Ron came home from work gratefully. As he wearily opened the door, he was greeted by the aromatic smells of dinner. He smiled. Serena tried so hard to be helpful, as if she were afraid he would send her away if she caused trouble. He'd have to work harder on letting her know that there was no danger of that. "Wow, Serena! That smells wonderful! Should I be worried? Somehow I'd feel better about dinner if it smelled awful!"
He heard an indignant snort from the area of the kitchen. "That's not very nice. So what if I can't get macaroni and cheese to work out? YOU can't manage to boil water." Ron strolled into the kitchen with a chuckle. Serena turned to face him, and he widened his eyes in mock surprise.
"What's this? There aren't any burn marks on your face, the walls are still standing and the smoke alarm hasn't gone off...who cooked the meal?"
She stuck her tongue out. "There are two TV dinners almost done in the oven. If you're not nice, I'll eat them both and let you fend for yourself!" She turned and began to get out silverware, while he reached over her head to get the cups and plates. "And since I cooked, you have to do the dishes!"
"Ah! Ulterior motives!"
They both settled down at the couch. After a few seconds, Ron looked up at Serena. "You told me we'd talk about what happened yesterday, and now's the perfect chance. I'm glad to see you so cheerful, Serena. You were out for about twelve hours, that's a long time. I was really worried about you. I'd really appreciate it if you'd tell me what happened."
Serena nodded, and chewed thoughtfully for a little while. Then she swallowed her food and began to talk. "I don't really know what happened. I remember thinking that I remembered that crystal, and then I touched it, and this bright light flashed behind my eyes. I don't remember anything more than that, though. I don't think I ever will, now. To tell you the truth, the only thing that has changed now is that I don't really care who I was anymore. I care about who I am." She placed another forkful of green beans into her mouth, and watched him as she ate.
"Don't you want to know who your parents are? Where you come from? Why you know Japanese? Don't you care about that?" Ron was worried. This was a big change in attitude. Something happened during those twelve hours, and she hadn't yet mentioned that brief stint of wakefulness when she'd muttered nonsense at the crystal. He was about to bring it up when Serena began to answer his previous questions.
"I want to know, and I am still a bit curious, but," she waved her fork in an absent gesture as she spoke, "I want to get on with my life. I'm only about sixteen. I'm sure a lot of important things happened during those fourteen years before the coma, but a lot more things will happen afterwards. As for my parents, they didn't find me in two years. Maybe they didn't care," <Gomen nasai, Mother!> "or maybe they're dead too. Who knows?" She shrugged, and reached for another forkful of food.
"Serena, at one point you woke from unconsciousness, and started talking to the crystal. You called it the Silver Crystal, or something like that, in Japanese, and asked it to tell you what happened after you died. Do your remember any of that?"
She sat there, with her fork half in her mouth, motionless; a look of confusion was in her eyes. Finally she took the fork out, and swallowed her morsel of food. "No, I don't. That sounds really bizarre." She put her tray down. "I'm sorry, that must have really worried you. If I'd realized I'd scared you like that..."
Ron pulled up a grin. "No, I can see you're fine, now. It's all right, just really strange..." He poked at his food for a second. When he looked up, Serena was gazing at him with wide open eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.
"Don't you like it-you've hardly eaten a thing. I didn't overcook it, did I?" She gestured at his frozen dinner.
He chuckled. "I think you and I are the only people on the Earth who worry about screwing up a TV dinner. What a pair!"
*****
Lita smiled at Mr. and Mrs. Huruta one night, two weeks later, during dinner. "I don't know how to say thank you! You've done so much for me..." Her eyes teared up at their kindness and concern. "You don't know how much this means to me." Mrs. Huruta leaned over the table and took Lita's hand in a comforting clasp.
"Judging from what my husband's told me, I have a good idea. Can you tell us yet how you ended up in such desperate straits, dear?"
Lita looked scared for minute, but the Hurutas deserved an answer. She sighed, and bowed her head. "I'll tell you about it, I promise, but it's not something to discuss over supper. Could it wait until after we're done?"
"Goodness, Lita, you don't have to tell us if you don't want to! I didn't mean to put you on the spot. You tell me when you're good and ready."
"Thank you. Again." <Some things I just don't want to admit. Not even to myself. But I'll have to, some day...>
*****
"May I help you, miss?"
Lita overheard the cashier talking to a young lady at the register.
"Yes, I ordered some takeout, and I've been waiting for fifteen minutes longer than I was told this would take. Could you tell me how long it's going to be?"
