24: "London bridge"
"Dr. Mizuno, Dr. Saeko Mizuno, please report to the emergency room lobby; you have a visitor. Dr. Saeko Mizuno to the emergency room lobby for a visitor, please."
"That's unusual," Saeko muttered, glancing up from a diagnostics chart. She was almost never summoned so specifically before; usually her talents were reserved for those who had seen the rest, and now depended on the best. And that would not be her daughter, either: Ami's calls were more personal, private. But perhaps this was someone who knew Ami, and came to her for help? But her daughter was an accomplished doctor now; there was little Saeko could do that her offspring could not. After some hesitation, and a bit of wrapping up, Saeko put her duties on hold and headed to E.R. A family of four awaited her there: a very badly damaged man, a slightly bruised and bloody woman, and two children, both with rather alarming injuries. She saw the scars before the people, but that's just who she was.
"Mrs. Mizuno?" the woman spoke. Saeko bowed tentatively.
"Just 'doctor', please. Do I perhaps know you, Miss?"
"It would be difficult for me to call you Dr. Mizuno, since I'm already acquainted with one."
"Then you know my daughter?"
"Yes ma'am, very well." She smiled despite the physical and emotional pain jarring her; in the meantime Saeko tried matching a name to the face. Aside from Minako and Usagi, she was not very familiar with her daughter's circle of friends—yet another regret she was hoping to rectify. But scattered descriptions helped her along: tall, brunette, very feminine, shining green eyes, a ponytail, athletic build…
"Would you be…Makoto Kino, then?"
"Yes ma'am, that's right. I don't believe we've met. But, um, I was actually wondering if you could help my family out."
Another glance at the other three. "Husband and children, I take it? Very well, you've come to the right place, Mrs.…"
"Kino. My husband, Motoki, son and daughter Shinozaki and Naoko."
"Pleased to meet you. I'll send your children to pediatrics and your husband to a specialist. Beg your pardon, but you really don't seem as bad off as they are."
"Oh, I've had worse," she grinned sheepishly. Much like the other Senshi, Makoto could recover most of her injuries when transformed, and any wounds she received while transformed erased as she changed back. That she was accustomed to fights helped her recovery immensely. All the same, Saeko insisted she consult a physician; Makoto agreed but asked to see her.
"Hmm…yes, I think we should talk. I'll call a few other doctors; in the meantime, please wait for me in Room 17-R." Makoto kissed her loved ones as they were whisked off, then sighed to herself as all the troubles and tribulations of the past few hours began piling up at last. So she had finally crossed the line she swore she'd never cross before. Sailor Jupiter had been reborn at last, and she had reveled in the triumphant return. Of course it had been for a just cause; she had been forced into it. But then all those times when she could have given in, joined her friends, made some difference, gnawed at her, cultivating remorse. Oh well, hindsight was cruel that way. Then again, nobody save her family knew of her decision. She could have easily chalked it up to a one-time necessity, then resumed her normal life without anyone the wiser.
Yes, of course—at least until the next time someone she loved was in danger. And who would it be? Son, daughter? The original Shinozaki? Her old sempai, if the fates allowed? Usagi? Minako? Naru? Or perhaps some stranger who was desperately crying out for aid, and only Sailor Jupiter could answer the call? Could she turn a blind eye to that? Any of it?
Both Makoto and Sailor Jupiter had gotten a fine thrashing from that demon, and even with the transformation, she still had an impressive catalogue, and plenty of reason to wince and hiss as she relaxed on a bed. Saeko came in while Makoto was contemplating her future, be it the immediate problem of her wounds or the long-term aftermath of opening the proverbial Pandora's Jar (myth-conscious Minako would kill her if she accidentally called it a "box"). A smile was exchanged but Saeko was even more meditative than her patient.
"I'll close the door," she announced, doing so. It was still raining heavily outside; Saeko's footsteps fell silent behind the relentless hsssssh. She studied Makoto for about two or three minutes, neither moving nor speaking. Makoto only knew the older woman by reputation, so she decided not to speak until spoken to, and not to act unless instructed. She may have just fought off one of the most powerful demons in history, but she could still be intimidated.
Finally, Saeko said, "Mrs. Kino, if I may. We're alone now, and what I'm about to say will be kept under the strictest confidence. As a doctor, this is of course natural for me, but I feel present circumstances require much more gravity than I would normally allow. I did not get a chance to study the injuries your husband and children had to a great extent, but from that short glimpse I was allowed, I came to the conclusion that those were not natural wounds. I have never encountered a living creature, be it human or beast, that could cause a body such pain. Now don't worry, Mrs. Kino, they can be treated—in fact, the body is doing a rather remarkable job of that by itself. It's almost as if those wounds were not meant to be…ah, kept long-term, if that makes any sense."
"So you're saying they're healing themselves."
