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Chapter Nine
{Part 1}
Makoto did not like this. She hated it in fact. There were reasons why she usually preferred to do things alone, that way nobody could keep a secret from her. If anybody left out something, it was from herself, so it was her own fault. There were way too may secrets going on around here today, for the last several days, in fact. She hated being left out of the loop.
Ami, the brainchild, oh she knew, how could she not? She'd figure it out eventually anyways, so might as well include her in on the secret. Luna, she was the mastermind of the secret keeping. Luna, with all her infinite wisdom and capabilities, she just had to go about and keep something from Makoto. The two of them though, they were probably as about out of the loop as she was on this though. Not that Usagi meant to keep anyone out, how could someone, so innocent, so sweet, and precious be that vindictive and irritating? No, the blond had nothing to do with it. She just had declined to share what she knew. And Makoto hated that. Not so much what Usagi was hiding, for if Usagi was hiding something, then she had a very good reason to do it, because she couldn't lie to save her own skin. She'd only lie to save someone else's.
No, Makoto was smart, she just wished the black cat and the brains of their operation would see that. Luna still thought of her as the amazon, all brute force and no brains or softness, not fit to let into the circle of trust. Makoto was sure not even Ami or Usagi were allowed in all those secret passage ways either. And THAT irritated her!
Makoto stomped her feet on the ground as she made her way towards the crown arcade. Except for this place, there were no patterns to the youma attacks. She'd been very surprised to learn that there hadn't even been an attack or two in the park, with all those people lulling about in the summer time. It would be stupid to attack in the winter, nobody was out there except for idiots, nobody the senshi wanted to save.
It was probably thoughts like these, that made Luna think that Makoto didn't have any feelings, but she did. She cared for her plants with all the tenderness she could give them, it wasn't her fault the black cat didn't like her, she had lavished Luna with attention before she learned how to talk. Luna had even purred for her.
Luna had apologized for being wary of Makoto but Makoto could clearly see that it was by Usagi's prompting that it happened. That girl didn't want anyone to suffer in her team and tried to keep the peace. Makoto had a feeling though that she wasn't necessarily supposed to be part of this team, but it would take heaven and sea to even begin to move her from her current path. Maybe if she had been a part of the inner circle of Luna's commands, the past wouldn't have fallen like it did.
Makoto wasn't an idiot.
She didn't do super well in school, but she was holding her own, she was doing better than Usagi was, and she felt guilty with that thought. Usagi tried, hard, but she struggled, and no one seemed to understand that. Makoto was particularly fond of anything to do with plants, planets and earth. She'd learned that her namesake- Jupiter, was part of the outer planet orbits and therefore was considered one of them. They hadn't met anyone from those planets and so Jupiter wondered if her involvement with this team was a mistake. But Jupiter was also the closest to the inner planets and therefore, could go either way if it wasn't for the stupid asteroid belt. Jupiter was also the biggest planet, and therefore, should have some gravitational pull, shouldn't she? Makoto demanded that she be given a choice if this issue was ever brought up. Pluto wasn't even a planet anymore, so what should her alliance have to do with anything? Would the senshi of Pluto cease to exist just because the people of Earth had decided to do away with the bases of what made a planet a planet, or would her powers be of some other realm, just like her orbit around the sun? It wasn't the same as the rests, and therefore, she too would have her own unique role to play.
Makoto growled and kicked a can. This was stupid.
