1 Chapter 17 â€" It Gets Pretty Freaky
***
"WHAT?!"
Megami clapped her hands over her mouth and looked at her mother with wide, guilty forest green eyes. She hadn't meant to let that jab slip out, but it did, and now her mother was staring at her, spatula paused over the plate she was about to dish out to her children.
Teruo stared angrily at Megami, eyes narrowed. The two of them had been arguing â€" Teruo was questioning Masaya heavily again, and Megami had commented that he sounded like Masaya's mother. They started arguing, and Megami had inadvertently blurted out the truth about Aiyana.
"Megami-chan," said Mako, placing her spatula on a potholder so her counters wouldn't get dirty, "what did you say?" She was struggling to keep her voice calm, but it was a strain.
"Well, that's what Izumi-chan said," Megami said, eyes still like two saucers. "She said that Aiyana â€" that's the assassin's name â€" she was over the Amesuinos, and she was babysittingâ€""
"She was WHAT?" Mako strode over towards Megami. "You said that the assassin was *babysitting* at Ami's house? Whaâ€"" Mako shook her head. "How...how?"
"I guess...Masaya-san needed help," Megami said helplessly. She had managed to keep the secret for a while, after Emi's encouragement that the girls shouldn't tell their parents â€" no matter how impressed their mothers might be from the presentation of this information. Now Megami felt about to cry, having broke the confidence she had with her friends. "And Izumi- chan said she was very pregnant. About five months, although she should be almost six months now."
Teruo's chocolate brown eyes got wider and wider with every word. "She's pregnant? The babe?"
"Shut up, Teruo," Ieyasu said, shooting a glare at his son. Teruo sank into a chair at the kitchen table.
"So that's what was what Masaya said was wrong with her," he said, either not hearing or ignoring his father. "He said he couldn't tell me because she would get angry, and later because he didn't want to...she's pregnant! I wonder how she got pregnant?"
"Listen to me, the two of you," said Mako, standing at the table with an arm on her husband's shoulder for support. "I don't want to hear any of this conversation go outside this family. ANY, do you hear me? It stays here. Don't talk to anyone â€" not even you and Masaya, although undoubtedly he knows." She stared her children down, aided by her husband. "Is that understood?"
Teruo and Megami nodded meekly.
"It's only a good thing that Yoshiko isn't here," Ieyasu said. "She can't keep a secret to save her life."
Mako gently knocked her husband in the head, giving him a disapproving look. "Who else knows?" she asked her children.
"Masaya knows, of course," Teruo answered.
"Emi-chan, Izumi-chan, Hitomi-chan, and Usa-chan know now," said Megami.
"And Ami definitely knows. Mitsuru would have to know," Ieyasu said. "And Tenoh-san and Kaioh-san we wouldn't even know about, although there's no reason for them to know." Ieyasu shook his head, then turned to his wife.
Her face was grim. "Looks like we need to have a little meeting between Mercury and Jupiter."
***
"Ami. We have got to talk."
Ami turned to the tall brown-haired woman and immediately knew that whatever it was, Mako was extremely upset in some way. She was stalking towards Ami quickly, as if there was no way in hell Ami was getting away without talking to her.
"What is it, Mako? I'm working right now."
"You..." Mako pulled on her white lab and bade her bend towards her. "Are you headed anywhere really important right now?"
"I have some files to...well, file, but other than that, no."
"Come with me. Show me somewhere where we can talk. Alone."
Ami eyed Mako, but nothing showed in her eyes. She showed the brown-haired Senshi into a small conference room off the front end of the hospital and turned the little knob that made the LCD display "Do Not Disturb."
"What is it?"
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Mako demanded, hands on her hips. With her height, she appeared imposing.
"Tell...what?" Ami had an awful sense of foreboding.
"You're keeping that girl alive, not to run any test, but because she's pregnant!" Mako threw her hands in the air. "What is wrong with you lately, Ami? Didn't you think that was important to tell us!"
"Oh, Mako," Ami said, wringing her hands. "You haven't told anyone else, have you? How did you find out?"
"Don't worry about any of that," Mako said angrily. "I just want to know why you didn't tell anyone! What is up?!"
"I didn't want anyone to get all in a tizzy. Just like you are now."