Louis smiled at the girl. Lita wanted to roll her eyes. He'd always had a thing for blondes... "And what name is your order under, miss?" Louis flashed her a smile, and Lita smothered a chuckle. The girl didn't look at all interested.
"Aino."
Lita dropped her broom, and stood staring at the girl through the dirty window of the swinging doors. Aino. Minako-chan. Louis walked in and saw Lita gazing blankly through the door. He waved his arms. "Yo! Lita! I have a question about an order under the name..."
Lita wasn't listening. She was studying the girl. Her hair was long and blonde, and she still wore it back in a bright red, cheery bow. She looked just the same... Lita's eyes teared up. <Do I dare go out and say "hi" to her? Do I dare not?>
"HELLO! Earth to Lita!"
"Huh? What?"
"What's wrong with you, didn't you hear what I said?"
Lita didn't answer. <If I don't go now, I'll regret it the rest of my life. I already regret too much. I have to go...> Lita looked over at Louis. "I can't talk right now, excuse me." She felt tears beginning to flow. She began to run. "Minako-chan! Minako-chan! It's me!" She crashed through the doors and grabbed Minako up in a tight hug. "It's me! I haven't seen you in so long!"
Everyone in the restaurant looked in shock at her as she clung to Minako, sobbing with happiness. Mr. Huruta took a few steps closer to the girls so he could listen in to their conversation.
"It's who? Who...Mako? Kino Makoto? What are you doing here?" Minako's hand came up to Lita's face in disbelief. She continued to speak in rapid Japanese. "Last I knew you were still in Japan, still part of..." She trailed off.
Lita wiped tears out of her eyes as she recalled those days, when everyone she loved had left, and she was alone...
*****
"Mako-chan! Wait!" she heard the worry in Ami-chan's voice, and she slipped into a shadowy alley before Ami could spot her. She'd hurt all of them, ruined the shrine, and nearly killed Minako already. They didn't need friends like her to screw them up too.
When Ami gave up, Mako began to walk. One leg was hurt, but it didn't feel any worse than a mild sprain. Her rib was broken, but nobody could do anything about that. She'd just have to put up with the pain. The cuts and bruises would heal, as long as she kept them clean. Her biggest problem was dealing with the Night Mares. If she was going to be a part of the group now, she'd have to replace Koko as leader, or end up dead. Things had gone too far. She thought as she walked.
*****
"Well, Makoto. I never thought I'd see you here again." Koko had her old smirk back, but most of the girls standing behind her looked distinctly uncertain. Mako strained her ears to catch the mumbling whispers the gang members exchanged behind their leader's back.
"How can she even walk! She took on twenty of us! She's barely got a scratch on her!"
"She traffics with spirits! I'm not afraid of much, but even I don't mess with spirits and psychic stuff!"
"She gave us fair warning last time. I know for sure, next time she says something, I'm going to listen!"
Mako smiled. Koko's gang was not going to back her up on this one. Mako took a threatening step forward. She'd thought this through as best she could, and things so far were going according to plan. "And why not, Koko? I'm simply surprised that you had the guts to come back here, after you and your cronies ran away. Found time to change your pants, did you?"
Koko flushed angrily. "Look here, Makoto, I'm the leader of the Night Mares, and you didn't listen-"
"You're the leader? Who taught all of you to fight? Who has saved each one of you from injury in various fights? Who warned you about the dangers of that shrine? Who has the brains and guts to be a Night Mare by night, and a normal schoolgirl by day? Who? Koko? I don't see you raising your hand." Mako crooned softly, and sneered as anger brought a red flush to Koko's face. "I protect you, I help you, and I do more than any of you. Koko hasn't led this gang since I joined," Mako swept the girls with a kind look in her eye. "I have. I've made us what we are today, the most feared gang in all Tokyo!" She brought her voice down to a loud bellow on the last words, and raised a bloodied fist into the air. Most of the girls followed Mako's lead, some out of enthusiastic agreement, the rest out of fear. Those that didn't were enclosed within a threatening circle along with Koko. She trembled slightly as a very confident Makoto sidled up to her. Koko was forced to look up into Mako's face, as she was almost six inches shorter. Koko felt herself at a distinct disadvantage.
"Wha-what are you going to do to me, Makoto-sama?" Her voice trembled with fear.
For one blinding instant Makoto could think of nothing but breaking Koko's neck with her bare hands. She pushed that thought back as fast as she could. Nausea overcame her, and she forced that down as well, but the self loathing stayed.
