After about 5 days of being in Italy the group of Senshi went home. Mel helped Makoto move her stuff to Mel's loft. "So angel are you ever gonna tell your friends about us?"
"Tell them what Mel?" Makoto stood up and wrapped her arms around Mel's neck and kissed the tip of her nose. "Tell them that I'm desperately in love with you?"
Mel chuckled. "No you goof about this." Mel held her left hand up to Makoto and smiled softly.
Makoto smiled and chuckled. "Let's go to the arcade."
Ivory grabbed a hold of Mel's waist. "Yea can we please?"
Mel laughed. "What is this gang up on Mel day yeesh? Ok, ok we can go stop with the puppy faces. You taught her to do that didn't you angel?"
Makoto laughed. "No I swear to you I didn't teach her a thing. Just because back on Jupiter I would do that doesn't mean I do it now."
"Yea sure you don't your doing it right now. But if we're goin get over there by the elevator yeesh."
The three walked into the arcade and Makoto saw a familiar red bow in a blonde's hair and snuck up behind her and covered her eyes. Ivory smiled "Guess who?"
Minako, not knowing who grabbed her, elbowed Makoto in the ribs causing the older girl to let her go and take a few steps back. Minako then spun around and smacked the person in the face. Makoto rubbed her left cheek and looked at Minako through her bangs. "I guess I deserved that."
"Oh my god Mako-chan I'm sooooooooooo sorry. I had no idea it was you. Please don't hurt me." Minako took a few steps away from her friend.
Makoto raised her left eyebrow. "When have I ever hurt you Mina-chan? Unlike Mel I can control my temper so stop it. What's up with you guys anyways? Ever since that fight with Rogue you all seem afraid of me and Mel?"
Mamoru stepped between Makoto and Minako. "She didn't know it was you so leave her alone."
Makoto got a very confused look on her face. "I know that. I'm not mad honest. What has gotten into you guys?"
Usagi walked up to Makoto and smiled. "Ignore them Mako-chan my feelings for you haven't changed. They're all scared that since that demon healed you that you're different and not the same Makoto you were." Usagi looked deep into her friend's eyes and smiled. "But I can tell you're the same as before. Come on lets go play the new Sailor Senshi game. I got shot gun on Sailor Moon." Usagi giggled and skipped off towards the game. Makoto smiled and walked over and joined her friend on the game. Ivory and Chibi-usa ran off and were playing the VR fighting game.
Mel sighed and pushed Mamoru out of her way as she walked past. Mamoru grabbed Mel's arm roughly. "You jus better watch yourself I'm watching you and Makoto."
Mel pulled her arm away from Mamoru. "You are such an asshole don't fuckin touch me again got it. Cuz I don't care if you are Usagi-chan's boyfriend I'll kick your ass got it." Mel spit in Mamoru's face and walked away.
Minako frowned and walked over to Mel. "Mel-chan?"
Mel looked up at Minako then back down at the pool table. "What is it Minako-chan?"
Minako put her hand on the back of her neck. "What Usagi-chan said is true."
Mel took her shot then leaned the stick against the table and looked at Minako. "You guys really think that since Enyo healed her she's a demon now?"
"Ahriman said she has demon's blood running through her veins."
"Yea so that doesn't make her a demon. If you cut her she'll still bleed red blood and it'll take it just as long as it would take you to heal. Just because I'm a demon doesn't mean I'd inflict the same curse on her ok." Minako went to put her hand on Mel's arm but Mel pulled her arm away and shook her head. Mel frowned at Minako then walked away. She walked outside and pulled the pack of cigarettes out of her pocket and removed one from the pack. Mel sighed heavily and sat on the hood of her jeep and smoked her cigarette.
After a few minutes Minako walked out. "Mel-chan I didn't mean to upset you. I just want a straight answer. Is Makoto honestly the same as she was before?"
Mel looked at Minako. "Yea Minako-chan she's the same. Look Minako-chan I love her ok and I would never do anything to hurt her never. And turning her into a demon would hurt her. So do me a favor." Mel tossed Minako the keys to her jeep. "Give these to Makoto ok. Tell her I'll meet her back at the loft." Mel took the last drag from her cigarette and walked away.
Minako frowned and walked back into the arcade. She walked over to Makoto and hung her head. "Here, I think I might have hurt Mel's feelings or pissed her off I'm not sure but she tossed me these and told me to give them to you. And she said she'll meet you back at the loft." Minako handed Makoto the keys to Mel's jeep and sighed. "Gomen Mako-chan."
"Don't be sorry Mina-chan that's just how Mel is." Makoto frowned and put the keys in her pocket.
"Aren't you gonna go and get her Mako-chan?" Usagi looked at her friend.
"No that'll just make her mad. She's a big girl she can take care of herself."
Mel stumbled into her loft about two hours later. Makoto watched as she went to hang her coat but missed and the coat fell to the floor. Mel laughed and picked it up and set it on the chair. Makoto walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you ok ai? You're acting like you're stoned."
Mel laughed again. She looked at Makoto with half lidded eyes. "Is it that obvious? Damn I'm losing my touch at hiding it."
