[Scene: Mamoru's apartment complex. Zoi arrives in a flurry of flower petals a few feet away from Mamoru's garage. He ducks inside to see Mamoru already hard at work.]

Zoi: Hey there Mr. Goodwrench.

Mamoru: [smiles] That didn't take too long. I didn't even hear your dad's car pull up.

Zoi: That's why he's the best cop in this side of Hen Tie.

Mamoru: Isn't your dad the only cop in this side of Hen Tie?

Zoi: There's that as well.

[Sit daintily on the floor]

Mamoru: Wrench.

[Zoi hands Mamoru a wrench]

Zoi: So what were your parents like?

Mamoru: Honestly? I couldn't tell you. I don't remember my parents at all. You see, I had significant head trauma from the accident that killed them and developed complete retrograde amnesia.

Zoi: Oh. I'm sorry.

Mamoru: [sets down the wrench and wipes his hands with a rag before working on another section] It could have been worse. The doctors were afraid I'd never walk again.

Zoi: Still, to lose both parents at the same time, and so completely, as if you never knew them-

Mamoru: And on my birthday, no less.

Zoi: [cringes] To have both of your parents die right in front of you. I can't think of anything more awful than that. And to have it happen on your birthday, so it becomes nothing more than a day of sorrow and mourning... [he shudders]

Mamoru: [keeps working through this, and points to indicate when he wants Zoi to hand him something] Yeah. When I was little, I was foolish enough to believe I was better off not remembering anything, but now that I'm more grown up, I'm sad that I can't honor them properly. Aunt Sue tells me that they both loved me very much. But really, she's the only parent I've ever known. She relocated here from Palmdale, California, you know? She hoped that if I stayed here in Hen Tie, it would help me regain some of my memories.

Zoi: But you never did.

Mamoru: [shakes his head] I used to focus really hard on remembering life before the hospital, but when I do, all I can think of is a beautiful princess in a flowing white gown...

Zoi: [wide eyed] Really?

Mamoru: Weird, huh? She gathers me into her arms and tells me I am safe now, that nothing was my fault, that I shouldn't be ashamed. I dream she can heal me, and I will get better. She tells me she will always protect me, and watch over me, and keep me safe.

[Zoi is pretty sure he knows who Mamoru is remembering]

Zoi: Princess Selenity!

Mamoru: Who?

[Zoi frowns when he realized Mamoru has absolutely no clue who he is talking about]

Zoi: Nevermind...

Mamoru: When I was little I used to wonder if she was my mother. [His cheeks color] But let's just say, the older I get, the more certain I am that she is not my mother.

Zoi: [grins and winks] I have a feeling you'll find her some day, and when you do, you'll realize she's been hiding in plain sight this whole time.

Mamoru: No. I've never seen her face, but I am pretty sure I'd know her if I saw her in real life.

[Mamoru pauses if as he suddenly realizes how silly this talk of dream princesses must sound to Zoi]

Mamoru: Anyway, I'm doing all the talking. Why don't you take a turn? What's going on in your life? How is Kunzite doing?

Zoi: Ok, I guess.

Mamoru: You guess?

Zoi: Well, he is fifty miles away from here... But we talk every day, and we see each other whenever we can.

Mamoru: Well that's good...so how are you doing in school?

Zoi: [frowns] Pretty good. Except I'm struggling a bit in AP Math & Science. Which is ironic, since the whole class was my idea.

Mamoru: Yes, that is pretty ironic.

Zoi: Kunzite had been tutoring me over the summer, so I thought I had a decent headstart. But our teacher, Ms. Viluy, she's a real witch.

Mamoru: Oh? In what why?

Zoi: She assigns far too much homework, her quiz questions are far too comprehensive, and her grading is way too unforgiving.

Mamoru: Oh, thanks for the warning. I was going to try out for it next year, but I'm way too busy as it is.

Zoi: [scowls] She's used to teaching college students, so she's grading on the curve. It wouldn't be so bad, except we have Ami Mizuno in our class, and she never gets less than 100% on anything. She's really messing things up for the rest of us.

Mamoru: Ami Mizuno, huh? [smiles] I've met her a few times and she's actually a very sweet girl. Maybe if you tried flirting with her a bit, she might agree to tone it down a little. [winks] I think she likes you.

Zoi: [giggles] Me? Flirt with Ami Mizuno? Not a chance. [he burrows his face into his ponytail] She is really not my type.

Mamoru: [claps his hand to his cheek in feigned surprise] No! I would have never guessed that!

Zoi: [still giggling] Yep. Sorry to break this to you...but...she's way too young for me.

Mamoru: She's a few months older than you are.

Zoi: Yes, but I'm from the Mean Streets of Phoenix, so that makes me a few years older than the rest of you.

Mamoru: Okay, if you're going to get picky like that, you have to average in your size, too.

Zoi: [narrows his eyes] What about my size?

Mamoru: You're so tiny, I have to knock a few years off your total.

Zoi: I'll have you know that 5'7" is a perfectly normal height for a boy of my age. It's not my fault you're a freak.

Mamoru: All things considered, I've got to be at least seven years older than you are.

Zoi: Oh, you think so?

Mamoru: I know so...For one thing, I have a job.

Zoi: What? Dropping off pizzas after school a couple hours a week? Meanwhile, I do all the cooking and cleaning for my dad. As well as the bookkeeping.

Mamoru: Yes, but I've already been accepted into college.

Zoi: Yes, but I'm taking college level classes.

Mamoru: Yes, but I've got a driver's license.

Zoi: Yes, but I've got a husba- [shuts his mouth abruptly]

Mamoru: A what?

Zoi: A household budget.

Mamoru: [Shining a flashlight down on a motor assembly] Hm...

Zoi: [peering over] What's wrong?

Mamoru: The bolt on this motor is completely stripped. See.

[Zoi runs his finger over the bolt and it's completely smooth.

Zoi: Want me to buy a new one?

Mamoru: No, this bolt is fully integrated into the assembly. We'd have to buy a whole new motor, if we can even find another motor like this one.

Zoi: So what do we do?

Mamoru: I'll just book us a few hours in the school's machine shop this week and we can see if we can get this bolt rethreaded...If that's alright with you?

Zoi: [shrugs] You're the boss.

Mamoru: Yes, I am. [winks at him] And that should be worth another couple years on you at least.