~Chapter Four-Growth And Development~
"Warm milk, coming right up!" Serena took the bottle from the pan on her stove and shut it off. She handed the bottle to Lita who, while holding Laura in one arm, tested the milk in the other. "Is it okay?"
"Yeah." Lita gave Laura her lunch and smiled. "She knows good food when she eats it. Just like me." Serena sat in the chair next to her and tickled Laura's belly.
"I wish Crysta was as easy to please." The blond rolled her eyes. "Her Majesty hardly eats any of her food. It scares me, but the doctor told me they'll do that at any age. One-year-olds are no exception.
"And?" Lita held the bottle higher.
"Mmm, she's kinda…snooty." Serena frowned. "Like Raye used to be."
"'Snooty'?" Lita blinked, now smiling in disbelief. "Boy, Crysta's going to be glad to know that when she's older."
"No, I mean she's picky, and hardly ever cries. Like, if she needs something, she'll wait until we check on her, then give Darien and I a Look as if to say, 'You should have known I had to have my diaper changed'."
"Where is Crysta, by the way?" Lita again adjusted Laura's bottle.
"Darien has her in our room. He's probably making dumb faces at her again, like the time we watched Jordan."
* * * * *
Darien stopped making faces when he realized Crysta was no longer interested. He picked up his daughter carefully and rocked her, hoping she'd fall asleep. A small whimper from Crysta turned into a cry and Darien frowned. While trying to guess what was wrong, he slowly turned his wrist to regard the time. As he did, Crysta's crying subsided.
"Oh, is it my watch, honey?" Darien laid his daughter down on the bed and turned to the dresser, where he removed his watch. As most babies are, Crysta was curious. She was alone; all she could see was the ceiling. The child tried to move and roll over. Crysta was, unfortunately, too close to the edge and her slight movement caused her to tumble off the bed. Crysta wasn't hurt-the bed was too low and the carpet too soft-but she began to bawl anyway. Darien dropped his watch and whipped around to face her. "Oh, honey, I'm sorry!" He picked his daughter up gently and rocked her again. After a moment, she quieted down. "Man," Darien sighed with relief, "I'm lucky your mommy is down the hall. If she'd have heard you crying, and found out what I did, she'd kill me." He took a deep breath. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. Crysta stopped crying all together. This surprised her father so much, he shifted Crysta in his arms so he could look at her, and to make sure she was okay.
A sudden, bright, green glow from Crysta's eyes widened Darien's own. He was about to yell, or gasp, or move to drop her on the bed, stunned. But a- presence-invaded his mind. The pressure was so painful. Darien felt his will slip away… Placing Crysta on the bed, facing the window, Darien walked to it and opened it. He looked down and swallowed. Below him lay his and Serena's backyard. Just under the window was a wheelbarrow full of sharp tools for their garden nearby. Darien glanced back at Crysta. Her glowing, green eyes became burning red, intensifying the pressure. Darien climbed up onto the windowsill, and, without a fight, jumped.
* * * * *
"What was that?" Serena jumped up, the blood gone from her face.
"It sounded like someone screaming." Lita got up and put the bottle down on an end table. She held Laura in both arms and followed Serena down the hall. The first thing Serena saw upon entering her and Darien's bedroom was the open window. A small cry escaped her lips and she dashed to it. In no more than a second, she saw Darien sprawled half in, half out of the wheelbarrow, cut and bleeding expansively. From the angle his leg was at, Serena knew it was broken. She began to scream herself. It frightened her more than it did Lita, who placed Laura on the bed beside Crysta and rushed to her friend. Lita could only look at Darien's seemingly limp form for a few seconds before she turned to calm Serena down. If not for Lita, she would have been hysterical. Without a word, the women tore out of the room; Lita called an ambulance, while Serena ran outside to see if Darien was still alive.
Laura blinked. Her mother had left her all alone. And her friend, the one she always played with; her mother was gone, too. Crysta smiled and turned to face Laura. She grinned, like she'd done an good deed. Laura stared at her, puzzled. A look of fear crossed her face. Crysta saw this; luckily, her eyes had stopped glowing. But they would again before long.