"I'm not going to do anything to you, Koko. I'm not even going to take the position of leader. Listen, everybody!" Mako strained her voice to stay loud, all this shouting was costing her. "I want Koko to remain our leader. If anyone has a problem, they can take it up with her. When she gives a command, we all listen, unless..." she shot a look at Koko before she became too exultant. "unless I disagree. Koko is our leader." She leaned in next to the white haired girl and grabbed her by the front of her shirt. "But if you ever get in my way, or if I ever get a whiff of you plotting against me, I will kill you without a second thought, and now you know that the rest of the gang stands behind me, and me alone, Koko. Your only hope is to become my dearest friend. Do you understand?" When Koko nodded, Mako threw her to the ground with a snarl. "I'm tired now. I'm going home for the weekend. If I catch anyone following me, I'll rip their heart out. I'm not in a good mood tonight." With that, she stalked off, disappearing into the gloom of night-time Tokyo.
*****
Mako thought as she stood in the shower back at her apartment. No one had followed her home, so she began to wash out the temporary bleaching job she'd used on her hair. Things had worked out remarkably well. She hadn't had to fight anyone, and she'd gained control of Koko, but she'd left Koko in charge.
Actually, she'd had to. She couldn't be there all the time, and if she came home during the week, and left the gang without a leader all that time, things would blow up on her quickly. Also, since the girls regarded Koko as the leader, that's what other gangs and the police believed as well. They wouldn't be handing out nice deals to girls who got arrested in exchange for Mako. That was always a danger in being the ruler of a gang, especially one as powerful as the Night Mares were now. Yes, it had been a good night.
Mako sighed. Then why did she feel so dirty? She wanted to stay in this shower forever, as if it could wash out her memory of meeting her old friends, of seeing the disgust in their eyes as they looked at her. Her blood had long ago washed down the drain in a pink stream, but she felt as she'd never be clean again.
Salt water mingled with the fresh water coming out of the shower head as Mako leaned against the shower wall and began to cry.
*****
She didn't get in trouble at school anymore, and her plan with Koko was working out. It was Friday afternoon, and she'd just arrived at the Night Mare's headquarters to catch up on the happenings of the past week. But first, a little relaxation. Mako leaned back into her seat with a content sigh and crossed her legs.
"M-Makoto-sama? May I speak to you for a few seconds?" Koko was hesitantly touching her shoulder. Mako sighed, and answered, but didn't bother to open her eyes.
"What is it, Koko?"
"Ummmm, the Red Dragons are encroaching on our territory again. Chieko has a broken arm, and the girls had to leave Aiko behind. She's dead, Makoto-sama. One of our best fighters."
Makoto opened her eyes at that. No relaxing this weekend. Koko was right. Aiko wasn't the strongest or biggest girl in their gang, but she hated almost everybody with a passion so strong she'd take on anybody, and wouldn't stop fighting until she was no longer able to move. It would take a lot to stop her. But they'd done it. This was quite a problem. "I see what you mean, Koko. This is very serious indeed. Do we know where their main base is?"
Koko nodded. "We're pretty sure. The problem is, it's in a busy part of town. It would be almost impossible to start something without being caught by the police before we cleaned up."
Mako thought. "We have two choices. We can go during a very busy part of the day, when it's crowded and noisy, and hope the noise covers us, or we can go late at night, and hope nobody notices. We can't let this go unanswered. Not when they killed Aiko." Mako turned to Koko. "What do you think?"
"M-me?"
"Of course. You ARE the leader, after all. I'm just offering advice." Mako gave everyone within hearing distance a dangerous look.
Koko nodded. "Of course I'm in charge, Mako." She thought for a second. "I think it'd be best to go after them around noon on a weekday, when everyone's going to lunch. It'd be easier for us to sneak in without people noticing or calling police."
Mako nodded. "How about Monday? I'll call in sick, and join you." The girls stirred in surprise. Mako had never skipped school for something like this before. She smiled. Letting them know that she cared deeply enough to miss school for revenge on those that killed a Night Mare would heighten morale. And they needed that right now. Badly. "Everybody, don't do anything stupid Sunday night. We need to be in top form Monday. Get ahold of a good weapon if you don't have one already." Mako stretched and yawned, and sat up straight with a groan. "Now to other business. What happened to that one store that refused to pay us for protection?" Mako got down to business.
*****
"How the hell did they get a whole floor of an apartment building?"
"They feel safe in a legitimate building, instead of squatting in some abandoned one like we do. It costs them a lot, though."
"Well," Mako sighed. "We'll have to go up." She scanned the group of determined girls behind her. "Everyone ready?"
"Let's go!"
