "Laughed at what you're wearing, or should I say, not wearing. Some of us don't have to dress like common sluts to attract men."

"Then why are you wearing something so tight that it was pretty much painted on?" Rei snapped. "And he still didn't notice you, because his eyes were on me."

And Minako snapped back. "As I said, he looked at you and laughed. If you were so hot, you would have gotten the part. But then, you were competing with me, the looks, the talent…"

"Yeah, and the one that went to bed with him," Rei sneered.

"You…" Minako hissed. "I should pound you right now for saying that!"

"But you don't deny it!" Rei came back, her dark eyes burning.

Things might have gotten out of hand at that point, but Zakuro stepped forward, and said earnestly, "Hino! We've got a concert in three days! We need you! Don't get yourself hurt!"

"I'm not the one that'll be hurt!" Rei snapped back.

"Yeah, your little amateur hour will go on in three days!" Minako sneered in her turn. "No sense getting your ugly face too marked up tonight – as if anyone would notice…"

Rei's fist clenched, and her arm cocked to strike. But Zakuro took her by her shoulder, and said, "Rei! The time to beat her is Saturday night, on the stage – not here, not now. If you sing Saturday like I know you can, you'll beat her. Try it here, you'll just make an ass of yourself."

Rei's head spun and she stared at Zakuro, her eyes blazing in anger. But Zakuro just said, "Your one chance, Rei. Don't blow it."

And Rei finally turned her back on Minako, who would have tried to get in the last word – except that Kino Makoto had taken her by her shoulder, as Zakuro had taken Rei; and she also turned away. Another disaster had been averted.

And so it should have remained; but then three of the security detail came up and called out Chiba Mamoru. "Sir," one of them said, "we have had a complaint that you threatened one of the actors. I'm afraid you'll have to leave."

"You are kidding me… right?" Mamoru asked, in a threatening tone.

"I'm afraid not, sir," the guard answered. "Either leave, or we'll have to call the police."

For a second, Mamoru did nothing; but then he shrugged, and said, "OK, Usako. It's time to go, I guess."

But Usagi pouted, and whined, "No! I'm having fun here! I'm staying."

For several seconds Mamoru was silent as he struggled to control his temper. Then he spoke, slowly, through gritted teeth. "OK, Usagi. But now it's over." And then he turned, and walked away with the security people.

For a second Usagi joined the rest of them in watching Mamoru walk away, but then she turned her back on him. And as she turned away, she saw Ota Hideki come striding up. With his beaming smile, he said, "Ah, Beautiful One! Do you want a good time this evening?"

"Of course!" the drunken Usagi blubbered back at him. And he reached out to take her arm; but before they could do anything, Makoto jumped in front of Usagi.

"Don't be such a fool!" the big girl said in a very hard tone. "Don't you dare go with him!'

"Get out of my way, you big piece of sh*t!" Usagi growled. But Makoto would not move; so Usagi slapped her hard across her face. "I said, get out of my way!" she screeched, much too loudly.

Makoto's face flushed red, and her fists clenched. For a few seconds, things looked very bad for Usagi as Makoto struggled to control her temper. But before she could act, Ami jumped into the fray. She took Usagi by the arm and turned her away from Makoto. "How dare you treat Makoto that way!" she demanded; and then, she slapped Usagi's face!

And Usagi, her face filled with rage, slapped Ami in turn. And then suddenly the two girls tore into each other! Tearing and clawing, the two girls grappled and fell to the floor. Ami's dress was quickly torn, revealing her under-things; and although Usagi's magical dress remained undamaged, and even undirtied, no one seemed to notice. Instead, cries of "Catfight! Catfight!" arose, and from all over the great room people rushed to see the show.

Ami was the smallest of the Guardian Senshi, and although she was the brain-girl, she was no athlete and no fighter. But Usagi was roaring drunk, and so Ami was able to gain the advantage over the blonde. She got on top and began to pummel her.

But mighty Makoto seized her, and lifted her off of Usagi; and before Usagi could take advantage of that situation, Rei and Minako took hold of her. And so the fight ended. But immediately the security guards came forward, and the same one that had ejected Mamoru said, "Ladies… both of you will have to leave."

"No!" the drunken Usagi screeched. "Let me at her!"

But Rei and Minako would not release her. And Rei said, "We'll get her out of here. You won't have to call the cops." And they began half-urging, half- dragging Usagi toward the door.

"I'll take care of this one," Zakuro said; and she took Ami by the arm.

"Thank you, Fujiwara-san," the security man said. Zakuro was still well-known among the people at the party, even the security detail. And she was obviously well respected.