* * * * *
Darien lay on his hospital bed quietly. For hours, he'd done nothing but stare at the wall. Serena had been holding his hand tenderly; Crysta sat on her lap, face expressionless. Though her arm was sore, Serena still held on to Darien's hand. He's in more pain, she thought. And he needs me right now.
"Darien, please, talk to me." Serena pleaded softly. "Can you tell me what happened?" As he turned his head to face Serena, Crysta caught his eye. His daughter gave him an innocent smile, sending shivers up his spine. He tried to speak, but due to fear and confusion, nothing came out. Darien silently turned away from them.
* * * * *
The next few weeks were trying for Darien. He couldn't-wouldn't-believe his own daughter had hurt him. And even if he did, no one else would. Serena loved Crysta, and moreover, she was just a small child. At the end of one long, painful day, Darien trudged slowly up the tall stairs, sighing. Serena had told him she'd help him up anytime, but Darien could do it on his own. After all, he'd been able to bound from buildings as Tuxedo Mask with ease; he smiled at the memory. Darien had been able to protect Serena and her friends then. But why hadn't he sensed danger that night? Serena, Amy, Raye…they'd all been in trouble, and he couldn't do anything about it. Setsuna had felt it-why couldn't he? Reaching the last stairs, Darien looked up. Crysta sat upon the top step, emotionless.
"Didn't mommy put you to bed, little one?" Darien asked, swallowing. Before he could call for Serena, Crysta's eyes began to glow anew. Darien remembered what this was like-the presence-and he tried desperately to fight it. Crysta's green-glowing eyes became red; she increased her efforts to hold on to her father's will. Despite his labor, Darien slowly turned around. He placed his left leg behind his broken right, then kicked it out from under himself. Darien fell so rapidly that his neck broke almost instantly. The child squealed in glee when she heard it crack.
"Crysta?" Serena called from her bedroom. "My God, what was that?" Crysta watched, expressionless once again, as her mother barely glanced at her, making sure she was all right, then raced down the staircase. The blood- curdling, ear-piercing shriek Serena gave when she found Darien's twisted body gave the child great pleasure. One less person to stand in her way.
* * * * *
Over the next nine years, Tokyo experienced many 'accidents'. Suicides, mostly. Others, no one could tell. Burned or scarred too badly. And the ones always walking away from them were the Children. They never played with anyone else. Never talked with the other kids in school. Even though the Children were silent, they were feared by student and teacher alike. No one looked them in the eye, or attempted to stand up to them. Too many 'accidents' occurred after such situations. The Children's mothers' curiosity never wavered, and, one day, Amy put her doctor skills to personal use.
"I've taken DNA and hair samples from each of the Children," Amy told Raye, Mina, Lita, and Serena. "And the results are intensely confusing…"
"Amy," Raye sighed, "you're being a doctor again. Just tell us what you found." "Their hair is unusually soft. It's straight on one side, and arced on the other."
"Like a capital D." Mina observed.
"And as far as their DNA goes…I've checked it twice…they have similar genetic traits. It's as if they're siblings from the same parent." No one knew what to say. Amy cleared her throat suddenly, startling everyone back to reality. "Well, time to bring the Children in for their shots." Almost automatically, each child filed into a room, one across from the other. Amy stared, dumfound. "You guys can have a seat in the waiting room. This won't take long." Hesitantly, the four women sauntered into the waiting room.
* * * * *
"Now, you may feel a tiny prick on your arm, Adam." Amy explained, rubbing the boy's arm with an alcohol-soaked cotton ball. "But it will be over before you know it." She added a friendly smile for reassurance. Amy went to the counter and picked up a syringe, tested it, then turned back to Adam. She didn't account for being too close to the table where the boy sat, and bumped into it. This caused her arm to go forward and the needle to go father into Adam's arm than she had intended. Adam started to scream then, and Amy regained her composure. She abruptly pulled out the syringe, but the damage had already been done. The door to the room swung open; Crysta stood there, trembling with rage. Amy barely had time to shudder when the girl's eyes shone white. Amy couldn't cry out. Against her will, she again went to the counter and pulled out another syringe. Instead of medicine, Amy filled it with Saline, and rolled up her sleeve. Adam jumped off the examination table, and both he and Crysta advanced on her, eyes aglow. She knew it was the presence in her mind that forced her to inject the Saline, then pull the needle out and grab another syringe… Amy knew it, and she began to fight back. Thoughts of the day she became a Sailor Scout suddenly flooded back to her. When she met Serena, when she received powers beyond her imagination. And it worked. Amy was able to fight back. She stood, shakily, and threw the second syringe to the ground. Crysta and Adam seemed taken aback by her strong will, and their eyes stopped glowing. Amy panted, slipping down to the floor.
