Chapter Five – The Human Syndrome
The sunniest day had a way of defeating memory or mood. When the sun beat down on the grass and the wind blew softly through waves of blonde hair, not even the Apocalypse could spread a gloomy cloud onto the warm, blossoming ground. Even with the sparse gathering of people littered about the stands in convalescent form, bellowing out cheers or waving their vibrant banners, some people always felt alone or separate. It wasn't as much the status of their smile or the thickness of their name, but more a matter of the what and who of the day.
At the moment, Usagi felt a little more alone than usual.
She had been feeling this way for a long time now and it didn't seem to be getting any better. While Tokyo was in the middle of being repaired from Kage's last assault, Usagi felt no connection to the city she strived so hard to protect. When would the reconstruction of her heart come? In the absence of her lover, the truth behind her desire and the reality of her enemy, she felt only the heavy sigh which shifted her cheeks across her palms and left her eyes staring aimlessly over the soccer field. It had been a few weeks since the last attack, but that only meant the next one would come soon, she thought. The most vicious wound always seemed to come right after the moment of relief. She felt that she couldn't fully let her guard down until everything she had and wanted was back in her hand.
"Usagi-chan? You don't look like you're having a good time," Minako said, moving back up to her friend on the stands from the side of the field.
Usagi was finally broken of her tedium and she looked to Minako with a smile. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking. I really am having a good time. Suteki's as good at soccer as you are at volleyball, huh?" she replied and looked out onto the field for the bounding mop of blonde hair held back by a bandana.
Minako grinned, turning back around to look out onto the field for him as well. There was no enemy, no trial or vendetta that could weigh down the smile she harbored when looking at him; her beloved Suteki. The way he moved around the field made her heart flutter and she couldn't hold back the cheer when he spun around an opponent, skillfully wielding a soccer ball, and kicking it past the goalie for a score. The crowd cheered, the girls swooned and Suteki celebrated, running along the sideline with his arms in the air until reaching a place perpendicular to Minako. Then, he stopped, pointed both hands towards this girl he adored so greatly, and winked. It was his standard celebration. Soon enough, they were in play once more.
This made Minako let out a sigh much different than Usagi's; a light, blissful sigh that encored her smile. With a glance back to Usagi, she giggled a bit and sat down; a girl in the limelight and impervious to all the jealous glares she received. "It's almost like a dream. I can't believe he's really human now," she said, watching him a bit longer.
Usagi's smile faded a bit, looking back him as well. She knew of one Scion who wasn't human and another who never would be. It was hard to accept the fact that there had been no strings attached to Suteki's and Kurai's reversion to humanity. It was like a free gift given by someone who seemed so malicious and malcontent that Usagi had expected something else to come along with them. However, she couldn't deny the fact that Setsuna had told her that they would never again be empowered as they had been before. They would remain human the rest of their lives.
"What are you thinking about?"
Usagi blinked, looking to Minako once more and finding a hue of concern across her face. "What?"
"You've been sitting up here for two periods just staring. There's so much going on right now that I'm curious as to which gloomy reason you're frowning over."
"Sorry. I guess I'm thinking about a lot of things," Usagi replied once more and tried to daunt her with an ill-conceived smile. The roaring of the crowd and the announcer's praises did little to invade their small world, but Usagi's brow kept falling further and further. "I hope we find Mamoru soon."
Minako's smile was a bit more elated as she slid closer to Usagi and leaned against her a bit, giving her a level of human contact which was needed to soothe a souring soul. "Setsuna said he was still alive, so I'm sure we'll be able to find him. Eve hasn't tried to use him against us so we can guess that she hasn't been able to change him, right? Maybe he's trying to get back to you right now and only that jerk Kage is keeping him there."