She had to go over the facts. One- Luna was hiding something big, ok, rephrase one- Luna was hiding a lot of things, smaller things from Makoto, bigger things Luna tried desperately to hide from Ami and shared with Usagi, barely, and one, super, hunky, large, ultimately planet blowing, world shifting, view and life alternating secret from all of them, even Usagi. Two- Luna didn't know everything, things were being kept even from her. Some from all of the senshi, and some, only uniquely Usagi was aware of. Makoto didn't miss the pain or worry or jumpiness Usagi sometimes displayed when she thought she was alone. Three- Usagi was worried about something. Four- everybody, save Usagi- bless her heart- thought Makoto was a brutish idiot. Five- Usagi was in some type of danger and Makoto hated it. It was beyond normal senshi danger, and she couldn't figure out what it was, or how to get Usagi to open up about it. Six- Usagi and Mamoru were madly in love, even her, a brutish, unfeeling, idiot could see it. Seven- Motoki had a girlfriend, and they were madly in love and they showed it to the public with more display than even Mamoru and Usagi- who were holding it back, and it would go off like a rocket as soon as they both got it through their idiotic heads. Nine- No matter how much Makoto slyly hinted at it, no matter how much she pushed or joked or made innuendos said idiots refused to budge. Ten- that and Eight were both out of her hands, someone more skilled had to come along and take care of it for her. Until then, if anything did happen, she would take full credit, she might have to fight Motoki for that, but she wouldn't mind wrestling with the blond man. Eleven- she wasn't over Motoki. Twelve- that black haired girl who was mean to Usagi was pining all over the blond boy that Usagi was suddenly friends with again, repeat, boy, not man, like Motoki. Thirteen- Usagi avoided said black-haired girl, who suddenly had an interest in being nice to Usagi, a strange turnabout. Though, she would deny it, and still argued with Usagi every chance she could get, but the words were a little kinder, more compassionate. Fourteen- Black-haired girl knew something too, but she wasn't quite sure what she knew beyond what she knew. Fifteen- Ami was bringing around a blond- almost brunette- because the blond was so dirty- boy around more often after Usagi and blond boy had made up. Usagi seemed happy for her, so Makoto couldn't say anything. Sixteen- Mamoru must have gotten it into his thick skull he liked Usagi, because he couldn't stop hovering over her, or by her, or out of her view, but close enough to smell her, or see her, since the night that Usagi went alone to that party. Makoto wondered at that... wondered if somehow he was there, wondered if black-haired-bitch knew Usagi was under that magic claiming she was- get this- 'Char', the gay pansy from Ireland. Or, something to that effect, the sexual orientation of the man, or whether or not he was a wimp based on anything but looks and Makoto's own run-ins with said stereotypes which in no way reflects the authors opinion on any personality or looks to real life people or ideas. He might not have been gay as he'd been hit on by 'Sissy'- Makoto snorted at the thought, gaining weird looks from the passers in the street, as if nothing she'd done to this point had been weird or comment worthy. Idiots. Makoto snapped irritably in her head at the viewers, who upon seeing her look, returned to their previous business.
Back to the actual facts- Seventeen- Makoto had no idea what was going on, and she really wished someone would tell her, so she wouldn't have to punch someone in the nose, breaking it, just to make herself feel better. She would really like to do it to blond boy, Mamoru or black-haired-bitch.
Makoto kicked the can again as she stomped towards it and it sailed through the air, landing perfectly in the trash can. "You think you would be able to muster up some of that skill and pass it onto your less than graceful friend? She doesn't seem to be able to sit on something without falling over."
Makoto's head snapped to said target, and glared with all her might, the man who never seemed to be effected by anything, seemed to catch her drift and backed off. He was half-way into the arcade before he spoke again. "With the way you're going on out here, someone might get the wrong idea and think Godzilla was attacking again."
He was fully in the door and harassing Usagi before Makoto could count to ten, so she wouldn't smash the beautiful face in. No good, stupid, wimp, momma's boy, looser, coward! She threw in some of her feelings into her thoughts, but didn't get very far into her rant as someone was laughing, at her, and she snapped her head around to see who would be so stupid. There stood a man with long brown hair that reached to his shoulders. Makoto thought that was a little odd of a style to be in, but it was a pure brown, dark, not quite dark enough to be considered black though, just not a hint of any see-able red or red shades or strands. His blue eyes tugged at her being and she thought she recognized the shade, but not the depth. The depth was uniquely his. They seemed to be reading into her soul, into her mind and future. Into her heart, and all of the things she kept hidden away under a very big lock and key. If anyone had ever seen a chastity belt, think Men in Tights then multiply it to her entire torso, that's the depth of the feelings she kept hidden. This man, with just one look, seemed to be able to read all of that, and more.
He wouldn't think her an idiot, far from it, he would think her wise, wiser than anyone gave her credit, even sweet Usagi, because she was too into her own world to really see, and that's the way Makoto had liked it. Usagi was deep, she saw what people hid, well, but not the way this man, saw Makoto. But then, why was he laughing?
The scowl returned to Makoto's lips, and turned away from him, and went inside, she didn't care what he thought, it didn't matter. She walked in as soon as the doors slid to grant her access, then slid close again after the man followed her in. Makoto caught sight of Motoki, and suddenly this blond man wasn't quite so handsome, didn't have quite the allure. He was just charming and sweet, to a lesser extent than Usagi, but still a genuinely kind hearted man. Makoto waved, and turned away, to the person she really wanted to see.