"Not exactly. It's as though the wounds are leaving the body, like…oh, the way dead skin sheds itself on a daily basis. Naturally. As if the two cannot coexist for long."
"I think I understand."
"Your wounds are much more natural, though, or at least most of them are. And I think you already know none of them are life-threatening in the least—for any of you, I might add."
"That's a relief."
"And yet one can't help but wonder where, or from what, or how, you were all so mercilessly harmed. Well, if you will permit some rather radical theories, I shall explain. As you might have been told, my daughter and I have not always been…close…but from the times we were, I have noticed strikingly similar and equally baffling wounds on her own person, especially during her teenage years. I could not find any means to clarify those injuries as Ami was never the physical type, except while swimming, and I believed her to be wise enough to distance herself from…eh, harmful relationships. Of which I am sure yours is the antithesis."
"The…?" Makoto seemed confused. Saeko closed her eyes.
"The influence of her four closest peers was healthy for her, in other words. At least she always spoke of her four friends in high regard. But back to my explanation: recently my questions have found answer. I watched as my daughter shed her persona before my eyes and became Sailor Mercury—at least that's what I believe she's called. I've not confronted her with this revelation yet—I'm embarrassed to say I'm more comfortable confiding in a stranger than my own daughter—but I have seen it with my own eyes, and I'm not the type to wallow in denial. So I discovered the Sailor Senshi really did exist, and my daughter was one of them, and that was where she acquired those niggling injuries of hers. And if you'll allow me to be so bold, Mrs. Kino, I must conclude that you are a Senshi as well. Those bruises you and your family got could have only come from an abnormal source. I'm right, aren't I?"
Desperation. Hope. Fear. But overwhelmingly, Saeko shone with love, and even pride. Her daughter was a lesbian, was a doctor, was Sailor Mercury. A mother couldn't ask to achieve a better legacy. Makoto nodded solemnly. A deep breath.
"As I said, I'll keep this confidential. Also, I don't feel it necessary to understand the identity of the remaining three Senshi, although I can probably guess. She did hold a strong predilection towards the four of you, after all. Just tell me this: is Minako…"
All Makoto had to do was smile. Saeko sagged with relief.
"I see. Then Ami was quite safe. That will be all, then. Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Mrs. Kino. Hopefully I can discuss this with my daughter shortly."
"I'm sure you will, but take your time all the same. Heck, it took me a few weeks to come to terms with it, and I was right in the middle! It took even longer for my husband to understand it all!"
"I can only imagine. Did your parents ever find out?"
"No," she whispered. "I never got the chance to tell them."
A pause. Saeko understood. "I'm sorry. But I'm sure they would have been proud. Anyway, enough pleasantries. Now for my duties. Undress, please."
Makoto couldn't help but smile as she unbuttoned her slashed, muddied blouse. This would actually be the second Mizuno to see her so bared…
…
Rei frowned as she sipped her tea. No matter how many years she was acquainted with Minako, she still thought her resemblance to Usagi was uncanny. Were it not for the buns and tails the latter always twined her hair into, even Rei doubted she'd be able to tell the difference. It wasn't just their looks, either: the two had strikingly similar personalities. When they had first met Minako, of course, she had been solemn, reflective, cautious, even a bit harsh. It reminded Rei of her own personality, only without the temperament, or of Ami's, only more extroverted. How or why Minako had shifted into the goofy, starry-eyed, maxim-twisting party girl she settled on was still a mystery—unless her connection to Usagi truly did go beyond appearances…
Yet Minako was not so ditzy as she (sometimes) appeared. She took notice of Rei's stare and faced her, away from the door. She had been eating and drinking a little but mostly kept herself focused on the restaurant entrance, expecting someone. Without saying a word, Minako cocked her head, smiling mysteriously, attending to her soda.
"That's because we're really sisters separated at birth."
"Bwhat?" Rei almost spat. Minako closed one eye and lifted her finger.
"Yeah! When Usagi and I were born from Queen Serenity, she secluded us away in two escape pods, and sent us hurtling through space! We arrived in the same country on the same planet, but two different pairs of families picked us up! It was only through long years of slowly discovering our true identities that we were able to understand who we were and where we came from!"
Rei grimaced, going back to her tea, saying nothing. Minako winked and slurped her glass dry.
"And yes, I can read your mind, Rei. Or at least tell when someone's giving me that 'she reminds me of Usagi' look."
"You're not entirely clairvoyant, you know." Calmly she touched her fingers together, forming a steeple, closing her mind, groaning softly. "I can clearly see your future, Miss Aino. You will be visited by someone you love. She will be carrying a ruby-colored Prada purse you bought her, and will be wearing a pale blue women's business suit. I can also see…hmm, yes, green heels…oh, and pearl earrings."
"She's right behind me, isn't she?" Minako bent over backwards, her hair falling as she smiled at her upside-down guest. "Setsu! Hi! We were just soothsaying about you!"