Though her intentions had been good, the things she said didn't actually help any. Usagi was reminded not only that Mamoru was in the hands of the enemy, but also under the mercy of a very unstable Scion. Her spirits fell again. Minako watched her and tried to work her way out of her own words, candidly raising a finger to assure her point. "I mean, he's a jerk and all but he did free Suteki and Kurai, right? Maybe he's actually being nice to Mamoru or something! I'm sure everything will be okay!" she continued, trying to laugh it off and lighten her friend's mood. Minako wasn't very good at conversation.
It was about this time that Suteki came bouncing up the stands to them, breathing a bit heavily and basted with a bit of sweat. Using a wristband on his arm, he wiped his brow and beamed, gloriously showing the pride he felt at the four goals he scored. "Oh yes, everyone knows I'm the best soccer guy around. You ladies know it, don't you?" he called, pointing to a group of girls that had been watching him the entire time. The girls giggled wildly and turned into a flutter of flirting, flaunting and waving. Suteki marveled at his charisma only as much as he did his athletic accomplishments.
Minako scowled in the direction of the girls and then glared at Suteki, who was oblivious as he was leaning down poking Usagi in the cheek. "Hey, Usagi-chan, why so glum? Didn't you see the, like, six goals I scored?"
Usagi pushed his hand away and looked up at him blandly. "The scoreboard says your team only scored five points."
Not to be daunted by the details, Suteki waved his hand through the air like clearing out a foul stench, endless enamored by his own greatness and eager to make everyone else see things his way. "Tch, I can't be blamed for the poor scorekeeping. Besides, the bottom line is that the other team only scored one point. Do you know what that's called? That's called a victory!" he retorted, flashing her the victory sign with his fingers.
She couldn't help it. Suteki always had a way of making her smile and forget her troubles. With a light-hearted smile, Usagi laughed a bit and felt much better, elated that Suteki was given the chance to be this light and human. Though he had always been something of a joker, it was only after Kage severed his ring that she truly saw sincerity in his antics. There was no underlying reservation to him now. He was pure, unaltered joy.
Suteki, flapping his shirt away from his body to try and cool down, deviously eyed Minako a moment and grinned. "I gotta go hit the showers. Wanna come?" Usagi's admiration of his purity was stinted as Minako blushed, infuriated that he would say such a thing out loud but even more so that she couldn't accept.
"Baka...what kind of girl do you think I am?"
"Tch, whatever. Hey, Usagi, how about you..." he said but was cut short in his further proposition. Usagi was staring at him blandly and Minako was glaring daggers at him.
Laughing sheepishly, Suteki took a step backwards down the stands and rubbed his head, obviously enlightened that asking Usagi right in front of Minako probably wasn't the best idea.
Soon enough, Usagi was watching Minako chase Suteki around the soccer field, howling threats at him and throwing soccer balls. It was nothing new for them and she had come to expect the idle sexual offers from Suteki. Still, her mind was at a different place now and she could find herself long enough to laugh at the two reveling in their humanity.
Makoto wasn't feeling particularly humane at the moment. She had taken on the tones of her past as her face dwelled on the fact that her life was never as cheery or bright as she wanted it to be. Fate seemed to have the same sick sense of humor when it came to her, much as it seemed to have when it came to Kage. It could have been so perfect; she and Kage. There were so many things she saw in herself as she looked at him, yet amazed at the ways they differed just as much. The plight that he had suffered through was the kind of thing that storybooks gave to the princess willing to tame the fires of the heart, but there were no quick remedies for her to use to douse him; no automatic love she could have just by closing her eyes.
Maybe, she thought, she wasn't supposed to be with him.
Heaven knew that all signs were pointing that way. He was so stubborn and egotistic that she clenched her fist around the railing she had been leaning on over the past two hours. Oddly, the metal wasn't as cold as she thought it would be and realized her hand had warmed it. She had been holding it the entire time, though she could hardly remember when she had grabbed on.
Strange, but irrelevant.