"You're stronger than others," remarked Crysta softly. With that, she and Adam turned and left the room. Amy took a breath. Hopefully, she hadn't injected too much Saline into her system. She might get dehydrated. That's what they wanted… But Amy couldn't think about that now. She was too tired. The last thing she saw were her friends coming into the room, saying her name, before she passed out.
* * * * *
"This is the last straw." Raye paced Amy's room, breathing hard. "I know the Children did this."
"There's no proof." Serena stated, though she wasn't so sure. Amy lay still in her hospital bed, getting an IV of water into her system. Too much Saline, as she had guessed, and she'd passed out from dehydration. And all five Children had been sitting patiently in the waiting room after their mothers came back to get them and bring them home.
"Why Amy?" Mina asked quietly, putting her hand on her friend's. "And why- how-could they do such a thing?"
"Well, I'm not keeping Dominique in public school." Raye announced boldly. "I don't was him harming any of the other children this way."
"Adam, too." Mina agreed, nodding. Lita shook her head.
"You can't think Laura did this!"
"We don't know who did it, Lita." Serena spoke up. "And we're not placing the blame. But you have to admit; they all have these powers. Amy was trying to tell us more. They have one mind. If Laura wanted to, she could kill just as easily." Serena paused. "I'm taking Crysta out, too."
"Who will we get to teach them?" Lita inquired. "They need an education."
"Serena can do it." Raye nominated. The meatball-headed woman slowly glanced upward.
"What are you talking about?" She wondered. "I don't know how to teach. Or what, for that matter."
"Easy. We just get all the books and papers from the elementary school." "What good will that do?" Serena narrowed her eyes. "They won't listen."
"You're wrong." Raye told her. "Ever since…Darien died…you've hardened yourself toward the Children, especially Crysta. I've seen how they act around you." Serena fully faced Raye, an eyebrow raised.
"You make it sound like they respect me, Raye." The priestess nodded. "Respect? No. They don't know the meaning of that word." Serena laughed.
"Those Children respect you as a leader like we did years ago, Princess." Raye whispered. "Like we still do."
"What could I teach them?" Queried Serena. "What could I possibly teach them?"
"Humanity." Mina spoke up. She swallowed and looked back at Amy. "Humanity…"
"Okay." Serena answered after a moment's silence. "I'll teach them. Someone's got to."
* * * * *
Laura took her long, white hair out of its braid and shook it. She began to brush her hair out when Lita walked into her room. Lita took the brush and started to stroke it slowly down her daughter's hair, just like her mother used to.
"You shared a special bond with your mother." Laura stated, taking the brush from Lita instantly. She lowered her green eyes sadly and sighed.
"We could share a special bond, too." Lita said.
"No. With your mother, you shared love and…and…" Laura searched for the word. After a short hesitation, the girl looked up at her mother. "What's 'compassion'?" Lita smiled, instead of shuddering. It was almost a comfort to have a smart child who could read her mind, so she didn't have a difficult time explaining things. "Having feelings for other people and doing nice things for them." Laura lowered her own eyes.
"Exactly, Laura."
"You're thinking of Aunt Amy." Laura studied her mother. "You hope she's okay."
"Do you want to tell me what happened today at the clinic?" Lita asked. Laura looked worried for a moment, as if someone would jump out at her if she told.
"Nothing happened." She mumbled.