"So I noticed," she chuckled warmly. She bent down and gave her lover a kiss, waving to Rei. "So, Miss Hino, what else can you tell me about my future?"
"Isn't that really your specialty? In any case, I'd rather not spoil it. She's all yours, Setsu." Rei got up to leave, paying her tab. Minako wailed as she turned around in her seat.
"Whaaa? Leaving so soon, Rei-Rei? But this is the first time we've been alone together since I left!" Rei cast back a genuine smile.
"I know, I'm sorry. But I really think you need to be with Setsuna for awhile, hint. I'll call you later." And there she went. Setsuna ordered hot tea, a salad, some fruit. She sat up properly, a stark contrast to the slouching blonde beside her.
"Rei is looking well. She's grown into a fine young lady. Actually, I'm amazed at how everyone's changed. They've truly become women."
"And you haven't aged a day," Minako winked. Setsuna beamed.
"Perhaps this means I'll still look twenty-two while the rest of you are doddering old crones!"
"No way! This avatar of love's going to stay young forever!" The time for pleasantries was over, though; Minako sat up straight and scooted closer to her lover. She actually did have something serious to discuss with Setsuna, and having Rei for company until she arrived really strengthened her resolve. Deep breath. Their hands touched.
"So brazen," Setsuna observed. Minako squeezed her hand.
"Say, uh, Setsu… Do you really know my future?"
"I can certainly give a general prediction, but when it comes to something specific, I'm afraid you're on your own. For example, I could tell you to beware of water. Whether that means you'll forget your umbrella during a storm, or you'll slip on a puddle, or you'll be knocked into a pool, or even drink something bad, I couldn't say."
"Then you don't know why I asked you to come here."
"For generally the same reasons you called Rei: we're good friends and we enjoy each other's company."
"Yeah, but I never slept with Rei."
"Thus you illustrate my point." Minako braced herself again. As open and understanding as she believed Setsuna was, this was still very difficult for her. She might not have felt the same way towards Setsuna as she did to Ami, but she still loved the older woman, and hated making her go through this inevitable pain. But inevitable it was; better to get it out in the open now.
"So back to the reason why I called you here. Um…this is pretty difficult for me to say, so I might need to take the long way around."
"That's all right, dear. I'm in no hurry."
"Okay. Bear with me. Um…you know how, uh, I used to date a lot when I was a teenager?"
"Yes, and you still do."
"But when I got a little older, I only started dating one person? And we were really serious, too?"
"I'm aware," she answered patiently. Minako had to take deep breaths every other sentence.
"But then we broke up, because we didn't think a long-distance relationship would work over time. So a lot of time passed. And then we had that debacle in Rio de Janeiro."
"I recall something of the matter," she smirked coyly.
"I have to be honest with you, Setsuna: I really did enjoy my job. But over time, I started missing my friends and family. It all kept building up until I couldn't take it anymore. I really wanted to come back, but I never expected Sail—" A pause, to realize they were in public. Her voice lowered to a whisper. "(I never expected you-know-who to make an entrance. And where my friend you-know-who leads, I follow.)"
"A very admirable trait."
"Yeah, so I mostly came back out of a sense of duty. And I missed a few of my exes. In fact, I just recently spent some one-on-one time with one of them."
"For closure?" A feeble nod.
"We had a lot of fun, too. So then we walked to her place, since I…sort of didn't feel like going back to Usagi's. Nothing against her, I mean. But…well…I went to her place. Inside. And I spent the night."
Setsuna sipped her tea, letting Minako come to the conclusion she knew she would arrive at. She didn't have to be the Senshi of Time to know where this was going; she just wanted Minako to say it.
"We slept in the same bed. Together. And we had sex. I had sex with her. Ami and I made love. We made love, we had sex. I…I cheated on you, Setsu, with Ami Mizuno. I'm sorry."
"Are you?" she wondered quietly. Minako grimaced; she knew exactly what her lover was implying.
"Are you angry at me?" Setsuna put her tea down, stood up, towered over Minako. She bopped the younger woman on the head.
"Yes, Minako, I'm furious," she said evenly. "But I'm furious for all the right reasons. You've certainly hurt me by doing this, but only because you haven't been honest with yourself."
"I know," she winced, rubbing the bruise. Setsuna sat back down, not wanting to draw stares. Her face was certainly flushed with a restrained fury, but it was borne out of love and patience.
"Listen, I understand everything you've done up to a certain point. I can even accept you wanting to start dating again after you broke up with her. But the fact of the matter is, you've continued a relationship with two people while simultaneously denying what you truly wanted. You know how I feel about your connection to Ami; all you needed to do was say it to me. Regardless of how Ami feels, if that was what you wanted, then you shouldn't have pursued anything else. Not that I'm really one to give you love advice."
