PRETTY SOLDIER SAILOR MOON: FUTURE

Chapter 40: Deceit's End

At the same time JunJun and Midori had left to visit Umino, Masato and Makoto went to Osa-P together to speak with Naru. Last night, Masato revealed everything he and the two younger girls had discovered to Makoto. At first she had a hard time believing that her old boyfriend was a two-timer, but her fiancé's serious tone and the fact that the girls could back him up with eyewitness testimony forced her to accept the bitter truth. At least the situation was a lot easier for her to cope with than for Naru since Makoto no longer had a solid relationship with Jouji.

What she was most worried about was how Naru would accept that the new love of her life didn't feel the same way about her. Makoto would never forgive Jouji if he devastated Naru with this betrayal the same way Masato's death had traumatized her. Now that both of them understood each other's true feelings, they shared the same goal; to preserve Naru's happiness. This was why the couple wanted to visit her and likewise tell her the truth before she would get into a marriage that would clearly be one-sided.

As Masato drove to the shop, Makoto clenched her hands and frowned as she fought to repress her anger. He asked her, "Are you getting nervous?"

"Of course I am. This is Naru's future we're talking about here."

"I know. But this will be better than simply allowing that charlatan to do as he pleases while we blatantly ignore it."

"What if she doesn't believe us?"

"Midori and JunJun can provide their testimony. If that still doesn't work, then we have no choice but to rely on Umino's photos. I really don't want to show those scandalous images to her, if I can avoid it."

Makoto sighed and wondered what the photos contained. Masato drove up to Osa-P and parked nearby, then the couple got out and entered the store. Since it was still early, no customers had arrived yet. Naru was busy setting up the glass display cases when she noticed them and said, "Welcome to… Oh…"

Her eyes became transfixed with Masato's, and likewise he stared at her with a pained, stoic expression. Makoto understood what this tension meant; it was the first time Naru and Masato got to see each other since his death 1000 years ago. Naru clasped her hands tightly to suppress her emotions as she asked in a shaky voice, "Can I… help you…?"

He approached her and, without warning, gave her a tight embrace. Naru's eyes widened as her arms slowly reached around him to return the gesture. Makoto silently wiped a tear aside. After Masato finished hugging Naru, he said to her in a serious tone, "I'm sorry for the abruptness, but we need to talk."

"Talk? About what?"

"Jouji."

Naru became silent as she pursed her lips nervously. Then, to the couple's surprise, she remarked with a poignant tone, "Did you see him with another woman?"

"Wha-?"

"Naru!" Makoto gasped. "H-How did you know that!?"

"It's not that I 'knew'. It's more like… I 'felt' it. Call it woman's intuition, if you want, but I've been growing suspicious of him lately. And now you've come back to talk to me about him, Mr. Sanjouin. Then it must be true…"

They couldn't believe how easily Naru believed them even when they hadn't said a word yet. Makoto asked her, "Why are you saying such things about your own fiancé!?"

"Hm…" Naru sighed despondently. "I guess it's because… I know I love him with all of my heart. But I want to know if he feels the same way about me. I'm beginning to realize just how huge of a commitment marriage really is, and I want to be sure that Jouji will support me for many years to come. Yet, I've heard from a few friends of mine that they spotted him with other women when he should have been at work. I honestly don't believe that he has my best interests in mind anymore, but I couldn't confront him about it without solid evidence."

"Evidence?" Masato wondered, then realized what was going on. "Are you talking about photographs that you can show him!?"

"Yes. I hired my school friend Umino to look into it for me. He promised me that he would bring his photos to me yesterday, so I'm rather perplexed as to why I haven't gotten them yet. Maybe he's been busy with his other work and hasn't had the time to stop by. But I really need him to bring those pictures to me so my hunch can be proven. Then I can talk with Jouji and my family about it and call the whole thing off."

"I don't believe it…" Makoto whispered in astonishment. This was the same guy who dumped her to go out with another girl. At least he had been honest with her back then, but she couldn't comprehend him being so manipulative towards a friend of hers. Makoto felt her usually wistful thoughts for Jouji slip away, being replaced with a strange combination of disappointment and relief; disappointment because of Jouji's reprehensible behavior, and relief that she had never gotten involved with him like this. But now she felt compelled, as a fellow romantic type of woman, to help Naru see through this and find someone better for her.

Masato said, "Actually, Umino was on his way to deliver his pictures last night. He bumped into Yoeda JunJun and Inuken Midori and asked them to deliver them on his behalf."

"Oh, those two?" Naru raised an eyebrow. "They actually stopped by here and asked me some strange questions yesterday. So Umino left the pictures with them, hm?"

She paused for a second, then realized, "Wait a minute! If they see what those pictures contain…!"

