Fear Not the Dark
Part 05
By Amidala

Yahoo! I made it! Chapter five! *does the happy dance* Well, I’m sure you’re all so proud of me, but please, hold your applause until the end =^- ^= Other than that, enjoy yourselves!

1 Chapter 5

"You told me she was dead."

The man known to his subordinates as Persia looked up, mildly surprised, at his secretary. She stood before his desk, arms folded, scowling down at him fiercely.

"Did I? And whom is this you speak of?" he asked.

"You know perfectly well, Shuiichi," she hissed. "Watashi no Fushichou. Watashi no musume. Anata no musume."

"Oh?" now Persia's mild surprise crept into his voice, "I told you she was dead?"

"Don't you dare lie to me, Shuiichi! You told me that our child was dead! That she had died at the hands of the orphanage workers! Why didn't you tell me that she was still alive? How could you just abandon your child, *our* child!, like that?!"

Persia's brow furrowed, "You know you couldn't have kept her."

"And why not?!"

Manx threw her arms in the air and began pacing lightly. The older man watched her, remorse seeping into the back of his mind at the thought of the little girl she had placed her heart with. At the thought of a little girl he could have raised as his own, they could have raised as their own, their slim chance at a normal life, which he allowed to slip away.

"A child shouldn't have to grow up with the likes of us," he said softly.

"YOU DIDN'T SEEM TO MIND WHEN IT CAME TO OMI!" she shouted at him.

"ENOUGH!" Now Persia glared outright and he stood from his chair, leaning on the desk top. The slamming of his hands on the wood stopped Manx's pacing. "I had no choice, Erika! You know I didn't! It was not my choice to place Omi with the others; he was trained because it was the only way he would have been able to stay under our protection! And I know you would have rather seen your child die than join him!"

"Yet somehow she's joined them anyway!"

Shuiichi's head snapped up to meet her gaze once more. This was news he had never thought possible. How could it be that *his* daughter of all the people in Japan was Sailor Jupiter? It seemed Fate was not on his side. "Nani?"

"You heard me. Our daughter has joined your son anyway, and this time she's not trained. She's Sailor Jupiter, Shuiichi. She's going to become an assassin, and she's going to find out sooner or later that she's Omi's half sister, *and* that she's my child! Do you want that? Do you want her to know that we abandoned her because of our jobs? How am I supposed to explain it, hmmm? Care to enlighten me, O Great One?"

"There is a chance that she won't find out. You won't know until it happens."

"Omi found out, didn't he? Of course, he thinks you're his uncle, but he still found out, even though you wouldn't tell him. And was he very happy? Noooo he was not very happy. Quite frankly I think that him finding out on his own was worse than if we had just told him from the get-go. She may be a new assassin, but Makoto is no fool."

Here Manx paused for breath, but never once did she stop glaring down at her boss and lover. Shuiichi looked up at her in surprise.

"Makoto?"

Manx threw up her hands in annoyance and flopped down in the chair that she had been standing in front of. The constant yelling and pacing and the rage inside had made her a bit dizzy from lack of oxygen, but she wasn't about to let him know that.

"That's her name," she said, more calmly than before, "I wasn't allowed to name her, remember? I believe it was *you* who arranged that. The couple who adopted her named her Makoto. It's fitting, really. Oh, and there's another thing. She's already an orphan twice, because her adopted parents 'died in a plane crash'! Sound familiar? Did you arrange that so she would never find out about her adoption?"

The big man shook his head slowly. "No. I'd hoped that by giving her a new family she would grow up happy."

"So then you *did* know about her adoption and you lied to me!"

"Aa," he agreed simply.

"Doushite?" Manx asked plaintively, dropping her head into her hands. "Why couldn't you have let me kept my daughter, my Fushichou? Why couldn't you have allowed yourself the joy in seeing her grow up, experience her first day of school, her first crush, her first *anything*? Why couldn't we have been her parents?"

Shuiichi stood from behind his desk and walked to the window, facing the sunny streets below. As if Fate truly wanted him to suffer, he could see Omi happily walking by the building, on his way to the park, no doubt, to meet Ken. When he finally spoke his voice was low and helpless.

"Because I wanted her to be happy."

There was a long period of silence. Neither moved, for to move would be to accept defeat and neither were willing. When at last the silence became unbearable, Shuiichi heard Manx shift in her chair, and then stand.