"Hey, you've got wisdom and experience."
"Qualities I know you possess as well."
"Yeah, but a lot less."
"Perhaps. In any case, I'd like for you to announce your intentions." She smiled again, giving Minako permission to follow her heart once more, even if it did cause pain. Setsuna was strong, though; she could take it. And by the look in her warm eyes, she genuinely wanted Minako to come to terms with her feelings.
"The truth is, Setsu…I've been in love with Ami all this time. For years. Probably even before we started dating. She makes me so unbearably happy, it's all I can do not to cry or doubt myself. I want to be with her, more than anyone or anything. I'm very sorry if I hurt you, or if I lied, but…maybe I just needed time to come around. But I want to be with her. I still love you, but…not the same way that…I love her."
Setsuna finished her tea, crossing her legs. She sat back patiently, gazing fondly at the young woman.
"Minako?"
"Yeah?" A cheerful smile.
"Let's break up." Tearful, she nodded.
"Now it hurts me. Please say that we can at least be friends, though."
"Certainly. But you must never flirt with me ever again."
"Just you?" she winced. Setsuna laughed quietly.
"You'll have to bring that up with Ami. But yes, we can still be friends. Admittedly, I've never experienced something like this before, so I hope I'm following the correct protocol."
"This has actually been one of my better break-ups," Minako said, sounding relieved. "One guy kept stalking me for three weeks. Another totally trashed my locker. One even spread really bad rumors about me. And then there were all those guys who also worked for our enemies, but let's not go there!" They finally laughed together, and when they calmed down, Setsuna wondered what Minako was going to do now—concerning Ami, that is. Honestly, she didn't know. Give her time to confess to her own girlfriend, perhaps. Wait and see. Two days, maybe, then she'd call—providing there were no paranormal emergencies to interrupt. Ah, the tumultuous life of a Senshi: battling emotions one day, creatures from another plane of existence the next.
"That sounds like a very wise thing to do," Setsuna said. Minako smiled.
"I mostly get all that from my parents—and maybe a little from my contemporaries. So what are you going to do, Setsu? Maybe find some sexy younger man to rebound with?"
"I'm not a basketball, Mina," she murmured, digging through her meal. "But I would like to start dating again. I've been single for so long now, I'd completely forgotten what being in an intimate relationship felt like. Perhaps I'll hunt down Haruka and Michiru for a menage a trois?"
"I can certainly see that happening," she admitted. Setsuna smiled.
"But for now, do you know what I'd like to do more than anything in the world?" She smiled, touching Minako's hand, passing her the fruit she had ordered. "I want to share something with you."
"Cool. So, care to fill me in on what's been happening back at my old job?"
"Well…"
…
Ami badly wanted to admit her sins to Nastya and rid herself of the guilt, but their schedules were conflicted for several days, and they could only speak over the phone. Mizuno knew it was bad manners to reveal such damning secrets like that, but it would be days before she and Nastya could meet. There were lawsuits and settlements to cover, many of them concerning the massive property damage sustained over the past few weeks. When they finally did get a moment together, Nastya seemed upset, as if she already knew. In that moment, when Ami's meek eyes met Nastya's anxious ones, the will to release her burden was gone, and her courage failed.
"You have every right to be mad at me," Ami murmured. Nastya frowned deeply, sighing.
"[You left me without even giving the slightest explanation. Not once did you try to tell me why you cut our date short.]" Ami winced, processing. From what little Russian she understood, Nastya was thinking about their aborted date, not any external affairs. Perhaps she wasn't aware of it after all.
"Ah…[I know, I apology. This was bad for me. I thinking may be have danger with you, so I ask you to go.] Oh dear, I hope I said that right." Nastya's patience was immense, at least when it came to their language barrier. She crossed and uncrossed her arms, rubbing her eyes, breathing deeply.
"[I was in danger?]"
"[Yes.]"
"[What about you? What happened?]"
"[I got away safe. The Senshi took care of it,]" she added with a smirk.
"[Senshi? What is Senshi?]"
Ho, boy, she thought to herself. Let's not go there yet!
"[I will explain later.]"
"[Again with the delayed explanations! Ami, are you always going to keep me in the dark about these th—]"
"Whoa, whoa, slow down, honey! I can't… [I not understand you if speak fast.]"
"But I think you have much to say," she stated in Japanese. Ami blushed, nodded, not knowing where to begin. Nastya surprised her by embracing her gently, lifting her chin so their eyes met. She offered a slow, sexual smile. "Much to say indeed. You owe me a lot. I intend to collect."
"Um, yes," she squeaked, before being silenced. Nastya wanted to make sure Ami's heart was in the right place, and she did such a good job of it that Mizuno completely forgot about telling her the bad news.
Forgot…or simply didn't have the heart.
Because when she did, surely her world would come falling down, falling down.