"Well, you'd have to expect--"
"No! Listen for a minute, Mako," Ami hissed. "I didn't tell any of you because of this very reason. I didn't want anyone to get worked up. I didn't want Aiyana's situation to fuel negative gossip that might change the way the queen or anyone would rule in a case of asylum."
"Asylum?! On this planet?!"
"Is there any other planet that would grant her asylum? With living people on it? The civilizations of Mercury and Jupiter are dead, you know."
Mako narrowed her eyes at Ami and replaced her hands on her hips. "What I meant, oh mighty and sarcastic doctor, is *why* in the fiery pits of the Dark Kingdom would we want to grant this patient â€" this assassin â€" asylum on the planet ruled by the two monarchs that she tried to kill? Who's to say that she won't attempt it again?"
"Who is to say that she will?"
Mako sighed in exasperation and eyed Ami. "Why are you defending her? She tried to kill your queen, your best friend! If it weren't for Usagi, you know you would have never gotten anywhere. I wouldn't have. Rei wouldn't have; Minako wouldn't have. We would have been our lonely selves, worthless, immersed in trying to preserve ourselves instead of fighting for a greater cause. And here you have someone that endangers her life, and you're trying to *defend* her? What makes you do that, Ami? What are you doing?"
Ami sank into one of the chairs placed around the conference table. Mako's words hit hard, and they were deeply true. If not for Usagi, her time at Juuban Junior High School would have been hell, as would the rest of her life in Tokyo. She placed her face in her hands.
But a few moments later she rose it out, staring resolutely at Mako. "I feel the same way about Aiyana," she said staunchly. "She's got that...I don't know. She's not evil; she's not dangerous. She has a good heart and the will to change, to be different, to separate herself from her whole life and give it her all. In a way, she's being self-sacrificial â€" giving up a respected position in her old home to become a new person and to save the child growing inside of her. She's going against the odds, Mako, and if she's going to try and be someone new â€" try and trust people she's never met â€" then perhaps I should learn to be more trusting, too. Maybe we all should." She looked at Mako pointedly, raising a pleading eyebrow.
Mako sighed deeply and sat next to Ami in the chair. "So tell me what's going on."
"Everything?"
"Everything. No matter how freaky it gets."
"Oh, believe me â€" it gets pretty freaky."
***
"France and England," said Haruka. "No dice."
Michiru put her chin in her hand, deep in thought. "Really." Her brow furrowed as she thought deeply. "Isn't England part of the United Kingdom now?"
"It always was, although they lost power when Selenity came to power. They've always resented Crystal Tokyo for that reason," said Haruka, dredging up all the political history she could remember. "They've donated their own census for years, and there's been many political battles over there â€" they're trying to gain what little control they still have left, which is religious power. Catholics and Protestants. They've been battling for years, but it's become worse."
"Wasn't there a particular region all this was happening in?"
"Yeah...Wales? No, that's more affiliated with England...oh, I remember. I always used to get it confused with Italy, that's why."
"What is it?"
"It's called Ireland."
***
Emi had been a bit more prudent in her distribution of information. She hadn't gone straight to her mom.
She targeted Masaya instead.
"You're going to be in a *lot* of trouble when Mom finds out what you've been hiding," she teased her older brother, as she brushed her hair in the ornate mirror over her bureau. Masaya was spread out over her bed, having been teasing her about something or other before.
"What are you talking about?" Masaya said, a half-smile on his face. Nothing Emi could be thinking of could possibly hold the magnitude of â€"
"You haven't told anyone that that girl is pregnant."
Masaya sat bolt upright on his sister's bed. "Where did you hear that from?"
Emi told him.
*I could wring Izumi's NECK!!!* Masaya thought, and cursed under his breath. "You're not going to tell Mom, are you?"
"I might not..." Emi whistled.
"Emiâ€"" Masaya stalked over to his younger sister and took her by the shoulders firmly. When he spoke, his voice was low and dangerous. "Emi- chan, do NOT play games with this. This is seriously important. You are NOT going to tell anyone, do you hear me?!"
"I heard you all right," Emi said. "You'd better get your hands off me if you want me to comply with anything you just said."
Reluctantly, Masaya released her, but his eyes stayed on Emi, glittering bitterly. "Her life depends on it, Emi," he pleaded softly.
Emi's eyes widened when she heard the tone of Masaya's voice. She cocked her head to the side and studied her brother's expression. "You really do care for her, don't you?" she asked.
