Green Eyed Monster

Chapter 4: "Sparse Feelings"
A Sailor Moon fanfic

By Bill K.

"Usagi, you didn't have to walk me to the agency," Rei said.

The two women strolled down the street in Tokyo's business district, garnering appreciative glances from males passing by. Usagi wore a blue skirt that was probably a little too short for her age and a light blue long-sleeve blouse. Rei had once again conjured up an arresting outfit seemingly from nothing. She wore a billowing violet felt cap cocked to one side, a white jacket and blouse tailored to her shapely torso, and a flowing knee-length red skirt and heels.

"I wanted to!" whined Usagi.

"Don't you have to work?"

"Baishaku-san is very understanding about these things," Usagi replied. "She says she doesn't care what hours we work as long as the work gets done by deadline."

"Which means you're going to be up at two in the morning drawing manga instead of cuddling with your husband," Rei shot back. "Well, maybe he likes women with bags under their eyes - - although I don't recall that being true when WE were dating."

"Watch it, Rei-chan," Usagi growled, teeth clenched and eyes narrowed. Rei smirked in triumph.

The two continued on their way.

"That's the cap you wore last year when we went to see Minako's latest movie," Usagi said.

"You mean that cinematic triumph of hers, 'Demon Lake'," Rei sniffed, "in which she played Miss 'Don't Blink or You'll Miss Me Getting Eaten'? What about it?"

"I just notice you do that a lot," Usagi observed.

"Haven't you ever heard of recycling?" Rei scowled. "Not everyone's rich enough to afford a new wardrobe every year - - or even every third! But you never see the same components together twice, do you?" Just then, Rei stopped with a lurch and looked into the window of a dress shop. "Oh, Usagi, look at that dress! Isn't it gorgeous?"

"It's a little flashy for me," Usagi commented. "But I'm sure you could wear it. Why don't you buy it?"

"Have you been listening? The shrine isn't exactly raking in big sums of money. That's one of the reasons I'm looking into this modeling thing. If I can make some money on the side with this, I can keep Hikawa Shrine afloat." She chuckled ruefully. "Hell, if they just let me keep the dresses I wear, I'll be that much better off."

"Are you that bad off?" Usagi inquired. "Maybe I could . . ."

"And maybe you could keep your money for yourself," Rei cut her off, her eyes flaring angrily. "Last time I checked, you were still living in a cramped little apartment paying off two college debts and your father."

"It's not cramped! It's intimate!" Usagi rumbled. "And I'm just trying to help out a friend!"

"You want to help out? Pull some shrine maiden duty at the next festival."

"I would except you're so bossy," Usagi jabbed. Rei smiled in spite of herself.

Turning the corner on approach to the building that The Kano Agency was in, Rei and Usagi found a surprising sight. Minako was waiting for them.

"Mina-chan!" Usagi exclaimed. "You came after all!"

"Yeah, I figured Rei could use all the support she could get," Minako chuckled. "I'm sorry about this morning. Don't mind me. I guess black hair is 'in' this year." She turned to Rei. "So, you nervous?"

"No," Rei shrugged. "I figure if it was meant to be, it'll happen."

"Well," Minako stammered, "that's a nice attitude to take - - I guess - - but don't go in acting like you don't care. These guys are artistic types and if they think you don't care about doing a good job, you'll be out on your ear."

"I care about doing a good job," Rei replied. "I just don't get over-hyped about the situation."

"Don't knock enthusiasm. It can be the difference-maker."

"I don't intend to suck up to this 'artist', if that's what you mean," Rei bristled. "I'll try to be as professional as possible . . ."

"Oh, I love that!" snickered Minako. "She's going to be a professional. And just how many jobs have you had in the business?"

"There was the magazine article," Rei countered.

"That's a news item! That doesn't count!"

"Um," Usagi tried to interject.

"You amateurs think all you have to do is come in, wear what they tell you and smile for the camera! Well it's not that easy, just like getting up in front of an audience and acting or singing isn't that easy, either!"

"I've sung in front of audiences!"

"Where, in high school? That still doesn't make you anywhere near a 'professional'!"

"So look who's lecturing me on being 'professional'!" Rei snapped. "I'm glad you could squeeze me in between all your hit movies and platinum CDs, Miss Show Business!"

Minako stared at her like Rei had just slapped a puppy.

"Please don't fight," Usagi appealed.

"There is no justice in the world," Minako scowled. "I've busted my butt since I was thirteen to get discovered! You fall into a break like this and not only don't you care, but you have the nerve to criticize me!" Minako turned on her heel and walked off. "Well if that's what they want, then they can have you!"

"Rei?" Usagi appealed to her friend to get her to mollify Minako somehow.

"Thanks for walking me here, Usagi," Rei replied thinly. "I've got an appointment to keep."

With that, she turned and walked into the office building, leaving Usagi alone and grimacing on the street.

