Chapter Seven: "Looked like my old sempai…"

*After Mako left the flower shop*

The assassins watched as Makoto walked out of the flower shop. For the first time in his life Omi cursed at Youji for not being enough of a playboy. They had no hope of ‘convincing’ her to help. Their plan was ruined now that Makoto had left to be with her friends. "Friends," Omi thought out loud. "Are you feeling ok? You look a little pale," Youji asked. "That’s right, Omi… Mako said she went to visit friends but she hesitated. And earlier she cried when I asked about where she was going. Maybe she’s decided to end it after all and is on her way to meet with Schwarz," Ken said as he finished Omi’s train of thought. "We have to follow her and make sure she doesn’t cross over to their side," Aya said calmly. "We should get going now before she gets too far," Youji said.

Aya would have stayed and left the others to go but leave Youji with a woman? A vulnerable woman at that? And Ken had a thing (as far as he could tell) for Makoto and might not want to kill her down if push comes to shove. And Omi? Omi would have a hard time keeping Youji from Makoto. He, Aya, would have to play peacemaker. "Let’s go," Aya said and dashed out of the door with his katana in hand (let’s just say he had it hid real good...). Ken and Youji were not far behind (weapons hidden) and leaving Omi to lock up and catch up.

Aya saw Makoto’s silhouette in the distance. She was not even a block away. They followed her, keeping to the shadows, as the sun was setting. About ten minutes later they entered a cemetery. The sun had fully set and the moon cast an eerie shadow over the place. Omi shivered. "It’s kind of getting weird now but isn’t this the perfect place if she were to meet them," he thought. Omi nearly ran into Ken after they stopped abruptly. They assassins watched Makoto from behind a large tree. (A.N.- I don’t feel like adding the boys’ P.O.V. and Mako-chan’s so I’m just going to add Mako’s. Unlike all the work I went through before on chapters)

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Makoto stood in front of a row of gravestones in the center of the graveyard. Of course there weren’t actually any bodies, the Youma made sure of that. Seven gravestones (Inners, Darien and Cats not the outers) for the seven people she loved most and killed because of her inability to fight. Makoto dropped her head and said a quick prayer. She walked to the first marker. It was plain but had the planetary symbol of Mercury-sei. "Mizuno Ami. Friend of Water. Our bookworm, teammate, and friend. You will be missed. Rest in Peace," was inscribed into the gravestone. Makoto sunk to her knees and cried.

She pulled out a flower of Blue Mountain Aster (picture daisies but blue and prettier). It was Mercury’s favorite (pretend that it is). Makoto twirled the flower gently in her fingers then laid it against the grave stone. She wiped a tear away. "I hope you don’t think I’ve been going soft Ami. Its just that when you were taken away I felt so…so useless. I wish you were here now. With the new enemy you would have found a plan to defeat it. I’m never going to be as smart as you are…were Ami. I will try my best to make sure your death wasn’t in vain. We love you and miss you," Makoto said and wiped more tears away. After she said that her heart lightened.

From behind the tree the Weiß boys saw a ghost like figure of Ami Mizuno in a strange, flowing light blue gown and angelic wings appeared behind Makoto.

They did nothing as they came to the conclusion that she was friendly and somehow related to the ghost of the Queen they saw the night before. Ami’s ghost touched the unsuspecting Makoto on her shoulder. Makoto turned and saw Ami in her princess gown. Makoto was at a loss of what to say. "Ami," she whispered in awe. The ghost of Princess Ami smiled. "We all love you. You can do it; you don’t have to be like I was. You are unique…study hard," Ami said as she faded away. "Ami," Makoto whispered. She was still a little shook by the appearance but deep down inside she knew that was the real Ami Mizuno.

Makoto moved to the next grave. It was plain but had the planetary symbol of Mars-sei engraved in it. "Hino Rei. Fire Temptress. Our taskmaster, priestess and spiritual advisor. You will be missed. Rest in Peace," she said as she lay a Dahlia 'Firepot'

(It’s a real flower. ‘*’ But with orange in the middle shading to red) on the grave. "I miss you Rei. I miss your temper and your anti-evil charms. Kami knows I need a few now. Yuchirro (sp?) wept for weeks after you died. He cared about you even when you chased him with the broom. I wish I had your power to see into the future so I can find out how this nightmare will end. I’ll try to help out at the temple," Makoto said and wiped more tears away.

She felt a feather light touch on her shoulder and turned. It was Rei dressed in her red princess gown but had white angelic wings. "Rei-chan," Makoto whispered. Rei’s ghost nodded and smiled. "You don’t need to see into the future. You are strong and your love will be your anti-evil charm," it said and disappeared. Makoto puzzled for a moment at Rei’s cryptic remark. "I’ll never understand your powers Rei," she said and moved on to the next grave.

It was plain and had the planetary symbol of Venus-sei. "Aino Minako. Love goddess. Our comic relief, actress and matchmaker. You are loved and missed. Rest in Peace," it read. She placed an orange daylily by it (a lily that’s orange)

"I miss you guys a lot you know. Hey, earlier I pulled an Usagi and woke up really late. When I went to the flower shop I saw a guy that looked like my old sempai…well a couple of them. They were so bishounen. If you, my partner in crime, were here we’d be all over them. I wish you could see them. But if you saw me now you’d be disappointed. I haven’t had those dreamy, boy crazy eyes in a long time. Hell, I haven’t even said ‘He looks like my old sempai.’ I miss you guys," she said.

Makoto felt a ghost like breeze behind her. She looked up and saw Minako in her yellow gown also with white wings. "Mina," Makoto said. "When we meet again I will expect details…and phone numbers. Deep down inside you are the same boy-crazy Mako-chan, you just need to get out more and have some fun. Take a sniff out of the big apple. Miss you," Mina said as she faded away but now before giving Mako the infamous ‘V is for Victory’ sign. Makoto sighed. The same old Minako, always misquoting. This was getting emotionally draining. The next graves were Luna and Artimis’s (A.N.- remember there were no bodies so its not nasty). The stone marker had twin moon symbols on them.

"Luna and Artimis. Guardian Felines. Our guides, nannies and friends. You are missed. Rest in Peace," it read. Makoto placed two Cupid's darts by the stone marker (sugar pink flower with red in the middle and lots of orange stamens sticking out. A kind of Catnip). "Luna and Artimis. What can I say but thank you? You were my surrogate parents. Your advice got all of us Senshi out of lots of dire situations. Despite your size, you two were never useless, unlike me. You kept Usagi and Minako in shape, Kami knows they needed you…no offense. We all needed you…I still do…" Makoto trailed off not knowing what to say. She closed her eyes for a moment and waited for tears to fall. There were no more tears for her to cry.

When she opened her eyes she found two winged ghost cats looking at her. "Luna, Artimis?" she asked uncertainly. "Hello Makoto. Long time no see? It doesn’t look as if you missed us," Artimis said. Luna hit him with a paw. "Of course she does baka. Stop fooling around. Hello Makoto. You have to excuse Artimis. We’re still around to keep Usagi and Minako in shape until they…you are reborn," Luna amended. Makoto smiled slightly. "You are far from useless Mako-chan," Artimis said, recovering from Luna’s attack. "You are not useless Makoto. You will never be," Luna said as she disappeared. "More cryptic advice Artimis?" Makoto asked.

Artimis gave a cat grin. "You will find the power within your heart to conquer all," he said before disappearing. "Even in death they don’t change," she said with a sigh. Makoto moved on to one of the graves that she feared the most.