She was prepared to plaster on a fake grin, as she was known to do, and nobody could tell the difference between her real kind-happy-smile and her fake- kind-happy-smile. This time she didn't have to plaster it on, as it was there before she knew it. Sweet, kind, innocent Usagi, she had seen past Makoto too, without even having to look. Some might say it was because Makoto saved Usagi, but she doubted it, it had nothing to do with that. Usagi would have walked up to her at lunch, no matter what.
It might have been a different conversation, but it still would have happened, there was no doubt in Makoto's mind, none-what-so-ever. There was no point to doubt. With Usagi, she had a family she hadn't had for awhile. So what if Usagi was keeping a secret or two, these wouldn't hurt them, they were important, Makoto had no doubt, but Usagi knew what she was doing, that's why she was the leader, despite Luna's grouching at her laziness, at her idiotic behavior, at her inattentiveness. The gripes were seldom, but they irked Makoto too, so what? Usagi was Usagi, and she'd forever be herself, they were all better for knowing her. Why change her?
She was meant to change everyone else, Usagi was meant to change Makoto, and Makoto welcomed the change. It would make her better. No one could improve Usagi, with just a slight adjustment to allow Mamoru in, and help her with her studies. Mamoru might improve her in someway, but sometimes, Makoto felt that would also weaken her, make her too dependent, cause her too much pain if he were ever just gone. Which had been known to happen, Makoto's parents were there one day, the next, poof.
Makoto's heart would break to watch Usagi suffer through that very human emotion for a human man. Makoto knew they couldn't be human with their regeneration rate of their tissues, it just wouldn't work that way, they would have better guard on their skin and bodies, than their transformation did already if they were human. She had picked up the word from Ami and the television, but Makoto had put it together when Ami didn't even bother.
So Makoto had secrets too, keeping them hidden from the others, all except Usagi, but she didn't share that thought with the girl. She looked to have too much on her plate already, see the facts. Makoto wasn't an idiot. It was just time for the rest of them to learn that. "Oi, Usa-chan, what's up?"
But first, she would enjoy a relaxing and fun afternoon with her leader of the senshi, but more importantly, her friend.
EAN: ah... yeah.... that was kind of short, but more importantly, it was odd... but that's Makoto-chan! Don't worry, she won't have anymore rants like that.... and not all chapters can be as long as the last one, right? ;p
Chapter Nine
{Part 2}
It should have been a relief, right? That the blond girl was ignoring her. By why do I feel so sad? Rei asked herself as she watched the blond flutter around the arcade, even talking to Jade as he worked on one of the games. Rei was sitting next to the blond girl's favorite game, she knew it was, because she'd mocked her a few times about rotting her brains out, not that she had any.
The blond had slowly been backing off her attention towards Rei, as if giving up, or at least, respecting Rei's self-imposed distance, finally. But the day Rei returned to the arcade after finding out she was Sailor Mars, the girl, hadn't even offered her, her cursory smile and hello, then walk away. The odango'd child had looked up startled to see Rei and then hid, quickly behind the blue haired girl and the oddest shade of pink-brown on the tallest girl, Rei had ever seen. If it hadn't been for the tall one, Rei would have followed and made a sarcastic comment, but refrained, she knew that girl's reputation.
Rei purposely staked out this spot near the girl's favorite game, just to get a rile out of her, when she came near. But she didn't, she stayed far away. Rei in a moment when the other girls that Odango hung out with were distracted, she came up to her, and tried her hardest to be nice. "How are you today?" She was only doing it to appease the blond man behind the counter who owned this place apparently and could kick her out. Maybe also to appease Mamoru too, who hadn't spoken to her quite as often or as kindly as he used to once he'd heard her back talk this small blond airhead.
"I'm ok, thank you." The girl replied and offered Rei a kindish smile and disappeared to the Crown manager's side. She stayed there for the rest of the day, the blond man was giving Rei disapproving looks, so Rei stayed her distance. Everyone protected that pipsqueak. Rei didn't understand what was so great about her. Sure, she was nice to everyone, even people who didn't deserve it, and she was relentless in trying to be friends with people who didn't want it, but needed it the most. She somehow just knew that they needed someone in their lives, she just did. Rei had needed someone, she'd pushed both Jade and the girl away.
