Movements in the Shadows
They sat together in silence, the three girls watching their friend. She had slumped forward, resting her head in her arms on the table of the diner. It was quiet at the moment, the evening rush hour was just starting and most people were heading home for a proper meal. Only a few who were working through the night stopped in for a bite to eat, meaning the girls had a choice of seats, and the one they chose was a booth in the back corner where they could have some privacy.
"It's funny." Makoto said at last.
"What is?" Rei asked.
"As Senshi's, we've seen more than our share of death and destruction whilst fighting evil, but it was never like this. Queen Beryl and the Dark Kingdom, the Dark Moon Sisters, none of them were this bad. This was done by a human."
Usagi put her arms around her. "At least you've given the police a description of the guy. They'll get him and put him in jail."
"I suppose so." Makoto sighed. "But still, it makes me wonder. What's the point in fighting evil and protecting the Earth if people can do this to each other."
"Because there are a lot of other reasons." Ami said. "Humans are capable of extreme violence, but they are also capable of great good. Just because a few people choose to do evil things doesn't mean that you should give up the fight against evil. What about all the good things in life like music, art, family and friends and love. Aren't they worth fighting for? Aren't they worth protecting?"
"Yeah, I guess so, but it doesn't make me feel any better. I guess I just need some time to work through this."
"We'll always be there for you if you need us, Makoto." Rei said. Ami and Usagi could not nothing else but agree.
"Thanks everyone." Makoto said and fell silent again.
Time seemed to tick by slowly, until Rei finally spoke. "So what did he look like?"
"The guy I saw?" Makoto said. "He was a westerner, about twenty, and tall with brown hair and some really bad scarring on the left side of his face."
Rei slammed her fists on the table as she shot to her feet, startling Usagi.
"The left side of his face?" she almost shouted. "Are you sure?"
"Positive. Why? Do you know him?"
"That guy at the lab!" Ami realized.
"I told you there was something about him!" Rei said.
"What guy? What lab?" Makoto asked, startled out of her depression.
"Before we met you we were on a tour of a new physics lab." Ami explained. "And Rei sensed something psychically about a westerner with a scar on the left side of his face."
"I don't believe it!" Makoto exclaimed.
"It's true." Rei said.
"He must have had some interest in that lab." Ami though aloud. "Maybe he'll return there."
"And when he does we can punish him!" Rei said with gusto.
"Without acting too rashly, we can at least find out what he's up to." Ami overruled, causing Rei to cringe uncomfortably.
"But when is he going to return?" Makoto asked.
"We'll have to stake it out." Rei said.
"But we can't watch it all day and night by ourselves. We're going to have to get Artemis' and Luna's help." Ami suggested. Rei and Makoto agreed.
Ami turned to Usagi. "What do you think, Usag...." her voice trailed off. Usagi lay on the table with her head cradled in her arms, snoring softly. The Senshi's looked at each other and rolled their eyes.
***
It was dark by the time Usagi walked through the gate into her front yard. She pushed open the front door, bathing the porch in yellow light, and stepped inside. Slipping her shoes off and leaving them by the door, she dashed the short distance down the hall to the staircase.
"Mama, Papa, I'm home!" she called as she mounted the first step.
"Usagi, come in here please." The tone in her father's voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Oh no, what have I done now?" Usagi mumbled to herself as she trudged resignedly into the dining room. Her father and mother were seated at the table, Papa at the head, with Mama to his left. Usagi took a seat opposite her and to his right, then looked at them with her head slightly bowed forward. "Yes, Papa?"
"Usagi, your mother and I have been talking." he began. "You've just finished the ninth grade, you've only got three more years then you'll be in college. We want to know what you're planning on doing afterwards?"
"What I'm planning on doing?" Usagi repeated, unsure of what they wanted.
"You know, for a career?" Mama clarified.
Usagi laughed. "Oh that! Don't worry, I know exactly what I'm going to do. I'm going to be a princess."
Papa sighed. "Usagi, you're too old for such childish fantasies. Be serious."
Usagi felt stung. "But I was being serious." her voice quavered.
"Usagi, it's all well and good to have dreams and fantasies whilst you're a child, but it's time for you to grow up now and take responsibility for your future." Mama said.