Dinner was in the oven, Akiko was down for her afternoon nap, Sanjuro was sitting in his favorite chair and Makoto was behind him, massaging his massive shoulders to work out the soreness and fatigue from a hard day on the Tokyo docks. Every time he sighed, Makoto would smile with pride. Though Sanjuro was a strong, steadying presence in her life, one she was grateful for every day, it did her heart good when he needed her to mother him every so often.

Theirs was a complex relationship: satisfying emotionally, intellectually and sexually. It was even all right for her "masculine traits", as she called them, to come out. Rather than be intimidated by them, as other men had been, Sanjuro loved them. Once, early in their relationship, he'd goaded her into a game of pickup basketball, despite her misgivings. She'd won, but only after a hard-fought struggle. Sanjuro may have been built more along the lines of a sumo than a basketball player, but he was competitive enough not to go easy on her, particularly when she proved faster than him. She beat him several times on drives to the basket, though he surprised her with an accurate mid-range jumpshot.

And the bumping defense they played took on erotic overtones after a while.

After the game, they were both so amped that they made love on the kitchen table. Makoto smiled at the memory. She even smiled when she remembered how Sanjuro teased her about insisting on cleaning the table right after. Leaning down, Makoto kissed her husband's big bull neck.

Then came the sound she'd been dreading ever since the moment she learned she was pregnant: Her Senshi communicator buzzed. Immediately Sanjuro's hand came up and clasped hers.

"Go ahead. Answer it," he said gently. "It may be important."

Reluctantly Makoto flipped up the face of her watch. On the screen was Ami's face.

"I'm sorry to bother you so late, Makoto," Ami apologized. "But the Senshi need to meet. I think Mother and I have stumbled onto a problem."

"Um," Makoto hesitated - - but this was Ami. She couldn't let Ami down. "OK. I'll be there. Are we still meeting at the shrine?"

"It's as good a place as any," Ami replied. "Again, I apologize for dragging you out so late."

"Can't be helped, Ames," Makoto whispered. "Bad guys never did have good timing."

Closing the watch face, Makoto glanced helplessly at her husband. Sanjuro got up and, though Makoto was still two inches taller than he was, engulfed her with his massive arms. Makoto lay her head on his shoulder.

"I knew this day was going to come," Makoto choked out. "San-san . . ."

"I'll take care of things," he told her. "I'll take care of Akiko and dinner and everything else. If it means calling off work tomorrow, it's not a problem."

"But San-san . . ."

"Go do what you have to do, Makoto," he whispered, rubbing along her back with his hand. "The world needs you. We understand."

"Dummy. I wanted you to talk me out of going," Makoto joked through her pain.

The pair pulled back a little, then leaned in and kissed, tenderly at first, then growing in earnest passion, as if it might be the last time their lips might ever meet. Then they parted and Makoto reluctantly headed for the door.

"Want me to drive you?" Sanjuro asked.

"No, I'll run," Makoto sighed. "Running lets me clear my head. If we're going into battle again, I need to be sharp." She opened the door, then stopped and turned back to him. "I love you."

"Love you too, Babe," he nodded.

Jogging up the steps to Hikawa Shrine, Makoto could detect animated voices. Reaching the top step, she found Usagi and Minako in a very loud discussion.

"Can't you at least consider it?" pleaded Usagi.

"No!" Minako barked.

"Mina-chan!"

"I didn't do anything wrong! She's the one who's treating my chosen profession like she's auditioning for the school play!"

"I thought you wanted to be a singer," Usagi said, puzzled.

"Details! I want to be famous! I don't care if it's as a singer, actor, or model or what! Hell, I'd jump off the Sony building in a tutu if it made me famous!"

"Now THAT I'd pay to see, Blondie," Makoto said, ambling over. She tried not to reveal the burning in her thighs she was feeling.

"How much?" Minako asked, an eyebrow cocked.

"What's this all about?" Makoto asked. "Does it have anything to do with why Ami called us?"

"No," Usagi replied, then glanced delicately at Minako. "Mina-chan's - - well, upset that Rei got invited to that modeling agency."

"Can't stand the competition, Blondie?" Makoto joked. Minako glared mirthlessly, then averted her gaze.

"Don't joke about things you don't understand," Minako said with a gruff scowl.

"Sorry," Makoto offered with surprise. Minako nodded. Her eyes wouldn't make contact with Makoto's.

"So, the gang's all here," they heard Rei exclaim. Usagi noticed Minako look up. She also noticed the wicked gleam in the blonde's eye.

"How did your audition go, 'Miss Professional'?" Minako asked with a catty air.

"Read about it in the newspaper," Rei responded icily. "That's assuming you can read."

"Must have been a flop," Minako smiled mirthlessly. "There, there, it'll get better."

"You know, I could put a curse on you," Rei growled, "but that ego of yours is curse enough for anyone!"