With her head drooping once more, she sighed. Resting her chin on her fingers, she would stare out at the city from atop the school for as long as it took to clear her mind of things. Usagi swore to her that they wouldn't give up on Kage, but what was the point? It wasn't as if they were in love or anything. Kage all but hated Makoto and took every opportunity to remind her of it. Her chest still hurt from their last encounter. It was the times of reflection that forced her to doubt her ability to ever fall in love.
"Everyone has gone home, you know. You're the only one left."
The voice startled her, but she found the tones soothing and familiar. Turning, Makoto found Haruka and Michiru lingering in the doorway of the roof access, both glowing in their singularly beautiful existence together. They were so spectacular together that Makoto longed for that kind of connection with someone; a perfect love to consume her. How she longed to be that beautiful with someone. "Yah, I was just thinking. I didn't want to go home just yet," she replied, looking back over the city with a mask to hide her troubled mind.
Haruka idly slipped her hands in her pocket, following a soft, majestic Michiru towards the solitude of the girl. Michiru leaned against the rail next to Makoto, twining her fingers together delicately as she looked out over the city as well. Haruka stayed aloft, joining them both in silent praise for their prize.
Michiru's eyes soon wandered to the girl, her smile not faded by the alignment of things. What she saw was a girl so utterly engrossed that she tore herself to pieces in pity. Makoto was the epitome of balance; a girl teetering on the state of womanhood while being both strong and delicate at the same time. It was no wonder she was able to hurt as she did. "What you did the other day was wonderful. I don't think I've ever quite seen that look on his face before."
Makoto blinked, somewhat oblivious to her subject, though not totally unaware of whom she meant. Haruka smirked, looking down at her as well while completing the second front. "You're our best shot at beating him, you know. You put him off balance. We can use that."
"Who..." Makoto began but didn't allow herself to play dumb anymore. Seeing as they both were completely serious and obviously plotting a solid strategy to defeat the general of Eve's army, she felt even worse and slouched once more, staring over the endless blur of the city. "I guess so."
"You should sound happier, Makoto. In the entire time that I've know Kage, I've never been able to exploit any weakness in him. He's an unforgiving machine that is far more analytical than we give him credit for. But, if you're around, he makes mistakes and loses focus. That's our opportune moment to strike and put him down," Haruka continued, looking off into the city as candidly as they all did. Makoto winced at each point the truth brought, her heart wrenching in her chest at the prospect of being the means at which they are able to stop Kage.
She didn't want to be the reason they could hurt him more.
She wanted to be the reason no one ever hurt him again.
Michiru was watching her out of the corner of her eye, an idle smile resting on her face. Their presence was far more devious than Makoto realized and Michiru lulled a bit to the side. "It seems Eve's strength lies in her general and, if we can take away that strength, then all we have to do is..."
"I don't want to..."
Both Haruka and Michiru stopped and watched her, seeing her face buried in her arms and her body wilting against the weight of it all. Though neither of them spoke, they both conducted the moment with the skill of a dream; leaving Makoto to wallow in her thoughts until she finally looked up to Michiru with tired eyes. "I'm sorry. I just keep thinking about how painful Kage's life has been and all of the bad things that has happened to him," she said, feeling the cool locket between her fingers. "I guess there's no way to save him anymore, right? We just have to stop him like any other enemy."
Both Haruka and Michiru looked at each other, silently conversing with eyes and faces. It was obvious they had planned this small incursion and were taking it places, even if Makoto didn't see it.
Michiru remained casual in her voice and began to dangle the strings all around Makoto. "You don't sound very sure of yourself."
"It's almost like you don't want to stop him," Haruka added.
Makoto was feeling even more horrible now, feeling like a stupid girl unable to take a hint or see things clearly. Now two people she admired were grilling her over this stupid little crush and it only made her feel a thousand times worse. That guilt was showing in her shaky voice. "I...have to. It's the only way to help everyone."