Usagi looked down at the tables' surface and said nothing.
"Do you understand?" Mama asked.
"Hai." she said at last, her head dropping even further.
"So, what are you going to do?" Papa asked.
"I don't know." Usagi said.
"Well, what would you like to do?" Mama asked.
"I don't know." Usagi said again.
Mama and Papa let out a sigh together. "What activities do you like doing now?" Mama suggested.
"Besides eating, sleeping and playing video games." Papa interjected.
Usagi whimpered. "That's what I was about to say."
"Enjoying those things is all well and good, but you can't make a career out of them." Papa explained. "No one is going to pay you to do that."
"Try to think of some things that you like to do that people would be willing to pay you for." Mama said.
"How about saving the world and punishing evil." Usagi suggested half-heartedly.
"Well, a bit grandiose, but I suppose you could make a career out of that." Papa said, misinterpreting the remark.
"If that's what you'd like to do, how about a career as a police officer?"
Usagi's jaw dropped. "What? No, I didn't mean-"
"That could work." Papa agreed. "And with her grades, it's achievable."
"But-"
"It would certainly give her a sense of responsibility." Mama said.
"You can't-"
"It might even give Shingo the incentive to stay out of trouble when he gets older." Papa said.
"I don't-"
"But wouldn't it be dangerous?" Mama wondered.
"Would you just-"
"Not really. Police work in Japan is nowhere near as dangerous as it is in America or the rest of the West." Papa said reassuringly.
"You're not-"
"But what career opportunities would there be for her? I mean, you don't see too many women as senior police commanders." Mama said.
"I can't-"
"Well, that's still at least twenty years from now, but it couldn't hurt to find out some more about it first." Papa said.
"Will you please-"
"She could go down to the local police station tomorrow for some information. Maybe they'll have some brochures." Mama said.
"Can't I just-"
"Good idea." Papa agreed, then he turned to Usagi. "Your mother and I think it's a wonderful idea. Aren't you glad we had this talk."
"Now run along, Usagi." Mama said. "I'm sure the school gave you some study to do over the holidays. Dinner will be ready in half an hour."
Usagi huffed, then stood and left the dining room. "Honestly, they're almost as bad as Luna." she whinged under her breath.
***
Nobody paid much attention to the middle-aged western man with a full beard and fiery red hair as he queued patiently for tickets, least of all Minako and Kenji Takeda. Neither of them noticed him discreetly watching them as they left the theatre, nor the slight smile that curled on lips.
Minako shivered slightly as they left the climate controlled interior of the movie theatre for the street. It may have been early summer, but there was a vaguely noticeable chill in the air, and the cute short skirt and blouse ensemble she had chosen for tonight wasn't very warm. Nor was the way their date was going.
"I really liked the movie." Minako said, trying to make conversation.
"Yeah, they had some really cool fight scenes, but that car chase was just total crap." Kenji said.
"I really liked how it ended with the main guy realizing how he loved his girlfriend and proposing to her." Minako said.
"Oh yeah. I guess that was okay." Kenji said without much enthusiasm, much to Minako's disappointment.
They came to a bus stop and Kenji paused to read the schedule. As he did Minako watched him and wondered. Was this the same boy who had charmed her at that party not so long ago? Then he had seemed so cool and funny, but now she wasn't so sure. He was still funny, but most of his jokes were either gross or extremely juvenile, and he had the annoying habit of making snide comments about others and putting them down. It was just so immature the way he was acting, nothing like Alan had been. He had been so grown up and responsible, almost completely the opposite to how Kenji was acting now.
"Ah, crap. The next bus won't be for another hour and I've got a game tomorrow." Kenji whined.
"I think there's a bus that runs past the university about now." Minako suggested.
Kenji looked at his watch. "Yeah, in, like, ten minutes. We aren't going to have time to go around the university." he said, then started off at a quick stride.
"Wait, you don't mean we have to go through the university?" Minako asked as she caught up
"What, are you scared or something?" Kenji snickered.
Minako felt her skin flush. "No. C'mon." she said and marched ahead.