Jade forced her, the girl nudged, trying to get Rei to accept it, and want it first. If Rei didn't want it, she'd let it go. And it seemed she had. But now, Rei wanted it, she wanted not friendship with the girl, she wanted to keep the pattern that they had set up without her knowing it. Rei was a creature of habit, and she hated change. Once it happened, she was loath to let it go. She was just bristling to take some of her frustration out on the kind, idiotic blond.
Jade sat at their table today, the Odango one stayed away, Jade sat there with the blue haired one and a dirty-blond boy that seemed slightly older than Jade. Rei had learned it was Zoi, Jade's brother. He wasn't much older, maybe a year or two. They seemed really close in age, and maybe a little bit in personality too.
Rei didn't falter from her seat, but she wanted to meet Jade's brother, wanted to go over there and sit with them as if she had all the right in the world. Mamoru was there, but he was sitting at the counter, watching the arcade, scanning it for any signs of danger, and his eyes followed the blond girl, when he wasn't looking out the window or around the room. And if his eyes weren't doing either of that, he was glaring holes straight into Jade's head.
Zoi's arm was around the blue-haired girl's shoulders and he was leaning back, as if relaxed and enjoying the company of the tall one and his brother, Jade. Rei hesitated, she really wanted to go over there, and partake in the conversation, but even if she wasn't planning on bothering the idiot, she had no right. Just it seemed natural for her to go there, as if it was where she should belong.
Rei squared her shoulders, she had enough of this, the stupid girl's eyes slid from her position before refocusing on the game she was not as interested in as she should be. Rei slid off of her chair and stormed over to Odango's side. Rei had the feeling that Mamoru had slid off his stool too, and was causally walking over towards them. Rei had to make her move first.
She watched as the blocks landed perfectly into a hole built just for it. She couldn't fault the girl's strategy, but she had to find something to say. So Rei poked Usagi in the side. "You mind not hogging the controls of this game as much as you hog your food? You are really getting fat, you know that? It wouldn't hurt for you to lay off the sweets and cut back on the amount."
"That is enough, Hino-san." Mamoru's voice floated over them smoothly, and Rei's head jerked up and around towards him, utterly gapping. "You will apologize to Usagi-chan for your words."
Rei spluttered at the man in front of her. "What?" She gasped, of all the hypocritical things- and she called him on it. "You make fun of her all the time! You are not one to call the pot black!"
"You say the truth when you mention that I tease her, but my words have always been in good fun, they might pack a punch, but they were always in jest. Usagi knows that they were not meant to hurt her, just a verbal sparring. Your words, they hurt, and they are unkind and untrue."
Usagi's head picked up and away from the game as he said this, and Rei noticed for the first time the light sheening around Usagi's eyes, but the tears never fell, and it was gone before Rei could be sure. So the odango one did have feelings other than annoyingly cheerful? Rei bit back her sharp retort, she had been trying to be nicer to the girl, hadn't she? Maybe she should try to put that into better effect? It's just- the girl worried her with her too big of heart, she was going to get utterly crushed one day, it was better just to build up a wall and protect it while she still had a chance, so as not to loose any of that happiness she had.
Mamoru was serious, she needed to apologize or else she would never be forgiven in his eyes, and it couldn't be half-assed or delayed like it had been when she apologized for the blond guy's benefit. Rei straightened her shoulders and swallowed back the tension, and she had to admit, fear. The girl's acceptance to the apology seemed important to even her. "I'm sorry-"
She never managed to finish what she wanted to say, as Mamoru cut her off. "You're sorry-, what? Use her name, so it's real for you, I know you Rei, you'll just imagine you're apologizing to your grandfather otherwise."
Rei breathed in deeply and started again. "Usagi-san, I am sorry I was so harsh towards you, please, accept my apology." She hesitated and Mamoru kicked her, lightly, but he still did it, just on the side of her foot. "I will try never to do it again. Maybe someday we can be friends."
Usagi smiled. Both standing with her knew it to be false, and she hadn't even tried hard to make it look real. Rei's eyes narrowed, whatever would come out of her mouth now, wasn't going to be all that pleasant. "I accept your apology." Rei's eyes widened a fraction in surprise, before Usagi continued. "And someday it would be nice if the apology was real and didn't need to be pushed along by one of my friends. Until that day, who knows if it is even possible to be friends or even to try. Until that day comes when you want to be nice and apologize to me and want to be friends, please, stay away from me."
