A New Hope
Chapter three: You're Alive!
Manoko pulled into the parking lot at the grocery story and got out of her car. She noticed a woman across the parking lot hurrying towards the store. The woman looked vaguely familar. Manoko shrugged it off and hurried into the store.
Ikuko was postive that someone was watching her as she scooped up items and tucked them in her large shoulder bag. She glanced around and realized that it couldn't be the store clerk, he was preoccupied with customers at the counter. She swung her head around just in time to see a black haired woman look quickly away.
Manoko looked away quickly when the purple haired woman turned around. She had seen the woman stealing the food. Should she report it? She wondered to herself. She grabbed some lettuce and threw it into a cart. If the woman had to steal, that meant that she did not have a card. Manoko wondered what the woman's story was and why she had to steal. Was she a supporter of the long gone Moon family, or was she merely a thief. Manoko shook her head to clear her thoughts. Whatever was going on, She didn't need to get involved. She grabbed some canned tuna and salmon for Diana. The grey cat hated dry cat food.
Ikuko slung her bag over her shoulder and eyed the woman again, who seemed to be trying not to look at her. Ikuko wondered what was going on through the woman's head. She wanted to shout, tell the other woman that she had no choice, but she couldn't risk getting caught. Ikuko knew stealing was wrong, but all of her identities refused to get a card. She did not want any reminders of the dratted ruler of Crystal Tokyo. She hurried out of the store, hoping no one would stop her.
"Wait!" A voice called out. Ikuko paused and turned around. The woman from the store was staring at her. Ikuko thought she looked slightly familiar.
"What?' She asked, innocently.
"Don't you have a card?" the woman asked.
"No" Ikuko said curtly. "I will never carry one of those cards for as long as I live" The other woman sighed.
"I wish I could be like you" She said suddenly. "I don't want the card either, but with my luck, I'd get caught stealing food" Ikuko shrugged.
"I take my chances. I'm not afraid of Diamond" She said. The other woman stared at her incredously.
"You remind me of someone I used to know" She said quietly. "She wasn't afraid of him either" She smiled weakly. Ikuko could tell that it hurt her to talk about it.
"Have we met before?" She asked. "I feel like I know you"
Manoko was slightly surprised that the woman she was talking to also felt like there was some sort of connection.
"I don't think that's possible" Manoko said. The other woman sighed.
"This friend I remind you of, what was her name?" She asked. Manoko drew a sharp breath. She wasn't sure how to respond.
"Rei" She said finally, leaving off the last name on purpose.
Ikuko drew a sharp breath when she heard the other woman say the name. She blinked.
"Hino Rei?" She asked.
This time is was Manoko's turn to be surprised.
"How do you know that?" She asked sharply. The other woman bit her lip.
"I am Rei Hino" She said quietly. The grocery bag Manoko was holding fell to the ground as she stared at the other woman. As she looked into "Rei's" eyes, she saw that it was true. It was her friend.
"Rei-chan" She whispered, tears filling her eyes. "You're alive!" She ran and hugged Ikuko as if she wouldn't let go. At that moment Ikuko knew who she was.
"Minako-chan" She whispered. "I can't believe it" Manoko pulled away and wiped her eyes.
"I thought everyone had died" She whispered.
"So did I" Ikuko replied. "I go by Ikuko now"
"I go by Manoko" Manoko told her. Ikuko smiled.
"There is someone who will want to meet you" She said. She wrote her adress down on a slip of paper. "Please, come over tonight. We have a lot of catching up to do" Manoko laughed.
"400 years" She said. Ikuko smiled and got into her car. Manoko waved until Ikuko was out of sight. "I can't believe it" She whispered.
A/N: Hope you liked it