"Hey wait up!" Kenji called after her
***
The buildings of the Juban University seemed to have been placed in a haphazard fashion, with little though for those unfamiliar with the layout, and Minako and Kenji soon found themselves hopelessly lost. Pathways between buildings were unlit and poorly marked so that more than once they found themselves inadvertently leave a path and loose their way amongst the many trees that grew in the open spaces of the campus. During the day, those trees provided welcome shade and screened out the noises of the city, but at night they only served to obscure any landmarks that might have been used as a navigational reference. Resigned to having missed their bus, they now searched for a way out of the university's grounds.
"I think we should go that way." Kenji said, pointing towards a building with darkened windows and an occasional exterior light.
"Why that way?" Minako asked.
"It looks like an office building, so maybe it has a map." Kenji explained.
Minako thought that a doubtful likelihood, but without a better alternative, agreed.
They walked all around the building, but found no map. Finally stopping to rest on a bench under a lamp post, they reflected upon their situation.
"Maybe I should call someone to come and pick us up."
"No, don't do that. I can get us out of this." Kenji said with determination as he stood. "Let's get moving."
He turned but found his way blocked by six young men, barely out of their teens themselves, but still older than him and Minako by several years. Each wore dirty, threadbare and ill-fitting clothes that, even were they new, looked as though they were nothing more than rags. None of them had shaved in several weeks and their stubble grew in scraggly tufts, further enhancing their misshapen features. Some sported tattoos of various unsavoury images and all carried scars and festering sores. They each wore bandanna's of a dirty green colour tied about their heads and covering their hair. Their mouths were curled in quarrelsome sneers and their eyes belied a cockiness and arrogance that was reflected in the way they walked and carried themselves. One at the front of the group carried an unlit cigarette in his hand.
"Hey, you'se got's a light?" he wheezed as he approached Kenji.
"No, I don't smoke." Kenji said.
Suddenly he grabbed the front of Kenji's shirt. "Give's your wallet!" he shouted.
Kenji tried to punch the man in the face, but was easily brushed aside. In return the man kicked Kenji in the groin, then let him crumple onto the ground, groaning in agony.
"Hey, leave him alone!" Minako shouted and tried to jump to Kenji's defence, but was grabbed by one of the men, this one sporting a large snake tattoo on his neck. He quite openly eyed her body and licked his lips in a way that filled her with dread and revulsion. She kicked out at his shins. He yelped and his grip on her slackened enough for her to break free. She turned and fled into the trees and shadows of the campus, her basic instincts seeking a means of escape but soon knew that would not come as she heard the sounds of pursuit behind her.
She pushed herself to go as fast as she could. She needed to lose them and find somewhere to transform. She thought about using her communicator to call for help, but her heavy breathing would make speech impossible. She suddenly wished Artemis was with her, but she had earlier insisted on her privacy tonight. She then considered screaming in the hopes that someone nearby would come to her aid, but as she opened her mouth to draw a lung full of air, she felt something catch between her feet and foul her step.
Suddenly face first on the ground, she felt several bodies land atop her and course hands roughly turning her over. A scream did escape her lips as she felt hands snake their way up her skirt and grab at her panties. Then a hand was slapped over her mouth so hard it brought tears to her eyes. She saw the Snake Tattoo laying atop her and forcing himself between her legs as he violently pulled at the collar of her blouse. Beside him, two other men pinned her arms and shouted encouragement to the Snake Tattoo whilst a third tried to rip her panties out from under the weight of his body. She felt his hot breath on her neck. It stank of decaying matter, cheap alcohol and vomit. Sweat covered his brow and dripped onto her chest and a sore along his jaw line wept openly. His pupils were dilated and lended to the crazed look in his eye which filled Minako with unreserved terror. Then the buttons on her blouse popped and tore and the Snake Tattoo let out a whoop.
Something moved behind the men, and then suddenly two of them were flung away from her as easily as if they had been rag dolls. A third was flattened in moments, then an arm wrapped around the Snake Tattoo's neck and pulled back violently as a weight was pressed into his lower back, forcing him into a painful arch accompanied by a loud crack of bone. His head was shoved forward against the arm by another. His eyes bulged and mouth gaped for air as his windpipe and jugular veins were crushed. Then he went limp and was tossed aside by a westerner.