"Like hell, nothing happened!" Lita raged, forgetting fear altogether. "Amy could have died!" Laura took a step back, anger filling her blue eyes. Lita glared at her. "Go ahead, Laura. Try to kill me! But I've always been strong. I can fight you-all of you!" She stood in front of her daughter, waiting. Laura's face took on a surprised and quizzical look; she blinked and took another step back.
"No, Mother." Laura shook her head. Setting the brush down on her dresser, she climbed into bed. Lita could have sworn she saw her daughter's eyes tremble and a tear fall.
* * * * *
The next morning, Serena walked Crysta to one of the school buildings on Mosasha Street just a block away. They were silent for the most part, but Serena, as she did every so often, began longing Darien.
"You're thinking of father." Crysta commented. "You're saddened by his death."
"Damn right I am." Serena glanced at her daughter, eyes burning. "That's what people do when someone's been murdered. They think about that person. But I suppose you Children haven't learned that in school, yet, have you?" If Serena could have smiled at that moment, she would. Raye would be so proud at her clever use of sarcasm. Especially toward one of the Children.
Crysta stayed silent the rest of the way to school.
* * * * *
"Good luck, Serena." Mina whispered. "We'll be back to relieve you at one." Serena nodded and the three other mothers filed out silently.
"Well, class," she began, "I have the text books and worksheets you'll use in the back of the room, but Lord knows I was bored with them. So for today, what do you want to learn about?" The Children looked at her, quiet. "Okay." Serena licked her lips. "What about the creation of the world?"
"There are two theories, sensei." Erin enlightened her. "Which theory do you wish us to discuss?"
"Let's see…there's the Big Bang-"
"Many believe that a God created the earth in six days, and rested on the seventh, then made man in his image." Crysta interrupted.
"Thank you for that wonderful little story, Crysta," Serena sighed, "but I was talking to Erin." She made a gesture to Amy's daughter, allowing the child to have her say.
"God made man in his image." Erin repeated. Crysta grinned defiantly.
"Yes, he did. All men and women, inside and out, should be like God, but a few are not. A few people may look like him, but inside, they're evil." Serena would have gone further had the phone not rung. It almost seemed to startle her; she picked it up, resisting the urge to bark, "Hello?" Several seconds went by, and Serena took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "I have to take this call outside." She told the Children. "Why don't you guys grab…a…" To her amazement, before she could complete her directions, each child stood, took a book from the back of the room, and returned to their seats. Serena shook her head and left the room with the phone. From the back of the room, a voice, full of hate, spoke.
"So here you are." The Children whirled around in unison to see a pink- haired teenager in a white school uniform, Luna-P in hand. Reenie. "Pu told me not to come. But my daddy's gone. He died, here in the past." Tears welled up in her eyes; the Children only stared. "And the only reason I'm still around, half-sister," Reenie growled at Crysta, "is because of Pu's magic." At this, Reenie threw the Luna Ball up in the air and shouted, "Kitty Magic! Get revenge on those kids!" The ball's blue eyes blazed red now, and it flew toward the Children. Crysta smiled evilly.
"We can do that, too." She informed Reenie. Just before the Luna-P reached them, the Children's eyes glowed bright red. The ball stopped dead in its tracks; Reenie gasped. As the Children advanced, Luna-P spun around and headed for Reenie.
"Stop, Luna Ball!" The Princess screamed, ducking its first attack. She turned on her heels and froze. The Children's eyes gleamed white. Reenie was like a deer in headlights when Luna-P came up from behind to destroy her… Serena ran in when she heard the familiar scream. She slammed down the phone and looked up, barely able to contain herself. It only took an instant to put everything together. Reenie, her future daughter, whom she hadn't seen since before Crysta was born, lay in a heap on the ground. As Serena ran over to her, she had to avert her eyes. Reenie was twisted over, skin burned like she'd been in a fire. When Serena turned her over, she felt sick; a deep cry roared from her throat. Reenie was torn, practically "limb from limb". Serena fell to her knees, hovering over her eldest daughter's body. A thought popped into her head, but she pushed it away. What did it matter if Crysta was the heiress to Crystal Tokyo? Reenie was dead. The Children had killed her.
