Fatal Fury Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Sailor Rifts ❯ Chapter 25: And Life Shuffles Onward ( Chapter 25 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Sailor Moon/Rifts Crossover (Revised Edition) By Simon Woodington

Chapter 25: And Life Shuffles Onward

She had segwayed, deciding she could be more effective without the
others to hold her back.

Uh-huh, right.

Above her grey sweater vest stonewashed jean combination of clothes,
her hands inspired a brief span of dark shadows to run from the sphere
of yellow like the burn within them.

"I told you, you would regret our meeting, creature."

<No regret, mortal child.>

"Where is she?!" she demanded, making a twin palm strike with hands of
energies nimbus, slamming the shadow shrouded being with white light.

<You are strong, like Walker. Why have you come to Morcanis?>

"The demon child, her child," she breathed heavily. "The trace came to
you. You must know!"

<Know? Demon child? Many of these have I known, with mothers /
husbands / sons / daughters / victims.>

"Answer me!"

<You will destroy what I am, Hunter, regardless.>

"What did you call me?"

<Hunter.>

"No..." she squinted, teeth grinding. "You're holding back something.
What are you holding back!?"

<Demon Hunter. Do these words please you? Mind, numb like weed,
placate? No. Hard of wit.>

"What are you raving about, you lunatic!?"

<Lost, numb, fear. See but not hear. Find mentor / mother / friend /
girl when gone away. Sense soul / read / find / leave!>

The massless creature shrunk into the shadows, and beyond her mystic
sense. She sniffed the air, the trail of the powerful alien obscured
mystically.

"No!!" she wailed, angry light trailing from her clenched fists and
she swung them about uselessly. "Damn you Morcanis!"

Alone again.

Vaguely, like the fade of music against the wash of static, a briefly
passed channel some distance out of range, she recalled a
mild-mannered girl, not fueled by the incredible sway of power which
tore at her young soul. Also came the sense of a feminine warrior, a
heroine dimensions apart from her current locale and mindset.
Stumbling blindly through the dense forest of sky touching evergreens,
these thoughts transported her, and then fled as a flurry of a spooked
owl.

:What did he mean "find friend / mentor / whatever when gone"?; she
mulled, pacing quite literally on not-so-thin air.

:Usagi-san:

Her eyes flicked upwards to a great serpentine silhouette winding
through the loose tangle of heaven touching spires.

:Carl:

:Yes; replied the distinctly male mind-voice. The silvery dragon
descended upon the fearless, altered young woman, who seemed, oddly
enough, within her own realm of respite.

There was a burst of white light, a shimmer, and the mythic dragon
became a white silk shirted and black slacked short brown haired
middle-aged man. As he approached her, his foot caught upon an
unearthed root, and he paused to dislodge it, muttering something
unpleasant.

"Then why become human? I'm not afraid of your dragon form," Usagi
stated dramatically.

"Very few are," he replied as he neared her, brushing off his cotton
clad legs. "Good people have nothing to fear from me."

Her blue-eyed gaze hardened.

"What are you saying?"

"Fact. What does that tell you?"

"That I'm good?" she blinked.

His regard also hardened as hers dissolved into uncertainty.

"You don't sound terribly certain of yourself. From what I have seen,
and experienced, survival here requires great strength, whether it be
physical, or emotional."

Her mouth curled downward.

"Where is Ami?"

"I know, and for that, I also see that you are blessed most
generously, Usagi Tsukino." He paused, letting the words penetrate the
shrouding fog of her augmented mind. "Why are you avoiding my words?"

Reality was, he knew perfectly well. The excerise, as he saw it, was
merely an attempt to further prod her awareness of her unwilling
metamorphosis, as little as there might be of it.

"I don't like them," she answered promptly, and truthfully, pulling a
dramatically shortened length of pony tail over her shoulder and
wringing it in both of her delicate hands. "Why do you push me?"

"Is that how you feel?"

"Yes."

"Then I apologize."