"I'll bring you a photo, next time I'm here."

He didn't answer. Soon he heard the clicking of her heels on the bare floor, then the door as it opened, and finally the door as it slammed shut behind him. He gripped his forearms behind his back so tightly that his knuckles were white.

"Arigatou."



Makoto paused in the open doorway of Omi's room. They had returned from school some time ago and Omi had immediately gone up to his room to do his homework and 'study'. She didn't know if he really had anything to study for, because there wasn't a test coming up anytime soon in their shared class, but she needed to talk to him.

"Omi?" she asked tentatively.

The blond looked up from his desk and put down his pen and motioned for her to come in with a smile. She gave him a small one in return and entered, stopping a few feet away from him and shifting her weight back and forth. Vaguely she noted that the futon was still set up and perfectly made, since no one had used it last night. Omi looked at her with a gentle concern, but said nothing.

"Did you sleep well?" Makoto finally asked in desperation. She had no idea how to say what she wanted to without sounding like an idiot, but damn it, she was gonna try.

"Yes, well enough. Did you?" he replied.

"Yeah. Ken, I think, was in here last night. He gave me pain killers. ... That reminds me ... I really should thank him. I'll find him later. Nice weather today, ne? How was your day?" Makoto knew she was babbling, but she couldn't help it.

"It was fine. Jion-sensei announced that we have a test a week from now, but nothing should happen before that," Omi replied, waiting until she asked her real question. He didn't have to wait very long.

"Am I still going to be sleeping in your room?" she finally blurted.

The boy assassin looked at her with amusement and shock mingled in his eyes. This was what she was worried about? Having to stay with him? He voiced those questions, and she started frantically shaking her head.

"Iie! It's not that! ... I just ... I just ... I don't want to leave ... " she trailed off so that he could barely make out her words, but smiled reassuringly when he was able to process them.

"Makoto-san, I don't mind, really. If you'd like you can stay in my room as long as you want. If you'd rather we can arrange for you to have your own apartment. There are many vacancies in the building."

"Arranged by Kritiker?" she asked with a wry grin.

Omi shrugged angelically, and Makoto knew that she had guessed correctly. She sighed and flopped down on her futon, staring at the ceiling for a little while. Omi had turned back to his homework when she spoke again, so suddenly he nearly dropped his pen.

"I like your room. It's bright. Are all your rooms like this?"

"Mmmm ... " the boy tapped the pen to his chin in thought. "I think Aya-kun's room is a little darker than the rest of ours. Youji-kun and Ken- kun just don't have shades, which lets in more light. Mine is the only one with two windows, though."

When Makoto didn't respond, Omi turned in his chair to have a good look at her. She was sleeping, curled up on her futon facing him, hands tucked under her chin. He smiled gently at her, grateful for her attempt at apology and friendship and at how peaceful she looked in the afternoon sunlight. Absently he wondered what was between her and Aya that had had such an affect on her the day before to change her attitude about them, but he was thankful. At least now living with her would be tolerable and guilt- free.

"Oi ya! Omi!"

He nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of Ken's voice calling him from the flower shop, but quickly recovered and jumped up and ran to the top of the stairs, closing the door behind him.

"Not so loud, Ken-kun. Makoto-san is sleeping!" he called, hopping down two steps at a time.

"Oh? How is she?" the older boy asked, lowering his voice to a normal level.

"She seems fine. She actually tried to hold a conversation with me ... I think she is trying to both apologize for something and befriend us at the same time."

Ken smiled, relieved, but quickly turned serious. "You know we've been told to monitor the phones, right? Just for a while, but we still have to do it."

"You mean ... she has to pass a test like Youji-kun? But she's already said she'll stay! And she doesn't have any family to watch as they learn she's dead! What sort of test could she possibly pass?"

"I don't know. But they've already set up the equipment downstairs. Any out-going phone calls made in this building are going to be recorded. It's downstairs."

"In the mission room?" Omi asked incredulously. "How's that going to help? None of us are down their more than once a day unless there's some sort of chance meeting."

Ken shrugged. "I guess now we have to check every once in a while or something. Look, Omi, I don't like this anymore than you do. But it's orders, and we have to follow them until one of the higher-ups says otherwise. I'm sure nothin's gonna happen to her."

