Chapter 66: A Change of Pace

[Scene: The Midori house. More than a week has passed without any sign of Kunzite. Zoi's longing for him burns like a glowing coal in his heart. He wakes up missing Kunzite, and Kunzite fills his every thought. In the few minutes where the heartache almost seems bearable, something comes along which just stirs it up again.]

[It makes him angry to know Kunzite isn't feeling the same way about him. If he did, there is no way Kunzite could bear to stay apart from him. Especially since there has been no trouble from Demande Blackmoon. Demande's been staying in Blackmoon Cove, and Zoi considers that a mixed blessing. ]

[On the one hand–no more Demande Blackmoon. ]

[On the other hand, he wanted to prove Kunzite wrong about how his leaving Hen Tie would be best for everyone.]

[Chief Midori comes to breakfast. Zoi is stirring a few soggy flakes of cereal in a bowl with some milk to trick his father into thinking he's eaten.]

Chief Midori: Morning. [grabs a pan of leftovers] I'm going to be busy on Friday, so I think you should make plans to stay out as late as you can with your friends that day.

Zoi: [mopes as he sloshes the spoon around] I don't understand, Dad. First you want me to stay home, then you want me to go out?

[Chief Midori gives him a hard look]

Chief Midori: I want to see you happy. No, not even that much. I want to see you not miserable.

Zoi: I'm staying home.

Chief Midori: I'm going to be working around the house. You'll be in the way.

Zoi: What sort of work?

Chief Midori: [averts his eyes] I found a hole in the wall on the second story where the rats have been burrowing in. I'm afraid they are in the walls.

[Zoi is so numb that he doesn't even cringe at the mention of rats.]

Chief Midori: I'm going to need to get on a ladder and do some fumigation and repairs. I'd let you help, but we both know how accident prone you are…

Zoi: I think I can manage to hold a ladder for a few minutes.

Chief Midori: Look I really want you out of the house on Friday. [Pulls out his wallet and hands Zoi a stack of twenties] This should be enough to keep a small group entertained for hours. Why don't you hang out with your friends at the Crown Center? Doesn't a friend of yours work there? A senior named Motoki Something or other? And you might want to call up your friend Mamoru and see what he's up to–

Zoi: Dad. Don't you dare try to fix me up. I'm not interested in dating. And I'm certainly not interested in dating Mamoru! He's got a girlfriend!

Chief Midori: Oh…I wasn't trying to fix you up. It's just… I want you to stay out late…and if you're going to stay out late, I'd feel a lot better knowing you're surrounded by a bunch of strong guys who can hold their own in a fight.

Zoi: [dubious] Really, Dad? Because in the past, you've always given me the exact opposite impression.

Chief Midori: [sighs] Look,.. I lied, ok? I'm not working on the house on Friday….

Zoi: Oh?

Chief Midori: Justice Blackmoon is coming over here to talk business at lunchtime on Friday…

Zoi: Oh.

Chief Midori: There won't be any trouble. Now that I've seen his true colors, I've been doing exactly what I'm told, but I don't want him anywhere near you. He should be long gone before school gets out, but I want you to stay out as late as possible that night, just in case.

Zoi: Oh.

Chief Midori: In fact, I called this meeting to discuss my options. I'm not sure how much longer I can keep doing this. On the one hand, knowing what I know now, I'm considering announcing my retirement to get out of this mess altogether.

[His father is staring so Zoi eats a few soggy flakes]

Chief Midori: On the other hand, if I retire, he's just going to replace me with someone else. Maybe a Blackmoon. Then things could get a lot worse. And I won't able to do a thing about it anymore.

[Zoi feels a little queasy from the flakes. He stopped being hungry after day three of his secret hunger strike.]

Chief Midori: You know, maybe it's not so bad working for the Blackmoons after all. I just need to stop thinking of them as evil monsters intent on corrupting the law, and more like a sovereign people with rules of all their own. After all if you really think about it, they are the natives here. Native Americans in fact. They've been in Hen Tie thousands of years before the Mayflower came to Plymouth Rock. Who are we to force our laws and beliefs on them?

Zoi: That makes sense.

