Golden Haze
Part Two: Official Discomfort
by Golden Lady Serenity
*Standard disclaimers apply. I do not own Sailormoon, nor do I make any claim to it. Though I do lay claim to my mangas and soundtracks. ^_~ Sailormoon belongs to Takeuchi Naoko, Toei, Cloverway, Pioneer, and gods know who else. Please don't sue me. I'm far too poor.*
*Author's Note: I've made up several names for some of the characters in this story, with the help of an English to Japanese dictionary. If they seem slighty ludicrous, I apologize.*
A light breeze ruffled Mizuno Ami's midnight blue hair, as well as the pages of the book she was engrossed in. With a sigh, she closed it and hopped off of the wall she'd perched on. 'I suppose I'll have to finish this at a later time.' As she started on her way home, a startling sight met her eyes. Two police cruisers, one of them with lights and sirens blazing, made their way down the street. As they reached the next intersection, one made a quick left, while the other sped straight ahead. With a sinking feeling, Ami realized that they where headed in the directions of Minako and Rei's houses. Quietly, she found a concealed area and opened her communicator.
Within moments two faces appeared on the staticky screen: Tsukino Usagi and Kino Makoto. The fact that Rei and Minako hadn't answered only served to confirm that something was wrong. "Usagi, Mako-chan! Something may be going on near Rei and Minako's homes!" Quickly, she explained what she'd seen. "I think we should split up."
"Yeah...hmm, who should go where...?" Usagi mused. "Well, I think I should go to Minako's and so should Mako-chan, I mean if they need to go blaring along with flashing lights and sirens there could be danger!"
Ami nodded. "Yes, and I'll go to Rei's place. But, I don't think we need to transform yet. If it's just two cruisers it's probably not a droid." As the others nodded, she closed the connection, then made an all out sprint to Rei's temple. 'What could the police have to do with anything?' was her frantic thought. Burglary, assault, and a number of other crimes leapt to her mind. Panting, she began to slow down a block or so from her friend's house.
'Oh god, it was Rei's house!' Part of her had hoped it'd been somewhere else, perhaps a store. She sped up, and finally made her way to and up the temple steps, and saw Rei, her grandpa, Minako, and two police officers.
"Um, excuse me, but what is going on?" Ami inquired timidly.
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Usagi rushed out the door, and made a mad dash for Minako's house, her pigtails flying behind her. What on earth could've happened, to need the police?! Panting, she came to a stop at the next intersection, only to be swept up again by Makoto. As the taller girl pulled her along, she panted, "What...do you...think's...going on?"
"No clue, but it can't be good, if the police are involved. Come on, Usagi, move it!" The two raced along at what felt like breakneck speed, and came to a screeching halt when a very disturbing sight greeted their eyes.
A police cruiser and an ambulance were situated directly in front of Minako's home. Two cops were trying desperately to restrain two very obviously inebriated people, one of them being a dark-haired, bruised woman, and the other a blonde man with a severe gash on his left arm. After several moments of struggling, both were handcuffed and led to the ambulance.
Shock and horror raced through Usagi and Makoto, as they looked for some sign of Minako. They raced over to one of the officers, Usagi being the first to speak. "Where's Minako, is she okay? What about her parents, are they okay, are they hurt?" It had never even occurred to her that the people that had been handcuffed were Minako's parents.
The officer stared at her, a blank look on her face. "Minako...?"
"Aino Minako," Usagi stated breathlessly, a panicked look on her face. Maybe these people had hurt them! Maybe another ambulance had already gone, with them in it!
Pursing her lips, the officer once again stared at the young blonde. Then she sighed and spoke once more. "Kid, these are her parents, as far's I know. Their IDs say they're both Ainos and live here." Seeing the horrified, confused, and worried looks on Usagi and Makoto's faces, she lightened the "impassive cop" guise. "Look, sorry kid, but some people got family like that. Nothing much you can do. Say, we got a call from an address on 14th Street, tipped us off to the fight here. Could've been your friend. We sent a car there, see how she knew. Maybe you should go there and make sure she's all right, hmm?" The two girls nodded instantly, and began hightailing it to Rei's, when the officer stopped them.
"Hop in the car, it's on the way to the station anyway."