One of Minako's attackers had recovered his feet and tried an ungainly jumping kick at the Westerner who dodged it and stepped inside the man's defences to jab his elbow into the man's nose followed by a jaw breaking uppercut. He slumped limply to the ground and didn't stir. The Westerner then looked about, seeking another threat but found only the two unconscious attackers and Minako, the other two men having fled in the confusion. He then turned his attention to her.
"Are you okay?" he asked as he helped her to sit up. He removed the shirt he wore open over a plain T-shirt and wrapped it around her.
"Hai, thank you. Help me up please." she said as she grasped his shirt closed over her torn blouse. Then she gasped. "Kenji! He's still in trouble."
"Show me." The Westerner said as he stood and pulled her to her feet.
"This way." Minako said and started running back the way she came.
They came within sight of where the other two men stood over a battered and bruised Kenji. He lay on the ground, moaning and barely conscious, his empty wallet by his head. With no fight left in their victim, the two men amused themselves by repeatedly kicking him in the gut and face and laughing.
"Stay here." The Westerner directed Minako behind a tree, then silently ran up behind the two men. As the man with the cigarette, now lit and being happily puffed, took a turn kicking Kenji in the gut, the Westerner lashed out with his foot at the leg he stood on and crumpled him at the knee, then grabbed the other man around the head and tripped him, driving his head backwards onto the ground, then punched him hard enough to break his nose. He stood and turned his attention back to the one with the cigarette as he came back up to his feet and lunged at the Westerner with a knife. The Westerner stepped inside his blow, then gripped his arm and savagely twisted it. Minako cringed as she heard a sickening pop and the knife fell from the now limp hand. The man opened his mouth to scream, but a quick jab from the Westerner silenced him. He released his grip on the man who then slumped noisily to the ground. Seeing as both opponents were now unconscious, he then bent over Kenji and quickly examined his injuries.
Minako hesitantly stepped out from behind the tree and knelt down beside her beaten date.
"Hey! Can you hear me?" The Westerner said loudly and gently shook him.
One of Kenji's eyes opened slightly and he moaned and his head nodded slightly.
"He's been badly beaten. I can feel a couple of cracked ribs and some internal bleeding around his abdomen and his arm's definitely broken. Fortunately his skull and spine still feel in one piece, but you need to get him to a hospital as soon as possible to make sure." the Westerner said.
Minako touched Kenji's face, and felt tears well within her when her hand came away bloody. She blinked them away.
"Hey!" The Westerner said to her. "Do you hear what I'm saying?"
"H-hai." Minako said. "But I can't call an ambulance without a phone, unless you have one?"
The Westerner shook his head. He then stood and hoisted Kenji onto his shoulder. "There's a pay phone on the street this way." he said and started off.
Minako caught up with him. "Here, let me help you with him." she said and tried to take some of Kenji's weight.
"If you want, but he's not heavy." the Westerner said. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine." Minako said.
"You're quite a strong girl. Most people wouldn't be reacting this well."
"Arigatou. It's a good thing you happened by when you did." she said.
"I was just taking a short cut through the university." he said, but Minako noticed a hint of a guarded look cross his features.
They came to end of the university's grounds and passed through a gate in the fence out to the streets. As they entered the pool of light from a street lamp, Minako got her first good look at the Westerner and noticed the scarring on the left of his face. Suddenly he stopped.
"You wait here in the light whilst I go call the ambulance." he said as he put Kenji down, then indicated the phone booth down the road. "Try to keep him awake. Don't let him go to sleep. If he does, he might stop breathing."
"Hai." Minako said as she sat by Kenji's form and gently stroked his hair.
As the Westerner left to use the phone, Minako softly spoke reassuring words to Kenji and occasionally prodded him awake. His eyes opened and his mouth moved as if trying to speak, but no sound came and his eyes closed again.
"It's on its' way." the Westerner said as he returned. "Now, if you're sure you're okay, I have to go." he said.
"What, no you can't." she protested. "You can't just leave us!"
"I can't stay here." he said.
Minako looked at him. "Who are you?"
"It's better for both of us if you don't know." he said, then turned and disappeared into the shadows.