Masaya reddened and seated himself on the bed again, but he didn't say anything.
"You know," Emi said, sitting besides him, "normally I would use this opportunity for the PERFECT blackmail. But just because I love you so much â€" and it involves more than you at stake here â€" I think I can keep it under wraps."
Masaya looked back at Emi, his eyes taking on a quality half-way between that of a puppy-dog's and a little boy's. "You can?"
"Of course."
"Even..." Masaya blushed again. "Even about me caring for her?"
"Man, I LOVE it when you grovel!" Emi giggled. "Sure, even that too. Although don't do anything mean to me, because your friends at the hospital will hear about this groveling session."
"Emiâ€"" *She doesn't understand,* he thought, his eyes despairing as he looked at Emi. "Emi-chan, listen. I'm serious when I say this â€" all laughter aside. This is very important. You can't blackmail me on this â€" it's not like it endangers only my reputation. This endangers Aiyana's reputation, even her life as we know it. It's important that her slate be as clean as possible. I know that the other girls won't get a chance to hear me say this, but maybe you'll be able to talk to them a little bit, kind of...relay me to them. Okay?"
Emi studied her brother.
"PLEASE, Emi." His eyes had the pleading in it again, and Emi knew that Masaya's feelings for this girl didn't stop at general doctor-patient caring. Megami's words came back to her, and she smiled faintly.
"I hear you, onii-san," she said, reaching over to hug her brother. "I'll try my best, okay? But only on one condition."
"What's that?"
Emi stared at the older man. "If she even LOOKS like she's about to hurt Usa-chan, or Aunt Selenity, or Uncle Endymion, you have to tell someone. You HAVE to, Masaya. Usa-chan is like my cousin, or even my sister; I couldn't bear to have anything happen to her! And from the assassin's first attempt it looks as if she wanted to do something to hurt them. So you promise me that, and I'll promise you what you want." She offered her pinky.
Even with the comical expression of adolescent covenant making, Masaya's face was still solemn. He linked his pinky with his younger sister's. "I promise."
"Then I promise, too."
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AN: YAH! Two chapters, back-to-back! I'm on a roll!
Any questions ( julymoonbunny@hotmail.com
***
"WHAT?!"
Megami clapped her hands over her mouth and looked at her mother with wide, guilty forest green eyes. She hadn't meant to let that jab slip out, but it did, and now her mother was staring at her, spatula paused over the plate she was about to dish out to her children.
Teruo stared angrily at Megami, eyes narrowed. The two of them had been arguing â€" Teruo was questioning Masaya heavily again, and Megami had commented that he sounded like Masaya's mother. They started arguing, and Megami had inadvertently blurted out the truth about Aiyana.
"Megami-chan," said Mako, placing her spatula on a potholder so her counters wouldn't get dirty, "what did you say?" She was struggling to keep her voice calm, but it was a strain.
"Well, that's what Izumi-chan said," Megami said, eyes still like two saucers. "She said that Aiyana â€" that's the assassin's name â€" she was over the Amesuinos, and she was babysittingâ€""
"She was WHAT?" Mako strode over towards Megami. "You said that the assassin was *babysitting* at Ami's house? Whaâ€"" Mako shook her head. "How...how?"
"I guess...Masaya-san needed help," Megami said helplessly. She had managed to keep the secret for a while, after Emi's encouragement that the girls shouldn't tell their parents â€" no matter how impressed their mothers might be from the presentation of this information. Now Megami felt about to cry, having broke the confidence she had with her friends. "And Izumi- chan said she was very pregnant. About five months, although she should be almost six months now."
Teruo's chocolate brown eyes got wider and wider with every word. "She's pregnant? The babe?"
"Shut up, Teruo," Ieyasu said, shooting a glare at his son. Teruo sank into a chair at the kitchen table.
"So that's what was what Masaya said was wrong with her," he said, either not hearing or ignoring his father. "He said he couldn't tell me because she would get angry, and later because he didn't want to...she's pregnant! I wonder how she got pregnant?"
"Listen to me, the two of you," said Mako, standing at the table with an arm on her husband's shoulder for support. "I don't want to hear any of this conversation go outside this family. ANY, do you hear me? It stays here. Don't talk to anyone â€" not even you and Masaya, although undoubtedly he knows." She stared her children down, aided by her husband. "Is that understood?"