"Because I won't let it," said a new voice.

The two spun around in alarm, and fell over anime-style when they realized, with relief, that it was only Manx. She grinned down at them shortly and shook her head.

"You're either getting over confidant, or you were too wrapped up in your own thoughts, but that was very sloppy. I won't report it this time, however, because I need to ask something of you. Downstairs, if you don't mind."

Without waiting for either to answer the redheaded woman turned in the direction of the hidden door that led to the mission room. Ken and Omi looked at each other, both at a loss as to why Manx was so worried about Makoto and why she needed any form of favors from them.



"What's wrong, Manx?" Ken asked as they arranged themselves on the various furniture in the downstairs mission room.

The red haired woman sat on the chair opposite the couch so she could look them square in the eyes as she spoke, while Ken and Omi sat next to each other on the couch. There was silence while Manx took time to gather her thoughts and debate how to begin and what to say. Finally she sighed and slumped down in her chair.

"Makoto."

Ken and Omi looked at each other in surprise, but before either could say anything Manx hushed them with a glare.

"Yes this is about Makoto, but no, nothing is going to happen to her. As a matter of fact, the reason I've asked you both down here is more to do with what you were talking about upstairs. I want you to protect her as best you can, from the enemy, from Youji's suspicions, from whatever you think she needs to be protected from. I won't stand for anything to happen to her, is this clear?"

"Very ... but -- " Omi started.

He was cut off by the sounds of machinery starting up. The three Kritiker agents looked at each other, startled, than at the phone tracking and recording system that had been set up earlier that morning. Ken noticed Manx's hands gripping the arms of the chair tighter, but paid little attention to it. The phone rang three times before being picked up.

"Moshi-moshi?" asked a calm female voice.

" ... "

" ... Moshi-moshi?" now the girl sounded confused.

" ... Rei-chan. It's me," said Makoto's voice, softly.

"Mako-chan! Where are you? Are you alright? What happened to you, you never showed up! We were worried and you weren't picking up your phone and -- "

Rei was cut off by the sound of Makoto laughing softly, and soon added her own gentle chuckles. They laughed only for a few minutes before becoming sober again, however.

"Daijoubu, Rei-chan. I was called by a friend earlier yesterday morning. I agreed to meet him, we haven't seen each other in a long time. I just got a bit side tracked when I went back to meet his co-workers."

"Where does he work?"

"A flower shop. Koneko no Sumu Ie."

"I've heard of them from the girls in my school. Are they really as cute as the gossip goes?"

Another soft round of laughing. Ken and Omi blushed brightly, but Manx's attention was riveted on the phone.

"I suppose you could say that. ... My friend, R -- Aya-kun, is very cute, and Youji-san would be if he wasn't glaring at me all the time. He's a real flirt, by the way. And Ken-san is very cute as well, but I think he'd go red from embarrassment if I ever said anything. ... Omi-kun ... Omi- kun is cute, I'm not denying it. But Omi-kun looks so much like he could be my brother that it stops me from thinking of anything remotely like that."

"That's good to hear."

"At least they don't look like sempai, ne?"

"Aa ... Mako-chan? Are you really all right? When are you coming home?"

" ... I don't know, Rei-chan. I think I may stay here."

"But why?!"

"I can't say. Believe me when I swear to you that I'll remain true to the Sailor Senshi, and I'll join you for meetings and battles whenever I'm needed ... but I have to stay here now. I just wanted you to know that I'm alright."

"Demo -- "

"Iie. Rei-chan, tell the others for me. Usagi-chan wouldn't understand, look after her until I can get back to you, okay?"

" ... I don't like it ... I don't like it at all. But I'll do that for you. ... And Mako-chan?"

"Hai?"

"Come back to us soon."

"I'll try. Ja matta ne."

"Ja matta."

The phone clicked off. Manx released the arms of her chair in relief, and turned back to the younger men, who were still staring at the machinery. She smiled softly thinking of her daughter and how she had grown into a loyal and caring woman, just like Manx had always hoped she would. The red haired woman snapped out of her thoughts only when she heard Omi call her name.

"Hai?" she asked.

"Why is Makoto so important?"

Manx stood and walked to the stairs, giving the impression that she wasn't going to answer. But she stopped just before leaving and turned to look over her shoulder.

"She's my daughter."