They sat together in silence, the three girls watching their friend. She had slumped forward, resting her head in her arms on the table of the diner. It was quiet at the moment, the evening rush hour was just starting and most people were heading home for a proper meal. Only a few who were working through the night stopped in for a bite to eat, meaning the girls had a choice of seats, and the one they chose was a booth in the back corner where they could have some privacy.
"It's funny." Makoto said at last.
"What is?" Rei asked.
"As Senshi's, we've seen more than our share of death and destruction whilst fighting evil, but it was never like this. Queen Beryl and the Dark Kingdom, the Dark Moon Sisters, none of them were this bad. This was done by a human."
Usagi put her arms around her. "At least you've given the police a description of the guy. They'll get him and put him in jail."
"I suppose so." Makoto sighed. "But still, it makes me wonder. What's the point in fighting evil and protecting the Earth if people can do this to each other."
"Because there are a lot of other reasons." Ami said. "Humans are capable of extreme violence, but they are also capable of great good. Just because a few people choose to do evil things doesn't mean that you should give up the fight against evil. What about all the good things in life like music, art, family and friends and love. Aren't they worth fighting for? Aren't they worth protecting?"
"Yeah, I guess so, but it doesn't make me feel any better. I guess I just need some time to work through this."
"We'll always be there for you if you need us, Makoto." Rei said. Ami and Usagi could not nothing else but agree.
"Thanks everyone." Makoto said and fell silent again.
Time seemed to tick by slowly, until Rei finally spoke. "So what did he look like?"
"The guy I saw?" Makoto said. "He was a westerner, about twenty, and tall with brown hair and some really bad scarring on the left side of his face."
Rei slammed her fists on the table as she shot to her feet, startling Usagi.
"The left side of his face?" she almost shouted. "Are you sure?"
"Positive. Why? Do you know him?"
"That guy at the lab!" Ami realized.
"I told you there was something about him!" Rei said.
"What guy? What lab?" Makoto asked, startled out of her depression.
"Before we met you we were on a tour of a new physics lab." Ami explained. "And Rei sensed something psychically about a westerner with a scar on the left side of his face."
"I don't believe it!" Makoto exclaimed.
"It's true." Rei said.
"He must have had some interest in that lab." Ami though aloud. "Maybe he'll return there."
"And when he does we can punish him!" Rei said with gusto.
"Without acting too rashly, we can at least find out what he's up to." Ami overruled, causing Rei to cringe uncomfortably.
"But when is he going to return?" Makoto asked.
"We'll have to stake it out." Rei said.
"But we can't watch it all day and night by ourselves. We're going to have to get Artemis' and Luna's help." Ami suggested. Rei and Makoto agreed.
Ami turned to Usagi. "What do you think, Usag...." her voice trailed off. Usagi lay on the table with her head cradled in her arms, snoring softly. The Senshi's looked at each other and rolled their eyes.
***
It was dark by the time Usagi walked through the gate into her front yard. She pushed open the front door, bathing the porch in yellow light, and stepped inside. Slipping her shoes off and leaving them by the door, she dashed the short distance down the hall to the staircase.
"Mama, Papa, I'm home!" she called as she mounted the first step.
"Usagi, come in here please." The tone in her father's voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Oh no, what have I done now?" Usagi mumbled to herself as she trudged resignedly into the dining room. Her father and mother were seated at the table, Papa at the head, with Mama to his left. Usagi took a seat opposite her and to his right, then looked at them with her head slightly bowed forward. "Yes, Papa?"
"Usagi, your mother and I have been talking." he began. "You've just finished the ninth grade, you've only got three more years then you'll be in college. We want to know what you're planning on doing afterwards?"
"What I'm planning on doing?" Usagi repeated, unsure of what they wanted.
"You know, for a career?" Mama clarified.
Usagi laughed. "Oh that! Don't worry, I know exactly what I'm going to do. I'm going to be a princess."
Papa sighed. "Usagi, you're too old for such childish fantasies. Be serious."
Usagi felt stung. "But I was being serious." her voice quavered.
"Usagi, it's all well and good to have dreams and fantasies whilst you're a child, but it's time for you to grow up now and take responsibility for your future." Mama said.
