Chapter Twelve: "I can die…"

The assassins all turned to face the portal. They were all weaponless, except for Youji (the wire watch thinggie). A figure popped out and the portal closed. It was a she. She had green hair in a half bun and burgundy eyes. She wore a Sailor fuku like Jupiter’s but it was burgundy and carried a large key like staff with a garnet orb on top. It was Sailor Pluto. "Who are you?" Aya demanded. Youji was studying the figure…closely (ecchi!). "I will not hurt you. I am Sailor Pluto, guardian of Time and Space. I guard the time gates. But that is not important now. We have to save Jupiter. This was not supposed to happen. This is all Haruka’s fault," Pluto said.

"Who’s Haruka?" Omi asked. "A friend…This will be somewhat difficult," she said. "Can you save her?" Ken asked. "The question is, can you save her Ken Hidaka…Siberian," she said cryptically. "How do you know my name?" he demanded. "I have guarded the gates of time for over a millennium, I am expected to know who influences the Senshi," she said. They were somewhat confused but something about her convinced them she was good.

Pluto walked by the men and stood in front of the table. She examined the body closely. "They will have to save themselves," she whispered. "Who’s they?" Aya asked, not happy with the answers they had been getting so far. She put her hands over Mako’s face. Pluto closed her eyes and a look of concentration on her face. The boys decided that it would be smart no to interrupt her. Her kanji, the symbol of Pluto, glowed purple on her forehead (like => P…kind of). Makoto’s kanji glowed green as well as her body.

Pluto stopped; apparently satisfied with her work. Her kanji disappeared. Makoto was still glowing. She turned to the Weiß boys and pulled a pen from a sub space pocket, a green pen with a red jewel on the top that resembled the Luna pen. "Give it to Mako-chan," she said while throwing it. Youji caught it and the rest of them converged around him, examining it. "Sailor Pluto, what is this?" Youji asked as he looked up but Sailor Pluto was gone, nowhere in sight. Aya cursed, they weren’t getting any answers.

Youji put the pen in the pocket where Mako’s transformation pen and stone were. They turned their attention to Makoto. She still was in critical condition nothing had change except for the green aura she had acquired and the glowing kanji. "She’s…the same?" Omi asked. Ken banged his hand on the table. "She lied," he said. "Sailor Pluto said she will heal herself," Aya said. "How?" Ken asked knowing that no one knew. Ken, Omi, Aya and Youji turned their attention to the woman on the table. She had stopped glowing but her kanji was still there. But something strange happened. Makoto’s body blurred, it was if there were two of them.

The image separated until there were two of them, lying side by side. At first they thought they were seeing double. But the first one looked like the Makoto they saved from the street but with the Jupiter symbol on her head. The other one had an all white fuku (like Sailor Cosmos) but it had mini white wings with a green star type jewel in the center instead of the regular bow. At the center of her forehead, her kanji glowed. Her hair was down and longer then usual, up to her knees. Her shoulder cuffs were green with tiny white wings and she had no gloves. On the bottom part of her fuku (in front), where her skirt is, was a pair of small wings (and two ribbons hanging from it) with another green star type jewel in the center. Hanging from the green jewel (and still connected to the skirt) was a slanted (A.N.-///\\\ like that but I’m talking about the upside down V) was a rainbow of colors separated by white. She had a white choker with a green star (*). She had a white cape that flowed as if an invisible breeze were blowing it. She wore white high heals with a white mini wing on each instead of boots. The last thing was a talisman she carried. It was a long white ivory pole, as tall as she was. At the top of that was a small ivory ball and on top of that was a green ball (and on the bottom of the rod) but on the top was a clear globe with a tiny lightning bolt bouncing inside. Connected to the globe were another pair of tiny white wings and small pearls. At the type of the globe was a green star. (A.N.- KAMI, I HATE descriptions. Gomen Nasai, I know that was a long list of crap but please continue reading)

The ghost woman (not a ghost literally but she was part of Makoto’s spirit) opened her emerald eyes and got to her feet. Ken blinked to see if the image would go away, it didn’t. "Who are you?" Aya asked. He pointed his katana, which he acquired at some point, at the ghost hime’s neck. Aya was sick of not getting answers.

"I am Makoto," she said in an elegant voice that sounded somewhat like Makoto. "Isn’t she Makoto?" Omi asked pointing to the solid one. "I am part of Makoto’s spirit or her complete warrior persona. She has yet to release me, she doesn’t know how," she said. The boys all had confused looks on their faces. "Well then you know her, you can give us some answers," Aya said, taking his katana down slowly. "Hai, we probably can," she said. (A.N.- she will be sounding like a schizophrenic) "Who are you really?" Youji asked. "We are Kino Makoto. We have many names as we have had many forms. You may call us Sailor Jupiter, Super Sailor Jupiter, Eternal Sailor Jupiter, Princess of Jupiter. Guardian of the cosmos, Senshi of thunder, lightning, protection and strength. In my present form you may call us Cosmic Jupiter. Our friends had given us nicknames. Boy crazy, that karate maniac, that predictable…ohh I’m babbling huh?" she asked.