Makoto's eyes got wide. "Please tell me your not. Please tell me you're only joking. Come on Mel this isn't funny, cuz if it's true my so called friends are getting a piece of my mind."
Mel looked at Makoto and frowned slightly. "It's not their fault I'm stoned angel. Is Jay's he got me hooked on pot and I've been trin' like hell to quite honest. Don't be mad at them be mad at me ok. Hit me; cry do whatever jus don't ruin the friendship you have with them ok."
Makoto took a step back away from Mel. "I won't do either. But I want you to promise me something Mel."
"What angel?"
"Promise me you won't come home like this again. Please promise me Mel. You look so sad and I don't know Mel you don't look like you at all."
Mel hung her head. "I promise angel."
Makoto took Mel's chin in her hand and lifted Mel's face so she was looking in her deep emerald eyes. "Don't hang your head ai. Never be ashamed of who you are ok. You'll get through this and I'll be at your side helping you every step of the way. Come now let's get you to bed."
Mel looked at Makoto. "I'm not tired babe." Mel pulled Makoto close and kissed her softly.
Makoto smiled. "Who said anything about sleeping?" Mel smirked and the two of them disappeared into bedroom.
Just as Mel got Makoto's shirt and bra off and had her jus about to the bed when there was a knock on the door. Mel tossed Makoto a shirt of her's from the cloths bushel and sighed. "Come in and it better be good."
Ivory walked into Mel's room slowly. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to-"
Mel cut her off. "No, no I'm not mad at you. Your allowed to bother me I just thought it was Minako-chan or one of the others. Gomen ne. What up kiddo?"
Ivory smiled. "I heard what happened at the arcade from Chibi-usa and just wanted to make sure you were ok that's all."
Mel smiled softly. "Yea I'm fine kiddo. Jus not all with it right now. I'm sorry if I seemed mad cuz I wasn't. I'm just annoyed over what happened at the arcade that's all."
Ivory smiled at Mel. "Look Mel I was there and saw what you did in demon form to both Rogue and to Mako-chan. Even though your body changed your heart still beat in that demon's chest and I know you would never hurt Mako-chan that way. I see the scars you have and I can only imagine the pain you felt and the hell you went through just because of what you are. I know you would never subject the one's you love to that kind of pain. Despite the demon that lives within you you're still a good person Mel." Ivory walked over to Mel and wrapped her arms around her waist. "You're my guardian angel. You took me in when my family shunned me. Don't worry about what the other's think of you. The only opinions that should matter to you are those of the people standing in this room now. Never change who you are Mel. I love you for who you are and there is no way I'll ever be able to repay you for the kindness you've showed me. But I swear I'll always stand beside you."
Makoto smiled down at the young girl and put her right hand on Ivory's shoulder and looked at her. "For someone so young you are very wise. Mel has always been a real softy. Most people don't know that because they don't take the time to get to know her. When she first showed up on Jupiter and I saw her I was like 'great they sent me a lug' then after I got to know her she wasn't anything like her outer appearance made her out to be." Makoto brushed the tear off that rested on Mel's left cheek with her thumb and smiled warmly.
Mel removed Makoto's hand from her face and held it for a second before letting it go. She looked at Ivory then at Makoto before walking towards the door. "What you say is very noble of you Ivory, but they will not make me feel any better about what I am. Let's face it I'm doomed to be a demon ain't a damn thing I can do to change it. Let them think what they want to it won't change what I am. Let the fuckin world shun me I don't care I will always bare this cross. No matter what the world thinks of me." Mel hung her head her somber tone changing to an angrier one. "Let them think what they want about me, but Mamaru will pay for what he said about you today." Mel looked at the wall in front of her and punched it with all her might.
Makoto's eyes got wide. "Mel calm down its not that big of deal. What they thought or still think is just."
Mel looked at Makoto with hurt in her eyes and anger in her voice. "I WOULD NEVER FUCKIN DO THAT TO YOU!" Mel hung her head and spoke softly. "How? How could you think I would do that to you? What did I ever do to you to make you think I would do summin like that to you? Please tell me where I went wrong."
Makoto walked over to Mel and hugged her close. "Mel I-"
Mel cut her of by pushing her away. Makoto stumbled back a few steps. Mel's eyes were wet with tears that would never fall. She looked at Makoto, her face shown with nothing but hurt. "You're just like the rest of them. Tell me what I want to hear and then turn your back. Make me believe you're in love with me again so I drop my guard and then turn your back on me." Mel hung her head and flopped against the wall.