And they were already outside, silently walking home.
"Warm milk, coming right up!" Serena took the bottle from the pan on her stove and shut it off. She handed the bottle to Lita who, while holding Laura in one arm, tested the milk in the other. "Is it okay?"
"Yeah." Lita gave Laura her lunch and smiled. "She knows good food when she eats it. Just like me." Serena sat in the chair next to her and tickled Laura's belly.
"I wish Crysta was as easy to please." The blond rolled her eyes. "Her Majesty hardly eats any of her food. It scares me, but the doctor told me they'll do that at any age. One-year-olds are no exception.
"And?" Lita held the bottle higher.
"Mmm, she's kinda…snooty." Serena frowned. "Like Raye used to be."
"'Snooty'?" Lita blinked, now smiling in disbelief. "Boy, Crysta's going to be glad to know that when she's older."
"No, I mean she's picky, and hardly ever cries. Like, if she needs something, she'll wait until we check on her, then give Darien and I a Look as if to say, 'You should have known I had to have my diaper changed'."
"Where is Crysta, by the way?" Lita again adjusted Laura's bottle.
"Darien has her in our room. He's probably making dumb faces at her again, like the time we watched Jordan."
* * * * *
Darien stopped making faces when he realized Crysta was no longer interested. He picked up his daughter carefully and rocked her, hoping she'd fall asleep. A small whimper from Crysta turned into a cry and Darien frowned. While trying to guess what was wrong, he slowly turned his wrist to regard the time. As he did, Crysta's crying subsided.
"Oh, is it my watch, honey?" Darien laid his daughter down on the bed and turned to the dresser, where he removed his watch. As most babies are, Crysta was curious. She was alone; all she could see was the ceiling. The child tried to move and roll over. Crysta was, unfortunately, too close to the edge and her slight movement caused her to tumble off the bed. Crysta wasn't hurt-the bed was too low and the carpet too soft-but she began to bawl anyway. Darien dropped his watch and whipped around to face her. "Oh, honey, I'm sorry!" He picked his daughter up gently and rocked her again. After a moment, she quieted down. "Man," Darien sighed with relief, "I'm lucky your mommy is down the hall. If she'd have heard you crying, and found out what I did, she'd kill me." He took a deep breath. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. Crysta stopped crying all together. This surprised her father so much, he shifted Crysta in his arms so he could look at her, and to make sure she was okay.
A sudden, bright, green glow from Crysta's eyes widened Darien's own. He was about to yell, or gasp, or move to drop her on the bed, stunned. But a- presence-invaded his mind. The pressure was so painful. Darien felt his will slip away… Placing Crysta on the bed, facing the window, Darien walked to it and opened it. He looked down and swallowed. Below him lay his and Serena's backyard. Just under the window was a wheelbarrow full of sharp tools for their garden nearby. Darien glanced back at Crysta. Her glowing, green eyes became burning red, intensifying the pressure. Darien climbed up onto the windowsill, and, without a fight, jumped.
* * * * *
"What was that?" Serena jumped up, the blood gone from her face.
"It sounded like someone screaming." Lita got up and put the bottle down on an end table. She held Laura in both arms and followed Serena down the hall. The first thing Serena saw upon entering her and Darien's bedroom was the open window. A small cry escaped her lips and she dashed to it. In no more than a second, she saw Darien sprawled half in, half out of the wheelbarrow, cut and bleeding expansively. From the angle his leg was at, Serena knew it was broken. She began to scream herself. It frightened her more than it did Lita, who placed Laura on the bed beside Crysta and rushed to her friend. Lita could only look at Darien's seemingly limp form for a few seconds before she turned to calm Serena down. If not for Lita, she would have been hysterical. Without a word, the women tore out of the room; Lita called an ambulance, while Serena ran outside to see if Darien was still alive.
Laura blinked. Her mother had left her all alone. And her friend, the one she always played with; her mother was gone, too. Crysta smiled and turned to face Laura. She grinned, like she'd done an good deed. Laura stared at her, puzzled. A look of fear crossed her face. Crysta saw this; luckily, her eyes had stopped glowing. But they would again before long.
