Author's Notes: I hope you all are enjoying this story so far since I am having a blast writing it. Soon I will be tackling another chapter of The New Girl on the Block for those of you wishing me to continue with it. Thanks a lot for reading now let's get on with the show.
You Can't Choose Your Family
Chapter 4
The rogue Senshi, Jupiter, ran as if her life was in danger. After her attack on Pluto it probably was though. Her mother was nestled in her arms and watching her with wide, disbelieving eyes. The speed she had attained was so great that she had to release a bit of ki to shield her cargo. Her mind was effectively chasing it's tail as she tried to figure out what Pluto was doing there and at this time. There was no way it was coincidence. She flashed her mother a reassuring smile but it failed to reach her eyes.
"We'll be at Aunt Kasumi's shortly." Sailor Jupiter, a.k.a. Makoto, told her. With a final leap that seemed to touch the sky they alighted in front of Kasumi's home. Makoto reverted quickly before going to open the front door when suddenly it opened to reveal Kasumi. The woman's gaze swept over Makoto before going to Terri. She gave her niece a look of fond exasperation.
"Come inside." she commanded before leading them into her home. Terri was held securely by Makoto as they entered the warm kitchen. Once they were all seated, Kasumi stared at Makoto over folded hands. Terri was huddled in her dirty clothing trying not to look at the Tendo woman. The youma was clearly ashamed of what she did which was the only reason that Makoto could see for her not refusing the woman entry.
"Aunt Kasumi-" Makoto began only to be silenced by Kasumi.
"We could have gone in the morning you know. I was just as curious as you to find out what brought you here. We are family. What one bears then we both do. You clearly have your father's compassion so I won't question your decision to bring her here." Kasumi told her young niece. The girl stared at the table. Terri shook her head.
"You should have just forgotten me but I won't rebuke you for it. Thank you for coming to visit me but you have to be honest with Kasumi. Please." Her mother told her. The startled girl stared at her for a long moment before realizing that her memories indicated how extensively Kasumi could be trusted. She sensed around for any foreign energies before nodding her head.
"I was drawn there tonight. Drawn to my mother. It was a good thing that I did because Sailor Pluto came to destroy her." at this the Tendo woman's eyes widened at this before Makoto continued.
"As a matter of fact I'm probably in quite a bit of trouble now. I am the Senshi of Jupiter, Sailor Jupiter. She could have killed me when I intercepted her attack on mom but I think she didn't care. I survived the attack and began attacking her right back..." She shook her head. Terri shook her head as well.
"You should have just played dead and forgotten about it. Your friends might forgive you since I know how close the Senshi were in the old days but Pluto won't." Terri stated. Makoto could detect a faint hint of worry in her tone. Kasumi stood up.
"If that's the case then you had better leave in the morning. No, let me finish..." she said before Makoto could speak.
"Go back to your friends. I believe that Terri is right in what she says. The best thing you can do right now is hurry back and tell them your side of the story. Tell them the whole truth as you have told me." The Saotome child nodded her head in understanding of what her aunt said. She was then sent to bed while Kasumi went with Terri into the bathroon to help clean her up. Makoto slipped upstairs and back to bed. She knew that if she had exceptional hearing then her mother might as well. With the thought of seeing her friends again in her mind, she slipped off to sleep.
Terri stripped off the incredibly soiled clothing, and with Kasumi's help, got into the tub. She was weak from the Point and inactivity so every action was difficult. Her gaze travelled to the Tendo woman, who twice now she had destroyed, and felt pain in her chest. Kasumi gazed back before looking away. In that brief gaze she could see just how much the woman despised her. She knew that she deserved it but it hurt. It hurt a lot. She let out a shuddering breath. Terri had loved Ranma, but had lied to Makoto to make her leave. She hadn't wanted poor Mako-chan suffering for her sins but here she was.
"You have no reason to like me. If you drowned me in this tub I would understand." She said. Kasumi clenched her fists before slapping her, hard.
"Don't you dare say that again. Makoto needs you. It's what brought her to you and don't pretend that you're just an unfeeling youma. You care otherwise you wouldn't keep telling her to leave you. Now listen to me. No, listen!" She hissed angrily causing the other woman to subside.