Silence, the breathing Earth, tresses of nature flowing with each
gentle release, and calm pull. He made a similar request in
temperament:

"My turn."

"What?"

"To change the subject: Luna misses you."

She averted her eyes, and spun away, releasing the hair to which she
desperately clung - for comfort. Carl proceeded about her, seeking to
reach the confused young woman.

"She..."

"No!" she snapped, anxiety blurring her vision and rising her voice in
tone. "I don't want to talk about this!"

She was gone.

"Oh fantastic..."

---

"Luna-san," he bowed, as he entered the red and green accented
apartment-sized livingroom. A slender, purple haired woman adorned in
a black silk kimono faced and addressed him with a deep inner strain.

"Hai Carl-san?" she bowed, deeply, hands clasped together. "Do not
blame yourself. The choice was hers."

"I realize that," he stated glumly. "It is you for whom I suffer. I
know what it is to lose someone who has such an intimate connection to
your heart. Moreover, I am concerned regarding the psychological
alterations performed upon her, beyond the mystic, and physical."

"And the crystal?" she breathed expectantly.

He sighed.

"Hai. It has been embedded within her torso, placed next to her
chemically augmented heart. That much I can ascertain. I would need to
examine her to...." he fell silent.

"It is worse," she gasped, hands coming to clench upon the
island-style kitchen counter. Carl said nothing, appropriately enough,
waiting for her to speak, sensing very clearly that she would.

"Ami?"

"Sit down, please," he urged her. A roaring beast of fear lurched in
her stomach, and her face paled slightly, reading the emotional
darkness within him.

"There is a local alien intelligence that has gained the confidence of
Shyanne. When she teleported from the cave, she went to it. I
discovered Usagi just as she had frightened it off. You realize what
that means, don't you?"

Numbly, she shook her head.

"Morcanis, that's what this one is called, controls thousands of local
animals, and a mulitude of semi-intelligent monsters. For it to
actually want to avoid your friend..."

He could see that she was clearly intelligent enough to understand the
implications despite the lack of worldly experience, and thus, did not
finish his sentence.

"We don't know what has happened to Ami, but Usagi has lost the trace
of her. Optimistically, I suspect outside intervention."

"Hai. There has been."

He blinked at her.

"You know?"

"Akari and Yanei."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"Doesn't it? Who else could have known?" she quested, folding her
hands nervously in her lap.

"Awareness of her situation has nothing to do with this event."

"No, you're right. It doesn't. I just get this sense..."

"Luna-san, we will do what we can, I promise you that."

She gazed at him, expression clearly thankful.

"If I may ask, where is Artemis?" he requested softly, after a time.

"He is praying."

He nodded slowly.

"I must leave, Luna-san. If we are to locate Makoto Kino, there cannot
be more time invested here. Usagi will come to you, I am certain of
this."

She nodded, only half-believing him out of some squalid hope, eyes
closed, one hand to her mouth. Even as Carl closed the thin wooden
door behind him, he could hear Artemis' entrance into the attention,
and tending of his soulmate.

---

For some, the morning was a curse entailing sluggish movement of body
and mind. The logic: I'm Comfortable and Warm, Why Should I Get Up to
Face the Miserable World? For others: There Aren't Enough Hours In The
Day, Let's Get Moving!

Surely Nakio ascribed to the former logic, even as the caramel
coolness of the sunlit spring sky poured through her window like some
intruding wanderer. Motherhood proved to be no easier on the body, nor
the mind, and it certainly did not relent in the production of tension
and stress. It was an exchange of sorts; the troubles of child rearing
for those of her recent life, in no way proportional. There was no
mistake, however, she would no sooner give up Ayana than she would the
last seven years of her life.

After having prepared the fast-breaking meal, Nakio was joined by a
very quiet Mai and Tenma. Over the duration of the meal, it came to
her that the silence had reason.

'We must talk,' Mai issued in a hushed voice, swallowing with some
difficulty. She sipped at her drink.