There was no answer. "Now what would you like to ask us?" she asked. "…Why were you afraid of us and why did you faint?" Ken asked. "Well, a little voice in our head named Schuldich said you were assassins. We were scared although you won’t get that from my other half. Who wouldn’t be? You come to talk peace and you have weapons in you hands. And we fainted because of all of the elemental energy we used in a previous battle the night before and couldn’t sustain the transformation." "The one with Wara?" Youji asked.

The spirit frowned. "You all were there? We had thought we heard something…" she said. Youji gave the spirit a disarming smile that was an attempt to look guilty. "Elemental energy?" Aya asked, intrigued. "The power of nature that we control." "How did you become a Sailor Scout?" Omi asked. "It was fate. A long time ago we would have traded these powers in just to be normal. I know that isn’t possible. This is a long story though and I expect payment at the end…I want to know about you guys. Deal?" she asked. The boys thought about it for a moment. "Deal," Aya said.

"Very well then. A millennium ago (I’m not sure about the time)…" She launched into the story of the Silver Millennium. Jupiter also talked about how she got her powers, the Negaverse to Galaxia, and how her friends were killed. As she finished she told them that she knew they saw her encounter with the ghosts and she told them (after they wheedled it out of her) how she put them to sleep and who she ran into (and the cause of the accident) on the motorcycle.

"You went through all of that?" Omi asked shocked. Jupiter nodded. "Why aren’t you crying like at the flower shop?" Aya asked bluntly. "I am not the part of the spirit with emotion. Any more questions?" "You are immortal?" Ken asked. "Not in the sense you are using. I will not live forever…yet. I can die. When all of the Senshi except for Pluto, are dead we will all be reincarnated. And we will continue to be reborn until Crystal Tokyo is founded. Then we will become Neo Queen of Jupiter and be ‘blessed’ with immortality. The Ginzuishou allows this. More questions?" she asked calmly.

"What was that pen Pluto gave us?" Youji asked. "Show me," Jupiter commanded. Youji pulled the green Luna pen out of his pocket. "That’s a Luna pen. It can transform the user into different people. It’s more like a costume machine. Pluto must have given it to us because it would be important. Now tell me what you mission is," Jupiter said. "I liked the old Makoto better, this one has no feelings," Youji thought to himself.

"The purpose of Weiß…" Aya launched into his story hesitantly but Jupiter’s expression compelled him to tell. He told about how they eliminated the evils of the underground in attempt to take down Reiji in his quest for power. She nodded at the end of his story. "That is what we saw in your eyes, death. We are very similar. It seems that the evil has taken over your targets. In Reiji probably lies the powerhouse of the whole operation. Talk to us when we are whole. I have to get back to body. Makoto will have knowledge of your mission if each of you touch her kanji for a couple of seconds. She will see it as the truth. You won’t be able to lie. Tell her nothing about me, she won’t have remembered but do tell her that Pluto came. She might be cautious around you. We will help but we won’t participate in the murder of human lives. But we can help you with the new evil though. One thing, don’t let us go into battle. We have to heal. This week has drained our elemental energy. I am not sure how long it will take us to come back. Ja ne," Jupiter said.

She walked (kind of glided) over to the table once more and merged with her body once more. "I thought she would heal herself?" Omi asked. But he knew something would happen. After all of the ghosts, demons and angels he saw, there would probably be a miracle. And there was one.

1.4 Chapter Thirteen: "Arigato…"

It was if time was reversing, and it was…for Makoto. The blood seemed to be sucked back into her body. The bruises faded, the cuts closed. But her clothes were still in tatters. Seconds later the same Makoto lay there but looked like she did before she tried to run away. The assassins looked in amazement and wondered what kind of time they were living in. And they grew more protective over the woman. If her power ever fell into <i>their</i> hands…

Then her eyes opened and she shot up into a sitting position. She took in her surroundings; she was still in the apartment. Was her getaway a dream? After the accident her clothes were ruined but her body was unmarred and better then before. Then she finally noticed the four men surrounding her. How could she have missed them? Was it because she wasn’t expecting them? All of the anger that she had in her rose. "What do you want with me?" she demanded. "We just saved you," Omi said slightly saddened by her temper. Makoto studied her hands for a moment. "Why would they save me after all of that and why isn’t there any blood?" she thought.