Usagi turned on her heel and walked away from the two dark headed people, but only Rei felt like she was watching someone walk away that was vital to their life, and they had just seriously messed up any chance of keeping them in it. Rei shook her head and then her whole body to rid herself of these thoughts, Usagi wasn't important, Usagi couldn't possibly be. But even as Rei thought it, she knew, she was starting to use her name in her thoughts, that gave some credence to the blond, as Rei never remembered names that belonged to people she deemed unworthy of her attention or memory, or who she didn't think could help her get somewhere. Where had she gone wrong, to let this blond, worthless, waif, enter her life, to the point, where only the name Usagi and Odango existed in terms to call her?
Rei turned on Mamoru then. "You!" She called out, stabbing her finger into his chest and he winced slightly at the action. Rei had seen Usagi do it to him, and the only one in pain during that interaction had been the blond. So Rei did it again, and Mamoru wrapped a hand around her wrist, pulling her to a stop.
"When did you get so strong?" He muttered and Rei pulled her hand out of his grasp. He rubbed the spot she'd poked repeatedly.
She ignored him. "What is with you? First you can't stand the sight of her, but protected her, then seemingly becoming friends with her, but now, you are practically beside yourself coming to her defense. Why is that? Or is my earlier guess right?" Everyone loved her. Rei was starting to tolerate her. Is this how it started? Did she worm her way into everyones' lives and then settle in for the long haul, nice, and happy, and warm in her spot? Rei wanted to tear her out of the place she'd settled in, in her own heart. If she could tear her heart out, she would, and possibly feed it to the sharks.
Mamoru chuckled and patted Rei on the shoulder, then walked away. He sank back onto his stool and retook the position of sentry, looking for something Rei couldn't see or understand. Mamoru had fallen the hardest, and fastest for the Odango, Rei had watched it. One day he was as aloof as normal, irritating, but a kindred spirit, both alone and hating attention. They had met long ago, but since then, Mamoru had been coming to pray at her grandfather's temple. She was only a mika, as to become a priestess, she would have to dedicate herself fully to the temple and ignore all other life possibilities and only wear priestess robes from then on. Rei wasn't sure if she wanted to do that.
Mamoru had been the only person her age who had been a constant, and he never judged anything she said or did. He really didn't have an opinion. He was just there, she had cried on his shoulder once or twice, and he had opened up slightly, and she had learned everything she could about him. She had thought herself in love, and it was only a matter of time before he caved to her attentions, they were both attractive, and children of politicians. They had a lot in common, even if neither had a plan in hell to become a politician themselves.
She had asked him repeatedly on dates, and he turned her down. She nagged him to do things with her, and he eventually agreed, most of the time. He just let her buzz around him, let her hang on his every word when he deemed speech was necessary. He had a dark shadow over him, and she only knew some of his pain because of her father's connections and because of her own.
The day Usagi had entered his life, everything had changed. Only Rei had been blind at first. Mamoru the last time she'd seen him had been as irritable and grumpy as a bear, a little shorter with even her than usual, and more sarcastic in response to her questions. He had been like that for almost a whole two months straight. It had been getting worse, far before that, but it wasn't too bad. Then one day, his whole demeanor changed. He stood up straighter, started humming to himself and practically bounced in his step.
There were days, Rei learned, when he didn't see Usagi, and those days, he had been worse than before, gradually those too lessened as he looked forward to the next time the blond pixie would be in his life, and her overall good mood just affected him positively, rubbing off, even when he knew it would be awhile before he saw his addiction. He had become an addict, but it was the best kind of addiction, even the days he didn't shoot up, he still had the lingering effects of the last time as they bonded with his soul.
Rei had thought it was because he was fighting with himself, and he had been, but it just hadn't been over his feelings towards her. It was towards Usagi. To Mamoru, she had hit him, hard and fast, and had wound herself so tightly up in his heart, and around it, that if she ever decided to suddenly change their habits or relationship to something a little more distant, he would surely pass out in pain and death. There was nothing Usagi could do to stop it though, as it had taken place so severely the first time they had even bumped into each other.
Usagi was the sun, but Rei hated to think what would happen to anyone that knew her when an eclipse overthrew it. Rei wondered if it was possible for the sun to die, become any less bright, but Rei knew, someday, Usagi would be covered by clouds and rain, and it wouldn't stop, Usagi would be gone. Her rays of sunshine and goodness would be taken with her. Someone would break her spirit because she was too free with it. Just like the sun, she couldn't help but spread it to everyone, and every corner, and Rei hated the sun before, it always blinded her. She would have taken night or rain over it.