Usagi looked down at the tables' surface and said nothing.
"Do you understand?" Mama asked.
"Hai." she said at last, her head dropping even further.
"So, what are you going to do?" Papa asked.
"I don't know." Usagi said.
"Well, what would you like to do?" Mama asked.
"I don't know." Usagi said again.
Mama and Papa let out a sigh together. "What activities do you like doing now?" Mama suggested.
"Besides eating, sleeping and playing video games." Papa interjected.
Usagi whimpered. "That's what I was about to say."
"Enjoying those things is all well and good, but you can't make a career out of them." Papa explained. "No one is going to pay you to do that."
"Try to think of some things that you like to do that people would be willing to pay you for." Mama said.
"How about saving the world and punishing evil." Usagi suggested half-heartedly.
"Well, a bit grandiose, but I suppose you could make a career out of that." Papa said, misinterpreting the remark.
"If that's what you'd like to do, how about a career as a police officer?"
Usagi's jaw dropped. "What? No, I didn't mean-"
"That could work." Papa agreed. "And with her grades, it's achievable."
"But-"
"It would certainly give her a sense of responsibility." Mama said.
"You can't-"
"It might even give Shingo the incentive to stay out of trouble when he gets older." Papa said.
"I don't-"
"But wouldn't it be dangerous?" Mama wondered.
"Would you just-"
"Not really. Police work in Japan is nowhere near as dangerous as it is in America or the rest of the West." Papa said reassuringly.
"You're not-"
"But what career opportunities would there be for her? I mean, you don't see too many women as senior police commanders." Mama said.
"I can't-"
"Well, that's still at least twenty years from now, but it couldn't hurt to find out some more about it first." Papa said.
"Will you please-"
"She could go down to the local police station tomorrow for some information. Maybe they'll have some brochures." Mama said.
"Can't I just-"
"Good idea." Papa agreed, then he turned to Usagi. "Your mother and I think it's a wonderful idea. Aren't you glad we had this talk."
"Now run along, Usagi." Mama said. "I'm sure the school gave you some study to do over the holidays. Dinner will be ready in half an hour."
Usagi huffed, then stood and left the dining room. "Honestly, they're almost as bad as Luna." she whinged under her breath.
***
Nobody paid much attention to the middle-aged western man with a full beard and fiery red hair as he queued patiently for tickets, least of all Minako and Kenji Takeda. Neither of them noticed him discreetly watching them as they left the theatre, nor the slight smile that curled on lips.
Minako shivered slightly as they left the climate controlled interior of the movie theatre for the street. It may have been early summer, but there was a vaguely noticeable chill in the air, and the cute short skirt and blouse ensemble she had chosen for tonight wasn't very warm. Nor was the way their date was going.
"I really liked the movie." Minako said, trying to make conversation.
"Yeah, they had some really cool fight scenes, but that car chase was just total crap." Kenji said.
"I really liked how it ended with the main guy realizing how he loved his girlfriend and proposing to her." Minako said.
"Oh yeah. I guess that was okay." Kenji said without much enthusiasm, much to Minako's disappointment.
They came to a bus stop and Kenji paused to read the schedule. As he did Minako watched him and wondered. Was this the same boy who had charmed her at that party not so long ago? Then he had seemed so cool and funny, but now she wasn't so sure. He was still funny, but most of his jokes were either gross or extremely juvenile, and he had the annoying habit of making snide comments about others and putting them down. It was just so immature the way he was acting, nothing like Alan had been. He had been so grown up and responsible, almost completely the opposite to how Kenji was acting now.
"Ah, crap. The next bus won't be for another hour and I've got a game tomorrow." Kenji whined.
"I think there's a bus that runs past the university about now." Minako suggested.
Kenji looked at his watch. "Yeah, in, like, ten minutes. We aren't going to have time to go around the university." he said, then started off at a quick stride.
"Wait, you don't mean we have to go through the university?" Minako asked as she caught up
"What, are you scared or something?" Kenji snickered.
Minako felt her skin flush. "No. C'mon." she said and marched ahead.