Nakio merely nodded, offering no conjectures as to why. However, from
study, she was able to determine that it was about Tenma, who avoided
her gaze tenuously. There was a glazed look of pain in her eyes, and
the bags of want for sleep underneath. The blade of pain had cut
deeply, and the wound, still fresh, bled lethally. The stain of it was
evident in her body language, as she leaned forward slightly at the
table, eyes wandering, uncertain of where to settle. Mai also seemed
to have managed little in way of rest, fostering the dreary look of
useless anger and self-nullification. These expressions fell into
place in glances shared, and not, by mother and daughter.

'Come Mai, Tenma,' Nakio said, standing from the table. Mai began to
collect the plates. Nakio merely negated her.

'No. Obviously there is something much more important to deal with.'

Mai squinted in her direction, her face betraying curiosity in the
woman named Kani Nakio, even after knowing her for six years. Finally,
she set the pieces down, tapping Tenma on the shoulder, realizing she
seemed unaware of the movement.

---

Tenma wanted to sit in the dojo, noting something about safety. Nakio
arched an eyebrow at the comment, but made no remark. They made
themselves only somewhat less than comfortable on a cushion apiece,
atop the slightly raised stage of instruction.

'So who starts?' Nakio quested strictly, in her native tongue,
Japanese, wanting to cut to the quick rather than dodge the obvious.
The pain would come no matter the path of dialogue. Mai and Tenma
exchanged wistful looks, and the mother decided it would be best if
she began. As expected, Nakio understood, and was able to relate on
terms of which Mai had long term suspicions. She avoided specifics of
place and time Mai realized. As they talked, Mai slowly fell to the
wonderance of how much more of a history had Nakio that she had yet to
divulge?

Curiosity was a swift, hungry beast at this time, it seemed.

'Have you chosen whether or not to abort the child?' Nakio asked with
a faintly betraying tone of disgust. It was clear she did not condone
the idea.

'I don't want to do it,' she replied, fear and passionate fires in the
windows to her soul. Nakio set Tenma with a hard gaze of scrutiny.
'It's not the baby's fault...'

'I need to ask you something...'

Tenma choked, tears rising in her eyes.

'Sensei,' she started, recognizing the tone of command. 'What?'

'It's about you and your sister's safety.' Something not unlike
desperation shone in her voice. 'You must be strong, Tenma-san.
Please.'

Swallowing the shard of emotion down - or trying to - she blinked and
nodded.

'What did he look like?'

Memories flashed, and with them, like the deeply unsettling call of
thunder, terror beckoned. His grin was the first slide to appear upon
the white wall of calmness she had constructed in her mind. Goosebumps
rose on her forearms, she shivered vaguely, clutching her stomach,
sheer terror in her eyes.

Nakio cursed under her breath. Of course! Tenma had only buried her
feelings, unable to deal with them. It was not so much that she
expected the young woman to face them so soon, it was that she hated
to bring them forth like this. Yet, she simply had to know! Mai
reached over with a wing to shelter her, but Tenma chirped nervously
and shrunk away, not wishing to be touched.

Revulsion and abhorrence for herself were adamant. Again, she damned
her stupidity, her ignorance. She had known! Was it not true that she
tempted them like that? With her beauty? She was attractive to them,
and they smelled her like wolves, knowing which would flinch at the
hint of violence. The weak ones. She had been fooling herself,
training so hard. What had it done? Nothing!

:But you're wrong; said a voice. Tenma looked up at Nakio through her
blurred reality. :You are not weak, you are not stupid. Look at me:

Tenma shifted her wandering eyes, wiping them with the backs of her
hands.

:You see me? I am a strong woman. I was entrapped and owned like an
animal. Yet I am alive. I survived, fell in love, gave birth to Ayana:

'But you are stronger than I am,' Tenma said, forlorn. Mai assumed as
expression of complete loss. She squinted again at Nakio, adding a
touch of accusation to the already suspicious glare.