But once given over to the sun's healing powers, one became addicted and wanted to bask in it all day, every day, loathing night as it falls, hiding the sun. The problem Rei faced most here though, was the worry of skin cancer, over-exposure to the sun. Would she too, turn out like those girls who followed Usagi around like she was some type of leader to their small world, that the sun rose and set by her presence, that every word, no matter how mundane and stupid it was, was magic to their ears? Even Jade and Zoi, as Usagi sat with them, her energy still high, and sharing some story to them, were drawn to her words, to her.
Rei refused to be burnt. She was starting to get pink as it was. It was uncomfortably hot in this room, any room with the Odangoed one. Rei had to get out, she couldn't let herself get poisoned by the blond. She couldn't let herself fall into the deep slumber of a warm day like everyone else, she had to protect herself. The next time she faced Usagi, she would be protected with some type of screen, she would be able to handle the heat of Usagi's gaze and kind eyes. Rei didn't deserve what Usagi offered. Rei wanted to crawl back into that place where the cool air of the rain washed away anyone who wanted to get too close.
The cold had kept her company all these years. The only source of heat, coming from the great fire. The night and darkness cocooned her in a web, keeping her safe, keeping a barrier between her and all those threatening to pull off her wings should she emerge from the winter's chill and into the summer's soft rays of light. She didn't want to die prematurely, she'd rather stay hidden and never come out, never be that beautiful butterfly or moth, never experience that freedom and happiness if someday she should die. She'd rather protect herself, protect her heart, mind, soul and body. She wouldn't come out, she just wouldn't.
Rei pushed herself out of the Crown's doors and into the somewhat humid, moist air. It sent a chill straight through her and she shivered, pulling herself up short, and wrapping her arms around herself. She already missed the warmth from inside the arcade. This cold cut too deep into her body and she realized with a start, it only had the illusion of protection, but deep down, it could still reach, still get to her, the pain of rejection, the pain of disapproval.
She had been facing it all her life, she had been ignoring it, but it still stung. Only with Usagi, had she felt herself come undone, could feel those stings for what they were, and understand that Usagi offered her acceptance. Offered her a better defense, an assurance that someone liked her, someone would be there for her, no matter what. Rei had pushed, no, shoved her aside with such force, over and over again, that she was surprise the girl kept coming, kept trying, until she too had been too hurt to try.
Rei had kept shoving, shoving her right out the door, though she hadn't been trying to reach out anymore. Rei wondered if now it was too late, if now, she had lost one of the only true friends she could ever have, and actually had for one brief moment despite all the pain she caused Usagi. Usagi had been extending a hand of friendship, and Rei had spit in it. Rei wondered if this realization came too late, if there was no way to bridge the bridges she had burned in her ignorance. For only with friendship, could she face the real dangers towards her psyche, the real ones towards her heart. Friendship would be a barrier, anyone worth their salt would know, was the best way to protect the heart from damage. It kept it beating while others pounded against it, it revived it when it couldn't protect, and the danger went away. Mamoru had been right to let her in so easily, though she doubted he knew it, he fought it just as hard as she did. Though she had thought she was keeping her out, and Rei had been, but the slow build eventually worked its way in. There had been moments when she let down her guard, and that's when Usagi had struck, not knowingly, because she had often done something before, that had allowed Rei to see her true nature. The others were right, they should gravitate around her. She brought people together, and kept them there.
Rei turned to go back to the Crown. She was some distance from it now, and wondered if they were still there, wondered if they would accept another at their already overcrowded, yet still growing table, or if her addition would be one too many. She had swung around to go face her greatest fear. That's when she heard a scream in the distance, and moments later, she was running there as Hino Rei.
She'd known that voice. Rei didn't remember many voices, but that one, was particularly important to her. Rei slid to a halt as she took in the scene. It hadn't been Usagi, and for that, Rei was forever grateful. Instead, it was Sailor Moon. That was another battle Mars had to breach, but one step at a time. Moon was distrustful of a senshi that could change without a pen. Mars understood.