Teruo and Megami nodded meekly.
"It's only a good thing that Yoshiko isn't here," Ieyasu said. "She can't keep a secret to save her life."
Mako gently knocked her husband in the head, giving him a disapproving look. "Who else knows?" she asked her children.
"Masaya knows, of course," Teruo answered.
"Emi-chan, Izumi-chan, Hitomi-chan, and Usa-chan know now," said Megami.
"And Ami definitely knows. Mitsuru would have to know," Ieyasu said. "And Tenoh-san and Kaioh-san we wouldn't even know about, although there's no reason for them to know." Ieyasu shook his head, then turned to his wife.
Her face was grim. "Looks like we need to have a little meeting between Mercury and Jupiter."
***
"Ami. We have got to talk."
Ami turned to the tall brown-haired woman and immediately knew that whatever it was, Mako was extremely upset in some way. She was stalking towards Ami quickly, as if there was no way in hell Ami was getting away without talking to her.
"What is it, Mako? I'm working right now."
"You..." Mako pulled on her white lab and bade her bend towards her. "Are you headed anywhere really important right now?"
"I have some files to...well, file, but other than that, no."
"Come with me. Show me somewhere where we can talk. Alone."
Ami eyed Mako, but nothing showed in her eyes. She showed the brown-haired Senshi into a small conference room off the front end of the hospital and turned the little knob that made the LCD display "Do Not Disturb."
"What is it?"
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Mako demanded, hands on her hips. With her height, she appeared imposing.
"Tell...what?" Ami had an awful sense of foreboding.
"You're keeping that girl alive, not to run any test, but because she's pregnant!" Mako threw her hands in the air. "What is wrong with you lately, Ami? Didn't you think that was important to tell us!"
"Oh, Mako," Ami said, wringing her hands. "You haven't told anyone else, have you? How did you find out?"
"Don't worry about any of that," Mako said angrily. "I just want to know why you didn't tell anyone! What is up?!"
"I didn't want anyone to get all in a tizzy. Just like you are now."
"Well, you'd have to expect--"
"No! Listen for a minute, Mako," Ami hissed. "I didn't tell any of you because of this very reason. I didn't want anyone to get worked up. I didn't want Aiyana's situation to fuel negative gossip that might change the way the queen or anyone would rule in a case of asylum."
"Asylum?! On this planet?!"
"Is there any other planet that would grant her asylum? With living people on it? The civilizations of Mercury and Jupiter are dead, you know."
Mako narrowed her eyes at Ami and replaced her hands on her hips. "What I meant, oh mighty and sarcastic doctor, is *why* in the fiery pits of the Dark Kingdom would we want to grant this patient â€" this assassin â€" asylum on the planet ruled by the two monarchs that she tried to kill? Who's to say that she won't attempt it again?"
"Who is to say that she will?"
Mako sighed in exasperation and eyed Ami. "Why are you defending her? She tried to kill your queen, your best friend! If it weren't for Usagi, you know you would have never gotten anywhere. I wouldn't have. Rei wouldn't have; Minako wouldn't have. We would have been our lonely selves, worthless, immersed in trying to preserve ourselves instead of fighting for a greater cause. And here you have someone that endangers her life, and you're trying to *defend* her? What makes you do that, Ami? What are you doing?"
Ami sank into one of the chairs placed around the conference table. Mako's words hit hard, and they were deeply true. If not for Usagi, her time at Juuban Junior High School would have been hell, as would the rest of her life in Tokyo. She placed her face in her hands.
But a few moments later she rose it out, staring resolutely at Mako. "I feel the same way about Aiyana," she said staunchly. "She's got that...I don't know. She's not evil; she's not dangerous. She has a good heart and the will to change, to be different, to separate herself from her whole life and give it her all. In a way, she's being self-sacrificial â€" giving up a respected position in her old home to become a new person and to save the child growing inside of her. She's going against the odds, Mako, and if she's going to try and be someone new â€" try and trust people she's never met â€" then perhaps I should learn to be more trusting, too. Maybe we all should." She looked at Mako pointedly, raising a pleading eyebrow.
Mako sighed deeply and sat next to Ami in the chair. "So tell me what's going on."
"Everything?"
"Everything. No matter how freaky it gets."
"Oh, believe me â€" it gets pretty freaky."