"Don't you dare hurt her anymore. You killed me family. My whole family save for Mako-chan. If you hurt her I will put you in the ground even if it costs me my soul to do it." She told Terri with venom even as she used surprisingly gentle hands to help her wash. The woman wanted to cry as she was lectured but she knew that it would be met with only scorn from this once forgiving and merciful woman. Terri made her into this and that part bothered her more than most things.
"Alright. I won't hurt her. I'll even train her in how to use her powers." Terri told her. Kasumi relaxed a fraction but not completely. Training Mako-chan to use all the powers she possessed was a good idea. The rest of the bath concluded in silence before the two women then went to bed as well. The next day was going to be a long one.
The train ride back was less eventful then the trip to get there. Makoto sat close beside her mother, resting her head on her shoulder quite contentedly. Terri had her arm about her shoulders and was also reveling in the feeling of peace. They had left a tearful Kasumi at the train station. She had told them that she would be there if they needed to find her before fleeing from the platform close to tears. Makoto looked to her mother with a smile.
"Looking forward to coming home with me?" She asked her. Terri smiled down at her. It was a smile tinged with sadness but there was genuine joy in it.
"Of course I am. One of the first things we have to do is train you to use your powers. You are more powerful than any being on the planet through just birth. Combine that with your Senshi powers and it becomes entirely ludicrous." She plants a small kiss on her daughter's forehead but Makoto seems to be thinking about something.
"I have to tell them." She said. Terri nodded approvingly.
"No need to be ashamed of what you are. You have nothing to be ashamed of." She told her daughter. Makoto mulled all this over even as she dozed off. The train, the company, and the feeling of joy made it easy to do so. Her mother held her closer as she slept. Terri's thoughts were on Ranma.
"No more mistakes." she vowed.
As they got off the train, Makoto noticed something that was unusual even for Juuban. A train, an honest to God train, was rampaging. It had been turned into a youma and was demolishing the station. The pandemonium was so great that there was nowhere she could go to safely transform but her mother looked unconcerned. Terri stepped away from Makoto.
"M-mom!? Your powers were sealed!" Makoto cries after her. The woman shakes her head.
"My physical strength was sealed...but not this." She built up a ball of supercondensed fire between her fingertips before releasing it with titanic force on the train youma. It roared in shock and pain as the heat melted it's metal body causing the entire left side to cascade down in a deluge of molten liquid. The people had already given it a wide berth so there were no casualties. When the train youma tried to move it couldn't due to Terri unleashed a ball of supercooled air onto the melted metal.
"Whoa..." Makoto simply stared as her mother effectively immobilized and neutralized the threat. Terri fell to one knee, gasping almost painfully, causing her to rush to her mother's side.
"Finish...it off...it's within your power..." Terri waved her to go. The Senshi of Jupiter realized that her mother did that without any enhancements or transformations. If that was the case then so could she. Makoto warped the air with the speed at which she launched at the stuck youma, lightning arcing out like cat claws once more, before she violently flew through the center of the youma. She rolled to her feet in time to see the huge hole she carved through it's body causing the whole thing to collapse to dust.
"M-Makoto!?" Sailor Moon exclaimed in shock as she witnessed the youma destruction. Her and Mercury had been first on the scene while Mars and Venus finished evacuating the people. Makoto looked to her leader with shock on her face. Mercury was busily typing away at the computer terminal, taking the readings from what they saw for later study.
"Sailor Moon! Ah...hi?" She chuckled guiltily before suddenly remembering her mom.
"Mom!" She rushed over to the woman that looked like an older version of Makoto. Sailor Moon was not as bad a bubblebrain as people thought. She stepped towards the fallen woman as Makoto quickly helped her to her feet.
"I'm fine sweetheart. I just overdid it a little..." When Mercury turned the computer onto Makoto's mother she did a triple take. The computer was registering a strange reading that they knew all too well.
"Wow...so that's your mother...?" Sailor Moon questioned as she stepped closer.
"Sailor Moon! Not a step closer! She's a youma!" Mercury snapped. The Senshi of Jupiter groaned in frustration. Could they ever get a break?
end Chapter
Author's Notes: I know, I'm evil. So what's going to happen now? Are her friends going to be as understanding as she hopes or will her mother be dusted? Stay tuned for more!