"Even Kage?" Makoto looked up at Haruka with confusion stirring on her brow. They had been leading her one way the entire time, but then only to throw her aside for concern over their enemy? Haruka's face didn't daunt in the slightest. "Are you falling in love with Kage, Makoto?"
The question hit her like a slap in the face. Though it was obvious for anyone, especially Haruka, to see that Makoto flustered around him and obviously looked upon him as more than an ally, it had never been put out in the open. The others had fallen in suit, but Kage had never given Makoto an inch. With so much discord, it was a wonder Makoto could even answer the question. "I don't know. I can't think straight whenever I try. Maybe I'm just trying to fit in like the others," she replied, a bit bitterly, and tried to look as mature as she could while trying not to blush. "Not like it would ever work anyway. Kage is..."
"Someone who needs love more than anyone," Michiru interrupted. Makoto looked to her with unsure eyes, but it was the purity of Michiru's smile that made this move along like a rock-less river. "In the short time we were with Kage, Haruka and I both came to understand him a little. Even though he apparently hates the Scion of Neptune and Uranus, I can honestly say that we may be the only friends that he has." Michiru held no interpretation to her smile, for she felt every word in the truest sense of its meaning. To call anyone friend was a title of earning and merit when it came from these two senshi.
Haruka was in complete agreement and finally leaning against the railing as well, though it firmly set into her hip and she faced away from the city. Her eyes were still locked on Makoto. "I've come to respect Kage, even though he hardly wins any personality trophies." The remark made Makoto snicker abruptly and it only brought a warm smile on Haruka's face. It was lovely to see a smile across Makoto's face. Lately, she hadn't had much reason to smile but Haruka was set on changing that. "The fact is Kage is high-maintenance. He's egotistical, stubborn and completely determined to get the revenge which keeps him going. You shouldn't fault him for it. Kage was raised in many of the older ways of Japan," she said, almost laughing a little bit at his little quirks. Makoto was silent, trying to see what they were getting at. Haruka mused to herself a moment, if only as a fond memory of him. "His flower arrangements could win prizes."
Makoto blinked, looking at Haruka with an awed sense of disbelief. Kage doing flower arranging? Was that a joke? She knew that some samurai in the older days used to take part in the practice but she could hardly imagine Kage sitting around a flower pot and moving flowers around for aesthetic beauty. It was beyond belief.
"The point is, Makoto, that we didn't earn his trust by holding out our hand. It was more like..."
"Pinning him down, punching him senseless, taping his mouth shut and prying his hand away," Haruka finished for Michiru. The image made Makoto express a very unusual look on her face, but she was starting to see their point. Haruka clarified it for her completely. "If you want this love, Makoto, you can't wait for it to happen like in one of your novels. Love never comes as you like it, but always how you make it. If you think a soft smile and a handkerchief will make him come running, you'll be waiting forever. You have to win his affections. With Kage, that means you have to be pretty vicious about it too." That little fact actually made Haruka grin, seeing how Makoto was always a little soft-spoken when it came to boys she liked and a bit passive. It was interesting to see the contrast with her personality.
Makoto was now in more of a fury about this than before, mostly because she was actually trying to understand what they meant about being vicious to Kage. She did see a harsh fact, however; the love Makoto always imagined was something that wouldn't happen. There were no princes anymore, although it was ironic that the literal truth of that was to the contrary. She couldn't stand to simply let Kage be in misery any more, but she was afraid to try and do what they were saying. It was an awesome dilemma for her.
But she felt that if she were able to win over this Scion, it would be something more precious than a thousand dreams or hopes. Maybe a love earned through hardship was that much more valuable than one so easily taken and thrown away.
"Thanks for helping me figure this out. I think I know what you're saying. If Kage only has two friends, then he couldn't have better ones," Makoto said, smiling sincerely since seeing him again. Haruka and Michiru looked at each once more and then both looked out over the city again, as if nothing had happened.
Haruka smirked. "Who said we were helping? We just came to figure out a way to beat him."