"Hey wait up!" Kenji called after her
***
The buildings of the Juban University seemed to have been placed in a haphazard fashion, with little though for those unfamiliar with the layout, and Minako and Kenji soon found themselves hopelessly lost. Pathways between buildings were unlit and poorly marked so that more than once they found themselves inadvertently leave a path and loose their way amongst the many trees that grew in the open spaces of the campus. During the day, those trees provided welcome shade and screened out the noises of the city, but at night they only served to obscure any landmarks that might have been used as a navigational reference. Resigned to having missed their bus, they now searched for a way out of the university's grounds.
"I think we should go that way." Kenji said, pointing towards a building with darkened windows and an occasional exterior light.
"Why that way?" Minako asked.
"It looks like an office building, so maybe it has a map." Kenji explained.
Minako thought that a doubtful likelihood, but without a better alternative, agreed.
They walked all around the building, but found no map. Finally stopping to rest on a bench under a lamp post, they reflected upon their situation.
"Maybe I should call someone to come and pick us up."
"No, don't do that. I can get us out of this." Kenji said with determination as he stood. "Let's get moving."
He turned but found his way blocked by six young men, barely out of their teens themselves, but still older than him and Minako by several years. Each wore dirty, threadbare and ill-fitting clothes that, even were they new, looked as though they were nothing more than rags. None of them had shaved in several weeks and their stubble grew in scraggly tufts, further enhancing their misshapen features. Some sported tattoos of various unsavoury images and all carried scars and festering sores. They each wore bandanna's of a dirty green colour tied about their heads and covering their hair. Their mouths were curled in quarrelsome sneers and their eyes belied a cockiness and arrogance that was reflected in the way they walked and carried themselves. One at the front of the group carried an unlit cigarette in his hand.
"Hey, you'se got's a light?" he wheezed as he approached Kenji.
"No, I don't smoke." Kenji said.
Suddenly he grabbed the front of Kenji's shirt. "Give's your wallet!" he shouted.
Kenji tried to punch the man in the face, but was easily brushed aside. In return the man kicked Kenji in the groin, then let him crumple onto the ground, groaning in agony.
"Hey, leave him alone!" Minako shouted and tried to jump to Kenji's defence, but was grabbed by one of the men, this one sporting a large snake tattoo on his neck. He quite openly eyed her body and licked his lips in a way that filled her with dread and revulsion. She kicked out at his shins. He yelped and his grip on her slackened enough for her to break free. She turned and fled into the trees and shadows of the campus, her basic instincts seeking a means of escape but soon knew that would not come as she heard the sounds of pursuit behind her.
She pushed herself to go as fast as she could. She needed to lose them and find somewhere to transform. She thought about using her communicator to call for help, but her heavy breathing would make speech impossible. She suddenly wished Artemis was with her, but she had earlier insisted on her privacy tonight. She then considered screaming in the hopes that someone nearby would come to her aid, but as she opened her mouth to draw a lung full of air, she felt something catch between her feet and foul her step.
Suddenly face first on the ground, she felt several bodies land atop her and course hands roughly turning her over. A scream did escape her lips as she felt hands snake their way up her skirt and grab at her panties. Then a hand was slapped over her mouth so hard it brought tears to her eyes. She saw the Snake Tattoo laying atop her and forcing himself between her legs as he violently pulled at the collar of her blouse. Beside him, two other men pinned her arms and shouted encouragement to the Snake Tattoo whilst a third tried to rip her panties out from under the weight of his body. She felt his hot breath on her neck. It stank of decaying matter, cheap alcohol and vomit. Sweat covered his brow and dripped onto her chest and a sore along his jaw line wept openly. His pupils were dilated and lended to the crazed look in his eye which filled Minako with unreserved terror. Then the buttons on her blouse popped and tore and the Snake Tattoo let out a whoop.
Something moved behind the men, and then suddenly two of them were flung away from her as easily as if they had been rag dolls. A third was flattened in moments, then an arm wrapped around the Snake Tattoo's neck and pulled back violently as a weight was pressed into his lower back, forcing him into a painful arch accompanied by a loud crack of bone. His head was shoved forward against the arm by another. His eyes bulged and mouth gaped for air as his windpipe and jugular veins were crushed. Then he went limp and was tossed aside by a westerner.