* * * * *
Darien lay on his hospital bed quietly. For hours, he'd done nothing but stare at the wall. Serena had been holding his hand tenderly; Crysta sat on her lap, face expressionless. Though her arm was sore, Serena still held on to Darien's hand. He's in more pain, she thought. And he needs me right now.
"Darien, please, talk to me." Serena pleaded softly. "Can you tell me what happened?" As he turned his head to face Serena, Crysta caught his eye. His daughter gave him an innocent smile, sending shivers up his spine. He tried to speak, but due to fear and confusion, nothing came out. Darien silently turned away from them.
* * * * *
The next few weeks were trying for Darien. He couldn't-wouldn't-believe his own daughter had hurt him. And even if he did, no one else would. Serena loved Crysta, and moreover, she was just a small child. At the end of one long, painful day, Darien trudged slowly up the tall stairs, sighing. Serena had told him she'd help him up anytime, but Darien could do it on his own. After all, he'd been able to bound from buildings as Tuxedo Mask with ease; he smiled at the memory. Darien had been able to protect Serena and her friends then. But why hadn't he sensed danger that night? Serena, Amy, Raye…they'd all been in trouble, and he couldn't do anything about it. Setsuna had felt it-why couldn't he? Reaching the last stairs, Darien looked up. Crysta sat upon the top step, emotionless.
"Didn't mommy put you to bed, little one?" Darien asked, swallowing. Before he could call for Serena, Crysta's eyes began to glow anew. Darien remembered what this was like-the presence-and he tried desperately to fight it. Crysta's green-glowing eyes became red; she increased her efforts to hold on to her father's will. Despite his labor, Darien slowly turned around. He placed his left leg behind his broken right, then kicked it out from under himself. Darien fell so rapidly that his neck broke almost instantly. The child squealed in glee when she heard it crack.
"Crysta?" Serena called from her bedroom. "My God, what was that?" Crysta watched, expressionless once again, as her mother barely glanced at her, making sure she was all right, then raced down the staircase. The blood- curdling, ear-piercing shriek Serena gave when she found Darien's twisted body gave the child great pleasure. One less person to stand in her way.
* * * * *
Over the next nine years, Tokyo experienced many 'accidents'. Suicides, mostly. Others, no one could tell. Burned or scarred too badly. And the ones always walking away from them were the Children. They never played with anyone else. Never talked with the other kids in school. Even though the Children were silent, they were feared by student and teacher alike. No one looked them in the eye, or attempted to stand up to them. Too many 'accidents' occurred after such situations. The Children's mothers' curiosity never wavered, and, one day, Amy put her doctor skills to personal use.
"I've taken DNA and hair samples from each of the Children," Amy told Raye, Mina, Lita, and Serena. "And the results are intensely confusing…"
"Amy," Raye sighed, "you're being a doctor again. Just tell us what you found." "Their hair is unusually soft. It's straight on one side, and arced on the other."
"Like a capital D." Mina observed.
"And as far as their DNA goes…I've checked it twice…they have similar genetic traits. It's as if they're siblings from the same parent." No one knew what to say. Amy cleared her throat suddenly, startling everyone back to reality. "Well, time to bring the Children in for their shots." Almost automatically, each child filed into a room, one across from the other. Amy stared, dumfound. "You guys can have a seat in the waiting room. This won't take long." Hesitantly, the four women sauntered into the waiting room.
* * * * *
"Now, you may feel a tiny prick on your arm, Adam." Amy explained, rubbing the boy's arm with an alcohol-soaked cotton ball. "But it will be over before you know it." She added a friendly smile for reassurance. Amy went to the counter and picked up a syringe, tested it, then turned back to Adam. She didn't account for being too close to the table where the boy sat, and bumped into it. This caused her arm to go forward and the needle to go father into Adam's arm than she had intended. Adam started to scream then, and Amy regained her composure. She abruptly pulled out the syringe, but the damage had already been done. The door to the room swung open; Crysta stood there, trembling with rage. Amy barely had time to shudder when the girl's eyes shone white. Amy couldn't cry out. Against her will, she again went to the counter and pulled out another syringe. Instead of medicine, Amy filled it with Saline, and rolled up her sleeve. Adam jumped off the examination table, and both he and Crysta advanced on her, eyes aglow. She knew it was the presence in her mind that forced her to inject the Saline, then pull the needle out and grab another syringe… Amy knew it, and she began to fight back. Thoughts of the day she became a Sailor Scout suddenly flooded back to her. When she met Serena, when she received powers beyond her imagination. And it worked. Amy was able to fight back. She stood, shakily, and threw the second syringe to the ground. Crysta and Adam seemed taken aback by her strong will, and their eyes stopped glowing. Amy panted, slipping down to the floor.