Makoto glared at Mel and spoke with clenched fists and threw clenched teeth. Her own eyes wet from tears that would soon fall. "NEVER MEL. I WOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT AND YOU KNOW IT! You know I'm not like that. Please don't do this. This isn't you talking." Makoto took a deep breath and unclenched her fists and let her tears fall as she talked softly. "I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt me Mel. I only meant I can see why they are worried. You didn't do anything to make me think that Mel. You didn't go wrong anywhere. Tell me something Mel. Why push away the ones who love you? Is it because you don't think it's possible? Why embrace the hurt your feeling and push away the people who love you the most?" Makoto walked back over by Mel and stood a few steps away from her. "Look at me Mel." Mel left her head hung. "DAMN YOU LOOK AT ME MELAINE!" Makoto sighed. "Please look at me Mel. I love you more than anything else in life please look at me. Why would you think I turned my back on you? Talk to me Mel please." Makoto cupped Mel's chin in her hand and raised it slowly. "Look me in the eye Mel and say that. If you truly believe that is true look me in the eye and tell me."
Mel looked at the hurt and pain in Makoto's eyes and a tear rolled down her cheek. "I-I can't angel. I can't tell you that again. The truth is I love you more then life and I couldn't possibly live without you. Gomen nasai I should have never have pushed you like that nor should I have said that." Mel pulled Makoto close and buried her face in her shoulder as she hugged her tightly. "Your right I don't think it's possible. I don't think it's possible for a demon to be truly loved. Especially not by such a sweet beautiful innocent angel. It's been almost 6 months now since I found you and got you back. These short months feel like nothing has changed since Jupiter. All those years ago and even now my love for you never faded. I figured you would have moved on with your life and when I saw you walking with Minako to school that day my heart skipped a beat. Just being able to see you smile again made me weak in the knees. I didn't mean to come on so strong, but I was just so happy to see you again that I lost my mind. When you pushed me away it brought me back to reality. The reality that you had no idea who I was or what we had all those years ago." Mel looked at Makoto with sorrow filled eyes and continued to speak. "When I thought I had lost you again I really didn't care if I died as long as Rogue died first. All I remember is picking up my sword and yelling. After that it's all a blur. Even if you held a gun to my head and told me to make you a demon I still wouldn't. I'd rather you killed me then me putting you through that pain. The others have every right to be afraid of me. Shit I'm afraid of myself. But to have them fear you because of me isn't fair. It's not fair to you. You never hurt any of them in any way for them to fear you. Just because you have demon's blood in your veins now doesn't make you a demon or a monster like me. All it will do is make you stronger. Not only will your psychical attacks be stronger but so will your Senshi attacks. That's it that's all that's different about you." Another tear rolled down Mel's cheek. "When Enyo knelt down by you and saw you were still just barely alive she couldn't just leave you to die. So she did what she had to in order to save your life. I would never allow you to be changed into a demon. Sure there advantages to it but there are a whole hell of a lot more disadvantages to it. I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing I did that to you." Mel let Makoto go and leaned up against the wall and just looked at Makoto. Her face void of any emotion.
For me, I've struggled all my life... To find that thing that makes it right... With you it seems I may have found Some other kind of love...
I will love you all my life Always be by your side And I will give you all I have Cause you gave me peace and joy...again, again, again...
Makoto smiled softly at Mel as a few tears fell. "You didn't really come on that strong Mel. Things moved faster than I was used to that's all. Your right I had no clue about my past on Jupiter. When I met you I had just barely remembered my past in the Moon Kingdom. When you told me all those things I felt my heart break because I didn't remember you or any of the things you were saying. At first I didn't believe you. After I woke up with all those memories I couldn't help but cry. All the years I felt so alone. With you I didn't. That's why I was so reluctant to go home to my cold empty lonely apartment. You filled the emptiness in my heart. Knowing that you were what was missing the whole time made me never want to let you go. I wanted to embrace that feeling of being loved and wanted and I never wanted to let it go. Mel I love you for you I don't care if you're a demon or if you have more scars then I care to count or if you grew up on the streets. All those things make you well you." Makoto walked over to Mel and sighed softly. "Don't worry about what the other's think of you ok. All that should matter to you is what me and Ivory think of you."
I was scared to let go and trust your love After what I'd been through I had had enough Whispering through your eyes you never said a word But something said... (Your heart's safe)
Ivory walked over by Mel and Makoto, a tear resting on her right cheek, and wrapped her arms around Mel. "She's right you know. We're all Senshi but yet we judge each other like everyone else does. Probably a lot harsher than everyone else. It doesn't matter that we risk our lives for each other and for the sake of the world. Some of us can't get past our own egos or our wants and needs. We don't think about each others feeling as much as we should. In a way we're all selfish but you, you put the others lives before your own. I've seen you rush into a battle and sacrifice so the others will be safe. If you ask the others why they think you do it. I'll be willing to bet you they say you do it to keep Mako-chan safe. That you do it all for her. But if that were the case you wouldn't have saved Uranus or Mercury. If they are too blind to see past what they know it's their loss." Ivory looked up at Mel with wet cheeks and smiled softly at the older girl.
Mel smiled softly at Ivory and put her free hand on Ivory's shoulder. "Please don't cry. What you both say is true, but your right kiddo it is their loss." Mel pulled Makoto closer with her left arm still wrapped around her waist and looked into her emerald eyes. Mel kissed Makoto's forehead softly then pulled Ivory closer and wrapped her right arm around her shoulders in a loose hug. "I don't know what I did to deserve either of you I really don't."