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"Rei, Grandpa, thanks again," Minako said, as she helped Grandpa with the kitchen chores. The old man had insisted that she needn't assist him, but she only responded by saying it was her way of thanking him. Inwardly, she used the task to distract her from the thought of her parents.
As both Rei and her grandfather insisted that no thanks was needed and that it was nothing at all, there was a rap on the entrance. After a slightly surprised moment, a gruff voice was heard. "Police! We're here to ask a few questions."
A worried look crossed Minako's face at the word "police". Shakily, she asked,"They're not here to...to arrest us are they?"
"Oh, no!" Grandpa assured her. "They're just getting some information, that's all." Making his way to the front room, he slid the door open. "Hello officers! What can I do for you?"
Two officers stood in the doorway, one rather young and bookish, and the other rather older, fifties perhaps, with a rather hawkish look about him. "Hello sir, we'd like to talk to the person that made the call concerning the fight at 1737 Mizuumi Boulevard." As Grandpa quietly bade the two officers to come inside, both girls behind him, a voice interrupted.
"Um, excuse me, but what is going on?" A worried Ami stared at the tableau before her, and well she should be. Police, at the peaceful shrine? It made no sense at all.
The younger officer turned to her. "I'm sorry Miss, this is police business. If you'd go home..." He turned his back to her.
"Ami! No, let her stay!" Minako pleaded. With a sour glance at Ami, he agreed.
"Fine."
The five of them made their way inside, and settled themselves about the small livingroom. Once they'd arranged themselves, the older officer spoke. "I'm Officer Karasu, this is Officer Kishino. First, I'd like your names please."
"Hino Rei."
"Hikawa Nagoyaka."
"Mizuno Ami."
"Aino Minako."
Dutifully, each person gave their names, and waited for the Karasu's next question. "Aino? You're related to the residents there?"
"Yes I...I'm their daughter," Minako stammered.
"And I take you were the one that made the call?" At a nod from the blonde he continued. "Have there been any similar incidents in the past?"
Minako stared at the floor a moment. "They've been fighting since...since last November, I think. Usually they just yell at each other, or...or if they try to hit each other...they, they're too drunk or...out of it...to land any real blows." Tears sparkled in her eyes. A static-ridden announcement from Kishino's two-way radio informed all that both adults had been charged with D.U.I., assault, and disruption of the peace. Aino Kei had also been charged with drug use and possession, and Aino Eriko had been formerly charged with prositution under her maiden name: Matsunaga.
Karasu's eyes gleamed at that name. 'Matsunaga, hmm?' His eyes flicked over to Minako, unnoticed. He quickly picked the thread of the questions back up, and continued the inquiry. "Have you, yourself, been assaulted or abused by your parents?" Vehemently Minako denied any such happenings. "Well, that's all the questions we have for you. If you need anything, feel free to call us." He stood up, then looked at Minako. "Miss Aino, if we could talk to you a bit longer...?" She nodded and rose, following the two officers out the door.
"Kishino, you go on to the cruiser and radio in the report. I'll talk to Miss Aino, here."
"Yes, sir," came the obedient answer.
"Good. Thank you. Now, Miss Aino, I still have a few more questions to ask you." And so saying, he seemed to lead her on no particular path around the shrine. "Now, what I'd like most to know is..."--and he shoved her against a granite surface--"...are you anything like your mommy?" With those words he pinned her shoulder and midriff against the stone, and began running a tongue along her neck. "Are you like that cheap lil bitch I slammed so long ago? You're her daughter, maybe you inherited a few of her talents, hmmm? Why don't we find out?" He moved one of his hands over her mouth, muffling whatever screams she might have alerted the others with. With the other, he reached up the bottom of her dress. "Maybe you don't know what you got from her. Maybe you'd like to learn. How about I teach you." And then the air was knocked out of him, as he fell to the ground, Minako's screams resounding through the area. Dazed, Karasu looked up.
And saw two pairs of eyes, one emerald and one violet, both glittering with fury.
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Ah, chapter 2 is finished! I hope you've enjoyed the story thus far, and I hope for your reviews and comments. ^_^ I'll be adding more soon, since I don't see this story as anywhere near its ending. Later!