With angry shouts the girls stormed the third floor of the apartment building. The surprised members of the Red Dragon gang were caught by surprise. Many were brought down in the first few seconds, but quite a few ran for emergency exits. Mako and a few other girls began chasing them through the second and first floor apartments. Most legitimate tenants had the good sense to keep out of their hallways, which had suddenly become battlefields. One unfortunate man was caught walking down the hall, fumbling with his keys. He was wearing the Red Dragon's gang colors.
"What the hell is going on?!" he demanded. With cries of hatred some of the Night Mares launched themselves at him.
"Stop!" Mako called. "He's not part of the g-" she stopped, her voice choked up by shock. It was Shinozaki! "Stop!" she shrieked, "Stop! Leave him alone!"
The other Night Mares didn't see anything but the fact that he was wearing a red shirt-the color of the Red Dragons. They kept advancing. Mako ran forward, a grimace of worry on her face. Concern lent her superhuman strength and speed. She reached Shinozaki before anyone else and stood in front of him, her hands out to ward off the advancing girls. Mako groaned. Koko was among them. Mako knew Koko had never given up her hatred of Makoto. This situation was no longer salvageable. Mako readied herself to meet their onslaught. She tried one more time to stop them. "Leave him alone. He's a friend."
"He's not MY friend, Makoto-sama. Besides, what are you thinking, claiming a Red Dragon as a friend." Koko sneered, as she realized she once more had the upper hand. "I think I'm going to take a slice out of him."
Mako brought her hands up. "Over my dead body!"
Shinozaki was watching the unfolding drama with amazement. Finally he whispered an uncertain, "Mako-chan?"
"Ah! A close friend indeed! How delightful!" Koko looked at the girls behind her. "I wouldn't mind seeing your dead body a bit, Makoto. It's all you deserve, being a traitor to us." Koko moved in. A few of the braver girls followed. There was a furious fight. Mako desperately warded off knives and chops, but tried not to kill any of the Night Mares. She had friends among them.
A blade connected, and ripped a tear through her leather jacket. For a second she felt nothing, but the warmth creeping down her stomach told her she was bleeding. There was no way she could defend Shinozaki while holding back. With an enraged shout Mako let loose all of her hatred in one burst. She moved faster than the wind, taking down anyone who came near her or Shinozaki. The stream of anger and pain she had restricted to a trickle poured forth in a flood, and she fought like a mad woman. She lost all track of time, and just fought. Finally, no one was left to fight. Mako stood there for a second, chest heaving. Dazed, she took in the scene around her. Still bodies littered the hallway. Most were still breathing. She turned to look at Shinozaki.
She took an unsteady step toward him, but he took a desperate step back, his eyes wide open in fear and-something else.
She stopped. "Shinozaki? Are you all right?"
He didn't answer. Mako reached toward him to ask again, but as her hand came into view she stopped. Her hand and arm was covered in blood. Some was her own, some not. Her hand began to shake. What was she? What had she become?
She shook off her self-disgust. She had to know- "Shinozaki, are you all right? Answer me, please. Did anyone hurt you?"
"M-Mako? Are...did...Mako?" His voice broke under the strain of his emotion. Mako tried again.
"Are you all right?"
Shinozaki looked at her. Finally, he nodded. "I'm fine, but Mako, you're bleeding, and you..." he gestured toward the girls slumped against walls and sprawled throughout the hallway. "What in God's name happened to you?"
He was all right. That's all that was important. She should leave now. She only brought pain to those she loved. Her parents died, Usagi died, the senshi all despised her. And now Shinozaki. <Can't I have anything? Not one pure, happy memory? Why must everything good in my life be destroyed?> She couldn't leave. She needed someone. "I-I..." <Where to start?>
Shinozaki took a step forward, and engulfed her in a warm hug. After everything he'd seen her do just now, he still cared. Mako felt the cold anger melt away...with a sob she collapsed against him. He fell against the wall under her weight. "Come on, let's get into my apartment. You've been hurt, and you don't want the police to find you like this when they come." Mako sniffed, pulled herself together a bit, and stood up. He led her down the hall to the apartment where he lived, motioned her in, and closed the door.
Mako looked up at him. Her stomach hurt now, from the cut she'd received. She tried to keep her blood off from anything that stained. "When the police come, just tell them you were smart enough to keep your door closed. That way you can't answer their questions. I need to shower, and change. Can I borrow some of your clothes?"
Shinozaki nodded, obviously bursting with questions. He held them back and simply went into his room to get a shirt and jeans for her to wear. Mako crawled into the shower. As the blood washed off her body, she inspected the cut. It was still bleeding, but it didn't look too deep. Nothing vital was damaged, it just hurt like hell.