One of Minako's attackers had recovered his feet and tried an ungainly jumping kick at the Westerner who dodged it and stepped inside the man's defences to jab his elbow into the man's nose followed by a jaw breaking uppercut. He slumped limply to the ground and didn't stir. The Westerner then looked about, seeking another threat but found only the two unconscious attackers and Minako, the other two men having fled in the confusion. He then turned his attention to her.
"Are you okay?" he asked as he helped her to sit up. He removed the shirt he wore open over a plain T-shirt and wrapped it around her.
"Hai, thank you. Help me up please." she said as she grasped his shirt closed over her torn blouse. Then she gasped. "Kenji! He's still in trouble."
"Show me." The Westerner said as he stood and pulled her to her feet.
"This way." Minako said and started running back the way she came.
They came within sight of where the other two men stood over a battered and bruised Kenji. He lay on the ground, moaning and barely conscious, his empty wallet by his head. With no fight left in their victim, the two men amused themselves by repeatedly kicking him in the gut and face and laughing.
"Stay here." The Westerner directed Minako behind a tree, then silently ran up behind the two men. As the man with the cigarette, now lit and being happily puffed, took a turn kicking Kenji in the gut, the Westerner lashed out with his foot at the leg he stood on and crumpled him at the knee, then grabbed the other man around the head and tripped him, driving his head backwards onto the ground, then punched him hard enough to break his nose. He stood and turned his attention back to the one with the cigarette as he came back up to his feet and lunged at the Westerner with a knife. The Westerner stepped inside his blow, then gripped his arm and savagely twisted it. Minako cringed as she heard a sickening pop and the knife fell from the now limp hand. The man opened his mouth to scream, but a quick jab from the Westerner silenced him. He released his grip on the man who then slumped noisily to the ground. Seeing as both opponents were now unconscious, he then bent over Kenji and quickly examined his injuries.
Minako hesitantly stepped out from behind the tree and knelt down beside her beaten date.
"Hey! Can you hear me?" The Westerner said loudly and gently shook him.
One of Kenji's eyes opened slightly and he moaned and his head nodded slightly.
"He's been badly beaten. I can feel a couple of cracked ribs and some internal bleeding around his abdomen and his arm's definitely broken. Fortunately his skull and spine still feel in one piece, but you need to get him to a hospital as soon as possible to make sure." the Westerner said.
Minako touched Kenji's face, and felt tears well within her when her hand came away bloody. She blinked them away.
"Hey!" The Westerner said to her. "Do you hear what I'm saying?"
"H-hai." Minako said. "But I can't call an ambulance without a phone, unless you have one?"
The Westerner shook his head. He then stood and hoisted Kenji onto his shoulder. "There's a pay phone on the street this way." he said and started off.
Minako caught up with him. "Here, let me help you with him." she said and tried to take some of Kenji's weight.
"If you want, but he's not heavy." the Westerner said. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine." Minako said.
"You're quite a strong girl. Most people wouldn't be reacting this well."
"Arigatou. It's a good thing you happened by when you did." she said.
"I was just taking a short cut through the university." he said, but Minako noticed a hint of a guarded look cross his features.
They came to end of the university's grounds and passed through a gate in the fence out to the streets. As they entered the pool of light from a street lamp, Minako got her first good look at the Westerner and noticed the scarring on the left of his face. Suddenly he stopped.
"You wait here in the light whilst I go call the ambulance." he said as he put Kenji down, then indicated the phone booth down the road. "Try to keep him awake. Don't let him go to sleep. If he does, he might stop breathing."
"Hai." Minako said as she sat by Kenji's form and gently stroked his hair.
As the Westerner left to use the phone, Minako softly spoke reassuring words to Kenji and occasionally prodded him awake. His eyes opened and his mouth moved as if trying to speak, but no sound came and his eyes closed again.
"It's on its' way." the Westerner said as he returned. "Now, if you're sure you're okay, I have to go." he said.
"What, no you can't." she protested. "You can't just leave us!"
"I can't stay here." he said.
Minako looked at him. "Who are you?"
"It's better for both of us if you don't know." he said, then turned and disappeared into the shadows.