"Don't worry," Masato assured her. "While they did take a look, I interfered before they could misunderstand the situation. Quite a shame really, since they're only grade school students. Umino should have known better than to leave such sensitive images with those children."

"So you saw the photos too?"

"Yes, and that's what I wanted to talk about. We didn't know that you had hired Umino, so I asked the girls to bring them back to him. Regardless, I implore you to call off the wedding as soon as possible. I say this as a friend, but your fiancé does not care about you whatsoever."

Naru cast her eyes to the ground and murmured, "That's going to be hard. Without those pictures, I can't prove anything to my family. My folks have become quite smitten with Jouji, after all."

"I see. Then we have no choice but to go to Umino's shop and get them back for you."

"Let's go," Makoto agreed. "Don't worry, Naru. We'll bring them to you as soon as we can. You still have to watch your store after all."

"Wait!" Naru stopped them. "Can I come with you both?"

"But your store-"

"I'll have Mom take care of things until I get back. I really want to talk to Umino myself and see what he has to say. Besides, I should be the one to scold him for giving those pictures to the kids. I hired him for the job in the first place, so it should be my responsibility."

"O-Okay… Fair enough, I guess."

The situation was tense in GuriGuri Electronics. Jouji had forced Umino, JunJun and Midori to lie on the floor with their arms spread apart. He took a look at the photos and remarked with a sly grin, "I didn't think a wimp like you had the guts to follow me for Naru's sake."

"Heek…" Umino trembled.

"Lay off him, buster!" JunJun snapped. "She asked him to do it!"

"I can see that," Jouji muttered, looking over the receipt with Naru's signature on it. "250,000 yen, huh? Guess she doesn't really trust me if she's willing to pay a fortune for these."

"She's not just some meal ticket that you can take advantage of!"

He fired one shot at the ground, deliberately missing JunJun's face by several inches. She gasped and covered her head, shocked that he really would shoot at them if they said anything wrong.

"That was only a warning," he threatened JunJun. "Mouth off again, and I'll shut you up for good."

Midori kept her cool and glanced at the hole where the bullet was lodged. She thought, If we somehow get out of this alive, the rifling marks from that bullet can be used as evidence in court.

Just then, Jouji snapped her out of her musings and commanded, "You. Get up now."

She wasn't sure what business he would have with her, but she didn't want to provoke him with needless questions. She slowly stood up and approached him, where he pressed the barrel of his gun against her head.

"Midori!" JunJun gasped.

"Both of you don't move, unless you want to see this girl's head blown off," Jouji threatened to JunJun and Umino. She clenched her teeth, struggling to repress all of the insults she wanted to hurl at him. Umino just kept his hands on his head and shielded his face from view in fright. Jouji made Midori walk in front of him out of the shop, still keeping the firearm aimed at her head. Outside, Varan waited for them to emerge. She generated one of her lances and pointed it at Midori's chest.

"Dragon…" the girl whispered.

"I promised you, didn't I, Hyena?" Varan narrowed her eyes. "I said I would destroy you for Naja's sake."

"I wasn't expecting you to be so cheap. This is hardly in your nature."

"Things are different now. Since you have denounced your role as a Toxicum Sailor Soldier, you're nothing more than a nuisance to us."

"I don't think it solely has to do with me staying true to my mission. You're getting desperate. The fact that you joined Eris despite her fueling the war is evidence that the situation is dire in Alkima."

"'Dire'?" the Camarilla repeated with an ominous tone. "If only it was so simple. It is much, much worse than you think."

Midori didn't like the implications lurking behind those grave words. She frowned hard and asked, "What has been happening since I woke from my cold sleep?"

Varan became silent for a minute as she contemplated answering her former ally's question. Her grip on her lance never wavered, and Jouji kept his gun aimed at Midori's head as she patiently waited for a reply. Varan eventually said, "Let's just say… You have nothing to worry about anymore."

"You know I'm not fond of vague statements like that. I want a clear answer."

"You don't need to know."

"I'll be the judge of that."

"Hmph. Do you know why I'm keeping my silence? Naja begged me to. She doesn't bear any resentment toward you despite you declaring your alliance to Earth's warriors. She is afraid of you discovering the truth. I, however, am of a different mindset. I will make you pay for making her suffer, and I will prevent you from finding out more than you need to know. All I have to do is run this spear through your heart, and all of our troubles with you will be over."

"Is that so?" Midori was admittedly nervous and somewhat disappointed with herself for falling prey to such a simple trap. Regardless, she kept her cool and countered, "I wonder how the others would react if they found out you killed me."

"They may loathe me, but it is for Alkima's good."

"Then you wouldn't mind Naja hating you?"