And Ami did not resist as Zakuro walked her out. They did not head out of the front door, but instead, after leaving the grand ballroom, turned right and headed for the parking garage. Right behind them Minako and Rei pulled Usagi along with a lot more difficulty. It was not a long walk, and soon they passed out into the parking garage. It was well-lit for such a purpose, but was still much darker there than in the main building.

There, near the door, they saw Chiba Mamoru. He had not left, but had remained in the garage entrance, stewing in his anger and struggling with the desire to go back in and pound Ota Hideki. He saw the girls haul Usagi out through the door, but did not approach them.

Makoto had followed the others out, and she was the one that approached Chiba Mamoru. "Mamoru-san," she said, "would you… take her home?"

"What happened?" the man asked.

Makoto shrugged. "She got into a fistfight with Ami, and the security people threw them both out."

"With Ami?" Mamoru asked incredulously. "Why?"

Makoto looked at the floor. "Usagi got mad at me again and slapped me. Ami stepped in so I wouldn't pound Usagi, and slapped her in return, and they started fighting."

Masmoru examined Ami for the first time, and seeing the damage to her dress, he said to her, "It looks like you got the worst of it."

Makoto shrugged. "Ami was on top when we broke up the fight."

And then Zakuro said, "I think we can safely say they both lost – something that will be clear tomorrow when videos of the fight will be all over MeTube."

And Mamoru nodded. Then, turning back to Usagi, he said, "Well, let's go."

"No!" Usagi pouted weakly. But Mamoru ignored her as he walked Usagi away.

Rei and Minako went back in to the hotel, and this left Ami, Makoto, and Zakuro standing alone in the dim light of the parking garage. And Ami said, "Now I have no way to make it home – I can't ride in Minako's limo. I'll have to call a taxi, and that will be quite embarrassing with the shape this dress is in."

"I'll take you home," Zakuro said. "I've seen enough trouble for one night, and I'm just a guest here. I really want an excuse to leave, and this is a good one."

Ami nodded, but Makoto asked, "Can I go, too? I'm so disgusted with this whole thing."

Zakuro was silent for several seconds. And then she said, "I think it would be wise for you to go back in. You starred in the movie, and you're supposed to be there for this party. It's part of that professional actress thing."

Makoto sighed very deeply. "Yeah, always the professional. Well, you always seem to be right about these things. I'll go back."

And Zakuro said, "Besides, someone has to keep Mars and Venus from strangling each other. I need Mars Saturday night." She smiled a little, and finished, "I hope you come to the concert Saturday night. We will have a little party afterwards, and maybe we can a nice talk then, with no fistfights all around."

Makoto sighed one more time. Then she said, "OK. And I do plan to be there. But Rei gave tickets to all of us, so I can't promise no fistfights."

"Ota Hideki won't be there," Zakuro said. "So all we'll have to do is make sure that Mars and Venus don't come to blows, and things should be fine." She was silent for several seconds, and then she said, "Venus and Mars, big rivals. Well… I suppose that's as it always was, and always will be."

"I never thought of it that way… but I suppose you're right again," Makoto said. Then she stared into Zakuro's eyes and said, "You know, this has to be the worst day ever. Ever. Well, at least the worst since the day we all got killed fighting Queen Beryl's minions."

"Makoto, some day you're going to have to tell me all of those Sailor Moon stories," Zakuro said. Then she stared into Makoto's eyes in her turn. "Saturday will be a better day," she said. "Be there."

"I will," Makoto said; and then she turned away and went back through the door.

This left Zakuro and Ami alone. And Ami said, "The worst day? That will be tomorrow, when my mother sees one of those MeTube videos, or what is left of this dress, whichever comes first."

Zakuro nodded. "But… that was really smart of you, what you did. By getting into the fight with Sailor Moon, you got both of you kicked out, and got her away from Ota Hideki. That was on purpose, wasn't it?"

"So you figured that out, did you?" Ami said. "Yes, that was the reason I did it, or half the reason. The other half is that I'm really angry over the way Usagi's been treating Makoto, and it felt good to slap her face." Then she looked away from Zakuro, and said in a low voice, "It's so sad. Usagi was always so lovable. I mean, she was immature and lazy and whiny and cowardly and who knows what else, but she was so much fun and such a great friend to all of us. We all loved her, and now – look at what she's become!"

"She's a teenage girl," Zakuro said. "She's acting like one. But she'll grow up some day – I promise."

And Ami smiled, and said, "I'll tell you how to get to my house. Let's go" And they went.