She huddled on the shower floor, letting the water rain down on her as she thought. She'd killed at least a few Night Mares, Koko among them. She couldn't go back to them, they'd kill her now. In fact, they'd hunt her down for this. No where in Japan was safe. For her or Shinozaki. Mako groaned. <Great, I fucked up his life too! They know where he lives, they'll kill him! I don't know what to do! I'll have to talk it over with him> Finally imbued with a worthy purpose, she stood up and reached to turn off the shower.
Then she doubled over with a groan as she ripped the scab that had been forming over her cut. She had to get that seen to, but she didn't have time. She had to get to the police soon, or both she and Shinozaki were dead. She peeked out of the shower, making sure that Shinozaki was no longer in the room, then she jumped out and pulled on the clothes he'd left out for her. She looked at herself in the mirror. With the dye washed out, and all her excessive makeup cleaned off, she looked like a kid again, except for...
Mako ripped a strip off of her ruined shirt, and used it to tie her hair up in a ponytail. Her eyes teared up. She looked like Mako-chan again. The hate and anger were gone. All that was left was the grief. She absently fingered the stray white hairs left over from that last fight with the Silver Knight. Some things would never be the same again. She bundled her old clothes into a small ball and threw them into the wastebasket. She turned around to meet Shinozaki's eyes.
"What happened to you, Mako-chan?" Shinozaki walked up to her and took her hand. She looked into his eyes, and tears began to fall.
"I don't have time to tell you much. I guess you know I'm part of that gang that attacked you, the Night Mares."
"You're a Night Mare? My God...."
"Usagi-that girl you met that one time? The one with the odangos? She died, Shinozaki, and I-I fell apart. I lost my mind, and joined that gang. But now that I've killed some of them, we're both in danger."
Shinozaki shook his head. "I'm not in danger at all, Mako. They thought I was a Red Dragon. They won't look for me here after the way they took this place apart. I'm safe. You're the one that has to be concerned, Mako. I don't think you killed any of them, but they're not going to be happy with you. You have to get out of Tokyo for awhile. Do you need money or anything?"
Mako shook her head. "No, but the Night Mares will find me wherever I go. They're too powerful now to hide from indefinitely."
Shinozaki thought. "You should leave the country."
"But without any parents there's no way I'd get a passport. Not legally..." Mako stopped. Maybe...
Shinozaki seemed to follow her train of thought as if it were her own. He nodded. "You'd have to move immigrate illegally. Unless you joined the Witness Protection Program."
Mako shook her head. "They'd just put me in jail too, and the next Night Mare I met would kill me. No, I'll have to get an illegal passport." Mako chewed the inside of her cheek as she thought. Finally she gave a weak chuckle. "Maybe something good will come of my recent dubious choice in friends. I know where I can get what I need." Mako stood to go. Shinozaki stood with a concerned look on his face.
"Do you need help with anything, Mako? Can I do anything?"
Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. She brought a hand up to wipe them away. "No, Shinozaki, I've gotten you in enough trouble. Arigato. You've helped me so much." She turned and fairly ran out of his apartment. She couldn't stand to be near him for another second-she felt so unclean. She'd done all these horrible things, and he was still her friend. She wasn't worthy of his concern. She dashed down the fire escape of the apartment building toward the hideout of a dealer in false papers.
*****
"I assume you have the cash to pay me for this?" The stocky little man nervously fiddled with his glasses as he spoke. Mako nodded.
"I have a trust fund, I can transfer the money to an account of your choosing after the papers are done."
"Let me search through my database for an appropriate name...here we are, an infant that was born about when you were, and died a few days later..." he typed furiously at his keyboard, reminding Mako of Ami-chan when she was concentrating on something. "Yes, I can get you the necessary papers. Here's the account I want the money put into."
Mako waited eagerly for the little man to make her false identification and passport. Finally he was done. He handed her the papers. She read them over, then looked up. "My new name is Lita?"
*****
Lita jerked herself back to the present. "I got out by the skin of my teeth. I'm so glad to see you, Minako! I've really been thinking about you guys in the last few weeks. I had this strange fainting spell, and when I woke up, all I remembered was that I thought of Usagi just before everything blacked out."
Minako jerked oddly. "What day did this happen, Mako?"
"What day...I remember, two weeks ago this past Monday!"
Minako had a strange expression on her face. "I had the same thing happen to me, on the same day."
They exchanged worried looks for a second. "What's going on?" Mako whispered.