"Enough!" Ami barked from the doorway of the shrine. "Innocent lives are at stake! There's no time for petty bickering!" Realizing her outburst, Ami showed some subtle signs of discomfort, but didn't back down. "Come along. We need to get started."

"Wow," Minako murmured as the senshi headed for the building. "Somebody want to check Ami's apartment for pods?"

The five women fell into familiar seats in their old meeting room. Suddenly a flood of nostalgia seemed to swirl over them. This was the first time in eight years they'd all met like this again. Memories of Beryl and her generals, of their desperate search for why little Chibi-Usa had come to them, of who the mysterious Sailor Uranus and Neptune were and what they wanted, of the strange circus influencing people's dreams, of a terrible force named Galaxia and whether they would live to see another day, all flooded over them like high tide. Despite the ominous nature of Ami's summons, each woman couldn't help but stop and wonder at the possible rebirth of something that had consumed so much of their adolescence. They felt again the bond between them, forged in battle and strengthened by friendship.

Then Rei and Minako remembered they were mad at each other and contemptuously looked the other way.

"What's wrong, Ami?" Usagi asked. "You mentioned a possible threat to the area?"

"To be brief, Mother has discovered a pattern of hard to explain deaths over the last three months that indicates to her a connective reason for death," Ami outlined. "I've looked at her evidence and I agree with her. I think these deaths are connected."

"How many are we talking about?" Minako asked, suddenly all business.

"Eight over the last three months, that we've discovered.."

"That's terrible!" gasped Usagi.

"And the connection?" Minako inquired.

"The only pattern among the victims that we've been able to determine so far," Ami related, "is that they were all infants between two weeks and five months old and they were all perfectly healthy."

"SOMEONE'S KILLING BABIES!" cried Usagi. She put her hands to her mouth as tears sprouted in her eyes. "Oh, who could even conceive of doing such a thing?"

"You'd be surprised, Usagi," Rei whispered, visibly upset herself.

Suddenly Makoto lurched up out of her seat.

"Ami! Akiko's only four months old!" Makoto gasped. "Y-You don't think . . .?"

Ami looked up at her helplessly. "I can't rule her out as a potential victim, Makoto. We just don't have enough information yet."

Makoto's eyes darted around. The woman suddenly seemed on the verge of panic.

"I've got to go to her!" the woman announced suddenly, backing from the room. "I've got to make sure she's safe!"

"Makoto," Ami appealed to her.

"Don't ask me that, Ami!" Makoto shook her head desperately. "I can't stay. I've got to protect her! I'm her mother! I have to!" Instantly Usagi was by her side, grasping her by the hand and elbow.

"Mako-chan," Usagi said softly, becalmingly. "It's all right. Go to Akiko."

Makoto looked down to Usagi gratefully. Just a bit ashamed, she glanced at the others.

"We understand," Rei told her.

"We'll keep working on it from our end," Minako added. "Nobody's going to hurt Akiko."

Makoto looked at Ami. When Ami smiled and nodded, some of the taller woman's distress melted away.

"Thanks, guys," she whispered, then bolted out the door. With that, Usagi turned resolutely to Ami.

"This can't go on," Usagi declared. "We can't let one more innocent child die. What do we do, Ami-chan?"

Ami sighed. "Logically, the first thing we have to do is determine what we're fighting against. The most recent death occurred at the hospital Mother works at. She's already agreed to get us into the maternity ward tomorrow morning. This will allow me to investigate using my senshi computer's sensor array. I think the rest of us should be there. We all have unique abilities and vision that might see something another might miss."

Rei nodded. "I'll be there. And I'll stoke up the old fire pit tonight and see if I can get a lead that way."

"I'll do a little brainstorming with Artemis tonight," Minako added. "Maybe between us and his computer, we can figure something out."

"I'll talk to Luna," Usagi offered. "Maybe it's a really old menace or something from Silver Millennium. Luna knows everything about Silver Millennium right down to what color paint was on the fountains. She might notice something."

"I think that's all we can do for now," Ami nodded. She began to rise, followed by Minako and Rei. "I'll see you three at the hospital tomorrow at nine a.m. Meet me in the lobby."

Ami headed for the exit, but stopped when she found Usagi lingering. Her friend took Ami's hands in hers.

"Ami," Usagi appealed, her big blue eyes tinged with fear and worry. "Tell me we won't be too late. Tell me that no more innocent babies have to die."

Ami looked down. "All we can do is our best, Usagi. Statistically, we would have to be miraculously fortunate to solve this mystery before it claims another victim." Then she looked up and offered her friend a hopeful smile. "But then, we have got Sailor Moon on our side, so the miraculous is possible."

Usagi tried to force a smile onto her face. Ami shook her hands in a gesture of encouragement.
- - - -

Akiko lay in her crib. Her stomach was full, her diaper was dry and all was right with the world. As the little infant slept peacefully, she was oblivious to the shadow looming over her.

Continued in Chapter 5