There had been other battles, ones that the smart one, Mercury had arrived to, but between Mars, Moon, and Kamen, it hadn't been so necessary. The youma had only been black bodied and white faced. The cat had come and Moon and she had argued for several minutes about Mars, before the cat finally sighed and hung its head and went with her. Mars had tried to argue with Moon some more about allowing her to join the team. There were battles she obviously missed as well, she either caught it in reference from Mercury or it had been on the news. Jupiter was often at those battles.
Mars had only seen Jupiter in person once, and Moon and Jupiter had handled the youma shortly. It was another of the easy youmas, but Mars had struggled a little bit more than Jupiter had. Jupiter just attacked it and it had been ready for Moon. There had been no scuttles, no fight, no injures or scratches, just poof, gone. Mars tried to be as good for Moon as Jupiter was. She was getting better, hers were offensive attacks like Jupiter's was. Mercury had one or two, but mainly they were defensive and she helped Moon out more than the rest of them, keeping her safe and telling her where to hit the youma to break away a shell or to destroy it faster.
That's why, when Mars arrived to this battle, her breath caught in her throat in horrified surprise. Moon was on the ground, seemingly unconscious. Both Mercury and Jupiter were there, but Jupiter was facing the blond-haired woman from when Mars had first arrived. She hadn't appeared since. Jupiter was caught in the ice rope that Moon had before, and Mars wondered if Moon had passed on that knowledge or forgotten to share.
Mercury had been knocked back into a light-post. She was struggling to get back up. Rei ducked around a corner and willed herself to be Mars. Red shoes appeared on her feet and her legs were bare to a matching red miniskirt, and she knew her will was complied with. Mars turned back around to help her fallen comrades. She didn't understand what had knocked Moon unconscious, it was just the bird.
Mars moved first to pull Mercury out, then pushed the blue-outfitted senshi towards Moon. Mercury instead twisted and grabbed Mars' arm. "Don't. Koan is somewhere around here, she wouldn't just leave Moon there, she has a vendetta against her. Kamen tackled into her, and they went flying. They were fighting the last time I could see them. Be careful."
It was the first time anyone spoke to her beyond Moon. Even the cat had bowed to Moon's orders to not include Mars in any discussion. Mars doubted Jupiter even knew about her. Moon was obviously pretending she didn't even exist.
Mars grunted and pushed Mercury towards Moon again, and the girl complied quickly, sinking down next to her friend, while Mars stood guard. "A little help would be nice." Jupiter called over her shoulder to Mars and Mars grinned. She flicked a ball of fire towards the two of them. It was hardly noticeable to anyones eyes save her own. The chain melted in Birdie's hand and she gasped in pain as she let it go and flexed her fingers to make sure she was all right. "Thanks." Jupiter tossed her a grin and Mars replied with her own, glad she could be considered helpful towards the amazon, she hadn't been sure that Mars could go above anything Jupiter had. Jupiter took a flying punch at Birdie as soon as Jupiter was released and Birdie wasn't prepared for it.
The two of them fought, and Mars was itching to get in, but with one fallen compatriot, and another's full attention of helping her, Mars couldn't leave them defenseless. They needed another senshi or five... and they needed to train, together, all of them. Moon did a good job at keeping up the teamwork and working together and individual goals, but her whole team needed to be together to be at their best.
That was Moon's only short-fall, besides her own short-comings as a fighter and walker of flat ground, her refusal towards another member to the team, or maybe it was just Mars in particular. She hadn't remembered any fights about including Jupiter when she first appeared, she was always at the following ones.
Mars growled at the thought, that somehow it was just her, that was the one that Moon disliked. That was just another rejection placed on her shoulders. But this time, she refused to be brushed aside. She refused, because she knew she belonged, it wasn't something anyone could join, she had been born into this life. It was hers, and despite the fact that Moon was her leader, the girl couldn't keep her away, and she'd protect her. Mars knew that she had to protect the dark version odangoed girl, even with her life, if any harm went her way- Mars was sure she would automatically throw herself in front of the attack. Not that Moon necessarily deserved it from her, but Mars would do it for her. She just knew it.
Moon's eyes opened and Mars shouted for Mercury to get her out of danger. Mercury complied and helped Moon get to her feet, Moon's arm was wrapped around Mercury's shoulders and gripped tightly as she fought to get to her feet. Mars slowly backed up and slid her own arm around the tiny girl. They pulled her off to the side, and settled her on to a bench. Mars looked into Moon's eyes and saw the pupils dilated and unable to focus. Mars frowned and turned to Mercury. "Stay and protect her, but try to figure out how we can deal with her." Mars jerked her thumb towards the bird-like girl.