[He knows his Dad isn't really talking to him as anything more than a soundingboard. Zoi looks at the ring on his thumb. He doesn't want to wear it anymore. It reminds him too much of Kunzite and their fake marriage. He's certain the ankle bracelet he got Kunzite went into the trash a long time ago. But every time he tries to take it off, his thumb feels naked so he puts it back on again. It's getting loose. He's worried when he loses more weight it might fall off and get lost. ]

Chief Midori: And is what they are doing really so wrong? It's arrogant to assume we know better than they do. I suppose to them, we look like the monsters. All they want to do is survive, if you really think about it. Here they are, strangers in a strange world, on a planet where their numbers were thinned out to begin with, only to be completely decimated upon arrival…

[Looks at Zoi looking at his ring.]

Chief Midori: …largely thanks to your genocidal exboyfriend and his family of serial killers—

[Zoi stares murder at his father]

Zoi: Can we not talk about Kunzite?

Chief Midori: [uncowed] You can't keep waiting for him.

Zoi: I'm not waiting for anything. I don't expect anything

Chief Midori: Zoi–

Zoi: [dumps his bowl into the sink] I have to get to school.

[Later at lunch. Zoi is sipping a can of ice tea and trying his hardest not to look morose.]

Minako: [taps his arm as she comes by with a tray of salad] Zoi, my he-bitch! Have you lost weight?

Zoi: Yeah, I think so.

Minako: How much have you lost so far?

Zoi: About one-sixty-five, literally overnight. I've only got about another hundred and fifteen left to go.

Minako: Well, you look great.

Rei: [takes her seat] No he doesn't. He looks like crap. I can count his ribs through his shirt.

Minako: Yeah, well that's the look, you harlot. What's your secret, manwhore?

Zoi: A lot of heartache and depair.

Minako: An emo diet. I'll have to try that. Every time I get a modeling job I have to live off lemonade and sawdust for twelve days beforehand.

Usagi: Come help us brainstorm. Zoi's dad wants him out of the house Friday night.

Naru: Know of any wild parties?

Zoi: No wild parties. I'm not in a wild party sort of mood.

Mamoru: You could come out to the garage with me and help me fix up the vintage motorcycle I just bought.

Zoi: That might be dangerous for the both of us.

Usagi: There is a bakery opening up in downtown and they are having an all you can eat cake party. [everyone stares at her] What?

Mamoru: Only you would think an all you can eat cake eating party is an appropriate all night event.

Usagi: Not so! The others just won't admit it!

Zoi: There must be a good way to kill a few hours in Hen Tie that doesn't involve me talking to strangers or stuffing my face with food.

Minako: Yeah, there is. You get in a car, and you drive someplace else.

Naru: [sighs] It's too bad Hen Tie doesn't have any good clubs, or even a shopping mall.

Usagi: There's always the Crown Center.

Zoi: I really don't feel like standing or around watching people play games, or sitting around listening to other people singing drunken karaoke.

Naru: How about a movie?

Zoi: It would have to be several movies. I can't even think of even one movie I'd pay money to see right now.

Minako: There's a Pandora Idol concert at the sports arena. I'm not going, but one of my very best friends is a roadie so I might even be able to get you backstage.

Zoi: Not really in the mood for a concert.

Rei: What DO you want to do, then?

Zoi: I want to go home, and lie on my own bed, and do my homework.

Usagi: Can't help you there. I'd invite you to lie around and read manga in my room with me, but I'm grounded right now because I'm failing English.

Umino: You can come over and crash out at my house, if you'd like. It's Jeopardy DVR night so my whole family's just going to sit around, and eat pizza, and play along with this week's worth of Jeopardy episodes.

Zoi: [blinks] Actually…that sounds like a lot of fun.

Umino: Huh? Really?

[Zoi nods and smiles faintly]

Umino: [wears an uneasy expression] Sorry, but I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not.

Zoi: Why would I be sarcastic? A Jeopardy marathon is exactly what I'm in the mood for.

Umino: Really?

[Zoi nods and smiles again]

Umino: [becoming convinced he's not being pranked] Oh. Great. I'll just have to let my mom and dad know.

Zoi: I have to warn you. I'm pretty good at Jeopardy.

Umino: Not as good as I am.

Zoi: So you think they'll be okay with it?

Umino: Oh, they'll be okay with it.

Rei: Ha! Yeah they will be!

Minako: That dweeb's parents have probably been waiting a decade for him to bring someone cool home from school with him.

Naru: Oh, be quiet you bullies. [to Zoi] Let me know how it goes, maybe I'll catch the next one.

[For the first time in a few weeks, Zoi doesn't have to force a smile.]