Varan clenched her teeth beneath her mask. There was no one else she cared for as much as Naja. Would her friend and lover really appreciate her slaying their ally? Naja felt responsible for sending Sailor Arsenic Hyena on this job since it wound up creating a terrible conflict of interest between the five Soldiers. Naja was still adamant about convincing Hyena to become a Camarilla, and if Varan killed her now, that hope would be ruined.

"… Fine. You're coming to Upala Acropolis with me, and you're going to join us as the fifth Camarilla. Of course this won't be a one-sided deal; you'll get to learn the whole truth and discover why we seek the Silver Crystal," Varan commanded.

"Rejected."

"This is not a request, you know."

"If you intend to force me, then I will kill myself instead."

Varan gasped and snarled, "Have you lost your sanity!?"

"I refuse to be Eris' pawn. Neither Alkima nor Earth deserve to fall victim to her machinations. Now that I have stated my position, you may as well kill me here and now. You can return to Naja with a clear conscience knowing there was nothing you could do to sway me," Midori asserted.

"You have gone utterly mad with devotion to your mission!"

"Maybe I have. But with all of these betrayals, ulterior motives and dirty politics tainting everyone around me, it is the only thing I can truly believe in anymore."

"Hmmmngh!" the Camarilla growled with fury. "If that's what it will be like, then I will at least finish this without you suffering. It is in deference to your unyielding will."

With nothing further to say, Midori closed her eyes and patiently waited for the killing blow…

"STOP!"

The girl heard another female's scream, followed by footsteps rushing toward Jouji while some kind of energy blast instantly knocked Varan down the road at the same time. Midori's eyes shot open as she heard the commotion and gaped in shock at the Camarilla as she vaulted and leapt backward to regain her balance. Meanwhile, a familiar brown-haired woman with a ponytail tackled Jouji to the ground and pinned his hand holding the gun down. Midori looked over to find Masato in a fighting stance with his arm stretched out from firing the energy beam, with Naru standing behind him in terror.

"Are you all right, Midori!?" Masato shouted.

"I'm unharmed," she replied and hurried to his side. Naru gave her a tight hug and sobbed, "Oh, thank goodness! We made it just in time!"

"Are you saying you witnessed that scene just now?"

"Yes! I can't believe Jouji put you in such danger! What in the world is going on here!?"

"There's no time for that!" Masato barked as he glared at the livid Varan leaping high into the air and throwing a volley of spears at the trio. He erected a barrier to repel the weapons, then ordered to Naru and Midori, "Get inside! You'll be safe there!"

His clothes shifted into his Four Generals uniform, and he stood at the ready as Nephrite to battle Varan. Midori and Naru rushed toward the front entrance, but a stray bullet from Jouji's gun pierced the concrete in front of them. Makoto struggled with the possessed man to get the firearm away from him, but the Apple of Discord lurking within his body granted him more strength than she could contend with. He grabbed her wrist and effortlessly tossed her over his shoulder, sending her tumbling over the hard ground.

Jouji aimed his gun at his high school girlfriend, and Makoto gasped as memories of them together flashed in her mind. Nephrite tried to defend his fiancée, but Varan kept launching spears at him, forcing him to defend against them.

"What are you doing, Jouji!?" Naru exclaimed.

"Die, woman!" he screamed at Makoto. Whether or not he recognized her as his former girlfriend, no one could tell, nor did they care anymore.

To think I still had feelings for him… Makoto despaired.

To think I was going to marry him… Naru was in total horror.

Suddenly, someone sprinted out of the store and landed an impressive leaping kick against his hand, knocking the gun out of his reach. It turned out to be JunJun after she heard what was going on outside and realized that she and Umino were no longer in danger. Umino followed after her and reunited with Naru, asking worriedly, "Are you okay!?"

"Yes, thanks to Masato."

While the others were focused on the battle and seeing if everyone was safe, Midori took this chance to sneak inside the shop and find a quiet place to transform into Sailor Arsenic Hyena.

"You okay, Boss!?" JunJun asked Makoto.

"Yeah! Let's transform! Jupiter Crystal Power, Make Up!"

"You got it! Juno Quartet Power, Make Up!"

Lightning surrounded Makoto in a series of three rotating rings and completely bathed her in electricity, forming her Sailor uniform. JunJun danced about with the flair of a gymnast as her arms and legs generated sparkling green wind that wrapped around her body and materialized her outfit. They finished with their signature poses.

"What the hell!?" Jouji snapped.

"I am the Sailor Soldier of Love and Courage, Sailor Jupiter! I'll make you feel so much regret, it'll leave you numb!" the older Soldier boldly declared.

"Likewise, I am the Sailor Soldier of Action and Vitality, Sailor Juno! You can't hope to keep up with me!" the younger Soldier followed up with her own dramatic pose.