Mercury nodded and pulled out a slim blue case and Mars looked between the blue-suited soldier and to the bird girl. The only true difference besides the face and maybe slight height on Mercury's side, was the hair color. Dark on Mercury, white on Birdie, usually the stereotypes would mean that Mercury was evil, but Mars knew differently. "She uses attacks like yours."
Mercury shook her head as she attended momentarily to Moon, who had suddenly fell forward with a moan. "It's kind of like it, but it's not something I know how to do. I can't make a whip with my powers."
Mars frowned and then whipped away to send an attack at Birdie. The fire cut off the attack Birdie sent towards Jupiter.
"Moon." Mercury whispered, but Mars still heard it. "We need your help. You have to use your tiara." Moon nodded and attempted to stand up on her own, Mercury moved quickly to Moon's side and held her up. Mars watched, slightly amused as she continued to throw attacks at Birdie. Mercury was not much taller than Moon, only a few inches, and she wasn't any bigger in any other form either. Mars barely dodged an attack sent at her and watched in amazement as Moon once again took her tiara off of her forehead, and powered it up. It was with some difficulty to aim accurately, and Moon had asked for Mercury's help because everything was still swimming in her eyes. The tiara darted off towards the girl and Jupiter attacked at the same time, distracting Birdie, but she managed to move out of the way just in time. The tiara skimmed her arm as she moved out of the way though, and then she growled and disappeared.
"Glad that bird-brain is gone." Mars retorted then turned to her fellow senshi. They were looking at her wearily. "What?"
"It's just, I'm not really sure who you are." Jupiter stated cautiously. "I thank you for your help though."
"I'm Sailor Mars." Mars felt like this was probably the best time to confront the others, maybe force Moon's hand, as she was still a little out of it. "Moon saw me transform a long time ago. She knows I'm telling the truth." Mars was aware of the fact that they distrusted the fact of not needing a pen. "I think all of you would be able to become one too without your transformation pen, if she was in enough danger, or one of us, I'm sure. Or maybe it just needs to be anyone who is in danger, I don't claim that I know."
"Look-" Jupiter cut in. "It's not just that, but if Moon doesn't trust you, we have to follow her lead."
"We thank you for coming and helping though." Mercury added as she towed Moon towards them, Mercury had followed Mars' orders because they had been right, so she didn't feel to bad about bringing Moon in her current state closer. Jupiter slid around and helped her support their leader.
"I'm sorry to say, but she's wrong. She knows who I am, and she hasn't attacked me in my normal form. She hasn't told you either, from what I can see. And she trusts that caped man who runs off at first chance and when he 'attacks' the enemy leaders, he disappears with them." Mars urged and Moon moaned.
"You don't know what you're talking about. He puts his life on the line when he does that. I'm angry he does it, because he could be over powered and easily be hurt, badly." Moon leaned her head on Jupiter's shoulder.
Jupiter was going to say something but Mercury held up her hand. "We cannot go against her wishes, but we cannot keep you away either anymore. You show up at these attacks more often than you miss them, and you help us, and if we weren't there, you-"
"Oh, I give up." Moon groaned, cutting off whatever her first had to say. "Give her a damn communicator. However there are a few guidelines. You are only to contact us if you run into an attack that we are not already at. We will contact you if you are needed, I promise." Moon added when Mars looked ready to interrupt. "We won't tell you our identities, and I won't tell them yours. Lay off of Kamen, and we've come to an agreement."
Mars folded her arms across her chest. "Will I be part of your team, or is this just to placate me?"
Moon swallowed and looked straight at Mars. Mars could see how much of a struggle this was for her, and she felt sorry for causing Moon this distress in her current condition, but she had to let it happen. She needed to be part of this team. Moon nodded stiffly at the question, and Mars too that for her confirmation. The other girls did too.
Mars pushed. "And if you have training sessions or discussions about the enemy?"
Moon's lips pursed before she responded rather quickly. "You'll be invited to those too."
"Come on, Moonie." Jupiter swung her up onto her back. "Let's get you home." Jupiter waved to Mars and the three of them disappeared. Mars didn't bother to follow. There was a small black cat sitting in front of her. The cat did a back-flip and floating in the air in front of her was a small red communicator. She took it before the cat too took off into the night.
EAN: personally, I kind of like Makoto's rant... It entertains me, now that's I've read it again... It's so Mako...