"You're stronger than others," remarked Crysta softly. With that, she and Adam turned and left the room. Amy took a breath. Hopefully, she hadn't injected too much Saline into her system. She might get dehydrated. That's what they wanted… But Amy couldn't think about that now. She was too tired. The last thing she saw were her friends coming into the room, saying her name, before she passed out.
* * * * *
"This is the last straw." Raye paced Amy's room, breathing hard. "I know the Children did this."
"There's no proof." Serena stated, though she wasn't so sure. Amy lay still in her hospital bed, getting an IV of water into her system. Too much Saline, as she had guessed, and she'd passed out from dehydration. And all five Children had been sitting patiently in the waiting room after their mothers came back to get them and bring them home.
"Why Amy?" Mina asked quietly, putting her hand on her friend's. "And why- how-could they do such a thing?"
"Well, I'm not keeping Dominique in public school." Raye announced boldly. "I don't was him harming any of the other children this way."
"Adam, too." Mina agreed, nodding. Lita shook her head.
"You can't think Laura did this!"
"We don't know who did it, Lita." Serena spoke up. "And we're not placing the blame. But you have to admit; they all have these powers. Amy was trying to tell us more. They have one mind. If Laura wanted to, she could kill just as easily." Serena paused. "I'm taking Crysta out, too."
"Who will we get to teach them?" Lita inquired. "They need an education."
"Serena can do it." Raye nominated. The meatball-headed woman slowly glanced upward.
"What are you talking about?" She wondered. "I don't know how to teach. Or what, for that matter."
"Easy. We just get all the books and papers from the elementary school." "What good will that do?" Serena narrowed her eyes. "They won't listen."
"You're wrong." Raye told her. "Ever since…Darien died…you've hardened yourself toward the Children, especially Crysta. I've seen how they act around you." Serena fully faced Raye, an eyebrow raised.
"You make it sound like they respect me, Raye." The priestess nodded. "Respect? No. They don't know the meaning of that word." Serena laughed.
"Those Children respect you as a leader like we did years ago, Princess." Raye whispered. "Like we still do."
"What could I teach them?" Queried Serena. "What could I possibly teach them?"
"Humanity." Mina spoke up. She swallowed and looked back at Amy. "Humanity…"
"Okay." Serena answered after a moment's silence. "I'll teach them. Someone's got to."
* * * * *
Laura took her long, white hair out of its braid and shook it. She began to brush her hair out when Lita walked into her room. Lita took the brush and started to stroke it slowly down her daughter's hair, just like her mother used to.
"You shared a special bond with your mother." Laura stated, taking the brush from Lita instantly. She lowered her green eyes sadly and sighed.
"We could share a special bond, too." Lita said.
"No. With your mother, you shared love and…and…" Laura searched for the word. After a short hesitation, the girl looked up at her mother. "What's 'compassion'?" Lita smiled, instead of shuddering. It was almost a comfort to have a smart child who could read her mind, so she didn't have a difficult time explaining things. "Having feelings for other people and doing nice things for them." Laura lowered her own eyes.
"Exactly, Laura."
"You're thinking of Aunt Amy." Laura studied her mother. "You hope she's okay."
"Do you want to tell me what happened today at the clinic?" Lita asked. Laura looked worried for a moment, as if someone would jump out at her if she told.
"Nothing happened." She mumbled.