"Who are you?" she whispered. "Your allies," Ken said. Makoto was even more confused. When did they become allies? Youji saw the mixed emotions on her face. He reached out a finger and touched Makoto’s kanji briefly. She drew in a breath of air as if his touch burned. Omi, Ken and Aya did the same, although a little skeptical. Makoto’s eyes became unfocused as she saw flashes of their pasts. Then a feeling washed over her, understanding. She understood what they were fighting for and how they needed her to deal with unnatural evils not the every day one. She understood the shadows in their eyes that told of the deaths they had carried out and the damage Takatori inflicted on each of them (Aya-kun {Ran} and Aya-chan, Ken with Kase and the J-league scandal, Omi with his relation with Takatori and the ex-detective Youji with Asuka…etc.). But she didn’t see what happened after her escape.

Her kanji faded as she opened her eyes. "I will help you," she said and gave them all a weak smile. "Thank you," Omi said grinning. "I’m sorry I did what I did…If I’d have known. Thanks for healing me though, I’m not sure how you did it and I don’t want to know. And don’t spy on people, it’s rude," she said wiggling her finger at them. Youji’s grin was infectious. Makoto was happy again, but she was still aware that they were assassins. "This is yours I believe," Youji said and handed her henshin stone, pen and Luna pen. Makoto took her transformation items in her hands and studied them. They were the same. She let the henshin stone and pen disappear into her subspace pocket. "Where’d they go?" Omi asked curiously. "A sub space pocket," she answered not getting technical because she herself wasn’t sure where they really went.

Makoto stood and examined the last item in her hand. She jumped off the edge of the table and stood. "I thought Usagi was the only one with one," she thought but didn’t put the Luna pen in her subspace pocket. "Where are you going to sleep Makoto?" Ken asked. "What do you mean where am I going to sleep? What time is it?" she asked. "3:00 in the morning," Aya said and went to his own room with a hope in his heart that Makoto would be able to heal Aya-chan. "Kuso," she cursed, "I have school to go to tomorrow! And I have to go because I missed enough days already. And I didn’t go to work today. The boss is going to be mad. Damn it! I have to go to my apartment too," she said.

"You know you could stay here," Ken said. Makoto’s eyes lit up. "Really? Arigato. But where do I stay. I certainly can’t stay in your room again, you’ve got to sleep too," she said. Ken blushed. "You can stay in my room tenshi," Youji said smoothly. Makoto blushed. "Oh I forgot, you prefer woman," Youji teased. It was time to come straight with him. "…About that Youji-kun…I’m straight…I lied," she said simply. Omi and Ken tried hard to keep their faces straight at Youji’s shocked expression. "I guess I’ll sleep on the couch then," she said. "You’re not going to wear those rags. I can lend you a couple of shirts," Youji said with a gleam in his eyes.

Makoto looked at the Luna pen in her hands and shook her head at Youji. "Jupiter Disguise Power! Turn me into an um…person ready for sleep," she said with her Luna pen in the air (Lame, I know). After a transformation sequence (the turning into light, and clothes appearing) stood a Makoto ready for sleep. She had on a yellow pajama top that was a long top and had a smiley face on it (Joe boxer), Joe boxer boxers, and yellow fuzzy house slippers. The Luna pen went in her space pocket. "Wow! That’s the first time I’ve done that," she said twirling around experimentally. "Can you do that again," Youji asked (hentai!). Makoto yawned and muttered ecchi.

"Oyasumi nasai," Omi said and went off to bed. Makoto told him the same. Youji sighed; he wasn’t getting her anytime soon. "Oyasumi nasai, actually I should say Ohayo since it is morning. Well I’m going to get some sleep. It gets cold around here and your welcome to join me if you want to warm up," Youji said casually and turned to leave. "He is right you know," Ken said. Makoto was shocked, how could he agree with Youji. Ken saw that on her face. "It does get cold around here," he amended. Makoto calmed down. "I’ll go get you a blanket then," Ken said. "Arigato Ken-kun," Makoto said.

Ken left to go hunt down a blanket. Makoto sat down on the large couch and stretched out. Makoto was beginning to feel the sleepiness the day had brought. She yawned and tried to stay awake but she couldn’t. Her eyes were getting heavy. Then she drifted off into sleep.

Ken came in five minutes later. He saw Makoto stretched out on the couch. She looked so sad. "We don’t deserve her, not after all we’ve done," he thought. Ken knelt by the couch and covered Makoto’s sleeping form with a green blanket. He looked at her face and brushed her bangs away. Later he would wonder why he did it. She stirred slightly under his hand. Ken leaned forward and kissed her gently on her forehead. Makoto shifted, frightening Ken who hoped she had been asleep. The frown that Makoto had been sleeping with had disappeared. Now she looked peaceful. Ken smiled as he got up. "Arigato," Makoto whispered in her sleep. But Ken didn’t hear he was already walking to his room and he was already half sleep himself.