***
"France and England," said Haruka. "No dice."
Michiru put her chin in her hand, deep in thought. "Really." Her brow furrowed as she thought deeply. "Isn't England part of the United Kingdom now?"
"It always was, although they lost power when Selenity came to power. They've always resented Crystal Tokyo for that reason," said Haruka, dredging up all the political history she could remember. "They've donated their own census for years, and there's been many political battles over there â€" they're trying to gain what little control they still have left, which is religious power. Catholics and Protestants. They've been battling for years, but it's become worse."
"Wasn't there a particular region all this was happening in?"
"Yeah...Wales? No, that's more affiliated with England...oh, I remember. I always used to get it confused with Italy, that's why."
"What is it?"
"It's called Ireland."
***
Emi had been a bit more prudent in her distribution of information. She hadn't gone straight to her mom.
She targeted Masaya instead.
"You're going to be in a *lot* of trouble when Mom finds out what you've been hiding," she teased her older brother, as she brushed her hair in the ornate mirror over her bureau. Masaya was spread out over her bed, having been teasing her about something or other before.
"What are you talking about?" Masaya said, a half-smile on his face. Nothing Emi could be thinking of could possibly hold the magnitude of â€"
"You haven't told anyone that that girl is pregnant."
Masaya sat bolt upright on his sister's bed. "Where did you hear that from?"
Emi told him.
*I could wring Izumi's NECK!!!* Masaya thought, and cursed under his breath. "You're not going to tell Mom, are you?"
"I might not..." Emi whistled.
"Emiâ€"" Masaya stalked over to his younger sister and took her by the shoulders firmly. When he spoke, his voice was low and dangerous. "Emi- chan, do NOT play games with this. This is seriously important. You are NOT going to tell anyone, do you hear me?!"
"I heard you all right," Emi said. "You'd better get your hands off me if you want me to comply with anything you just said."
Reluctantly, Masaya released her, but his eyes stayed on Emi, glittering bitterly. "Her life depends on it, Emi," he pleaded softly.
Emi's eyes widened when she heard the tone of Masaya's voice. She cocked her head to the side and studied her brother's expression. "You really do care for her, don't you?" she asked.
Masaya reddened and seated himself on the bed again, but he didn't say anything.
"You know," Emi said, sitting besides him, "normally I would use this opportunity for the PERFECT blackmail. But just because I love you so much â€" and it involves more than you at stake here â€" I think I can keep it under wraps."
Masaya looked back at Emi, his eyes taking on a quality half-way between that of a puppy-dog's and a little boy's. "You can?"
"Of course."
"Even..." Masaya blushed again. "Even about me caring for her?"
"Man, I LOVE it when you grovel!" Emi giggled. "Sure, even that too. Although don't do anything mean to me, because your friends at the hospital will hear about this groveling session."
"Emiâ€"" *She doesn't understand,* he thought, his eyes despairing as he looked at Emi. "Emi-chan, listen. I'm serious when I say this â€" all laughter aside. This is very important. You can't blackmail me on this â€" it's not like it endangers only my reputation. This endangers Aiyana's reputation, even her life as we know it. It's important that her slate be as clean as possible. I know that the other girls won't get a chance to hear me say this, but maybe you'll be able to talk to them a little bit, kind of...relay me to them. Okay?"
Emi studied her brother.
"PLEASE, Emi." His eyes had the pleading in it again, and Emi knew that Masaya's feelings for this girl didn't stop at general doctor-patient caring. Megami's words came back to her, and she smiled faintly.
"I hear you, onii-san," she said, reaching over to hug her brother. "I'll try my best, okay? But only on one condition."
"What's that?"
Emi stared at the older man. "If she even LOOKS like she's about to hurt Usa-chan, or Aunt Selenity, or Uncle Endymion, you have to tell someone. You HAVE to, Masaya. Usa-chan is like my cousin, or even my sister; I couldn't bear to have anything happen to her! And from the assassin's first attempt it looks as if she wanted to do something to hurt them. So you promise me that, and I'll promise you what you want." She offered her pinky.
Even with the comical expression of adolescent covenant making, Masaya's face was still solemn. He linked his pinky with his younger sister's. "I promise."
"Then I promise, too."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------
AN: YAH! Two chapters, back-to-back! I'm on a roll!
Any questions ( julymoonbunny@hotmail.com