"Like hell, nothing happened!" Lita raged, forgetting fear altogether. "Amy could have died!" Laura took a step back, anger filling her blue eyes. Lita glared at her. "Go ahead, Laura. Try to kill me! But I've always been strong. I can fight you-all of you!" She stood in front of her daughter, waiting. Laura's face took on a surprised and quizzical look; she blinked and took another step back.
"No, Mother." Laura shook her head. Setting the brush down on her dresser, she climbed into bed. Lita could have sworn she saw her daughter's eyes tremble and a tear fall.
* * * * *
The next morning, Serena walked Crysta to one of the school buildings on Mosasha Street just a block away. They were silent for the most part, but Serena, as she did every so often, began longing Darien.
"You're thinking of father." Crysta commented. "You're saddened by his death."
"Damn right I am." Serena glanced at her daughter, eyes burning. "That's what people do when someone's been murdered. They think about that person. But I suppose you Children haven't learned that in school, yet, have you?" If Serena could have smiled at that moment, she would. Raye would be so proud at her clever use of sarcasm. Especially toward one of the Children.
Crysta stayed silent the rest of the way to school.
* * * * *
"Good luck, Serena." Mina whispered. "We'll be back to relieve you at one." Serena nodded and the three other mothers filed out silently.
"Well, class," she began, "I have the text books and worksheets you'll use in the back of the room, but Lord knows I was bored with them. So for today, what do you want to learn about?" The Children looked at her, quiet. "Okay." Serena licked her lips. "What about the creation of the world?"
"There are two theories, sensei." Erin enlightened her. "Which theory do you wish us to discuss?"
"Let's see…there's the Big Bang-"
"Many believe that a God created the earth in six days, and rested on the seventh, then made man in his image." Crysta interrupted.
"Thank you for that wonderful little story, Crysta," Serena sighed, "but I was talking to Erin." She made a gesture to Amy's daughter, allowing the child to have her say.
"God made man in his image." Erin repeated. Crysta grinned defiantly.
"Yes, he did. All men and women, inside and out, should be like God, but a few are not. A few people may look like him, but inside, they're evil." Serena would have gone further had the phone not rung. It almost seemed to startle her; she picked it up, resisting the urge to bark, "Hello?" Several seconds went by, and Serena took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "I have to take this call outside." She told the Children. "Why don't you guys grab…a…" To her amazement, before she could complete her directions, each child stood, took a book from the back of the room, and returned to their seats. Serena shook her head and left the room with the phone. From the back of the room, a voice, full of hate, spoke.
"So here you are." The Children whirled around in unison to see a pink- haired teenager in a white school uniform, Luna-P in hand. Reenie. "Pu told me not to come. But my daddy's gone. He died, here in the past." Tears welled up in her eyes; the Children only stared. "And the only reason I'm still around, half-sister," Reenie growled at Crysta, "is because of Pu's magic." At this, Reenie threw the Luna Ball up in the air and shouted, "Kitty Magic! Get revenge on those kids!" The ball's blue eyes blazed red now, and it flew toward the Children. Crysta smiled evilly.
"We can do that, too." She informed Reenie. Just before the Luna-P reached them, the Children's eyes glowed bright red. The ball stopped dead in its tracks; Reenie gasped. As the Children advanced, Luna-P spun around and headed for Reenie.
"Stop, Luna Ball!" The Princess screamed, ducking its first attack. She turned on her heels and froze. The Children's eyes gleamed white. Reenie was like a deer in headlights when Luna-P came up from behind to destroy her… Serena ran in when she heard the familiar scream. She slammed down the phone and looked up, barely able to contain herself. It only took an instant to put everything together. Reenie, her future daughter, whom she hadn't seen since before Crysta was born, lay in a heap on the ground. As Serena ran over to her, she had to avert her eyes. Reenie was twisted over, skin burned like she'd been in a fire. When Serena turned her over, she felt sick; a deep cry roared from her throat. Reenie was torn, practically "limb from limb". Serena fell to her knees, hovering over her eldest daughter's body. A thought popped into her head, but she pushed it away. What did it matter if Crysta was the heiress to Crystal Tokyo? Reenie was dead. The Children had killed her.
And they were already outside, silently walking home.