'Mama-san! We're back!' called a familiar voice.

'Mama! Mama!' cried a girl of only six years age, scrambling up to
Nakio with no end of enthusiasm. She hopped into her lap, holding a
small crimson silk swathed box in both hands.

'Look wha' I got!'

:Looks like we'll have to finish this later; Nakio offered with
genuine remorse to both Mai and Tenma.

Saying nothing, they merely nodded, Mai with a concealed flash of
shock.

'Hey, are we interrupting something?' Kai asked as she approached the
seated four, worry skewing her pleasant smile. 'If we are, I can take
Ayana and we'll scuttle off and grab supper...'

'No Kai, that's alright,' Nakio said, then returned to the 'appraisal'
of her little girl's new necklace. 'Did you have a good time at the
mall sweetheart?'

The little gem of Nakio's soul beamed a smile and indicated cherrily
some of the things she had seen and how nice cousin Kai had been.
While this was not a literal relation, it was one certainly attributed
to their intimacy in friendship. Nakio smiled in reply and hugged her
daughter with immeasurable warmth and love.

'I'm glad you had fun. Next time we can all go, and see the ponies,
okay?'

'Oooh! Ponies!' she replied, her earth-brown eyes glittering with
anticipation. 'Yeah!'

'Sis', we need to talk.'

'Wha...' As Kai caught the seriousness of her face, she stated, 'Okay,
but I could seriously use a cup of tea right now. It's been a hectic
afternoon.'

'I've got it,' Mai decreed, getting to her feet with a twinge in her
back. 'I guess I won't be doing that again for awhile,' she sighed,
pushing at her back with the palm of one hand and indicating her
formerly cross-legged seating position with the other.

'That makes two of us,' Nakio agreed, shooing Ayana away for a moment
and following Mai's lead. As they separated, the twins together, and
then Nakio, Mai, and Ayana, Mai commented wryly:

'You've got a bit of explaining to do.'

Nakio nodded soberly, her fire-haired girl hanging from her arm.

---

While Tenma headed off to her room, where she told Kai they would
talk, Kai had proceeded to the open kitchen where Mai had apparently
immersed herself completely in aforementioned task. Watching her,
concern took the forefront.

'Mom?'

She started, dropping a mug into the sink. The descent was accompanied
by the sharp, harsh shattering of ceramics. Mai gazed dully at Kai,
looking tense and on edge.

'Gomen nasai!' Kai apologized quickly, approaching her. 'I didn't mean
to scare you.'

Mai clearly her throat uneasily.

'No,' she replied, offering no denial. 'It's alright. I'm just tired.
I'll be fine.' She grasped for the shards in the sink, gathering them
slowly into her palm.

'There's something wrong with Tenma, isn't there?'

Mai gasped, taking in a mouthful of air suddenly. She clutched at her
left index finger and winced faintly. Kai responded on a reflexive
thought, retrieving the first aid kit and urging her mother to sit so
she could bandage the cut.

'It's nothing,' Mai protested weakly. 'It'll stop bleeding on it's
own.'

'Will you, though, Mom?' Kai parried carefully. 'I know I haven't been
around for awhile, and I don't know what's been going on lately,
but...' Her eyes met her mother's, letting the dressed finger go.
'I've missed you.'

Mai was silent for a thoughtful moment.

'I've missed you too,' she issued warmly, then exhaled slowly. 'Honey,
I can't tell you what happened to Tenma. You're supposed to talk to
her aren't you? Isn't she waiting?'

'Yes, but I'm worried about you too,' and her face screwed up in a
worried look. 'What then? Is it Nakio?'

Something like shock took Mai for a moment. Of course, that was her
concern. What could she tell her? That her sensei was... what? She
really failed in mustering a specific concept regarding the matter of
her somewhat enigmatic friend. Over the years, since the beginning, it
had ceased to matter... until now. Mai stood and walked over to the
home brewed herbal tea she had prepared. Automatically, she retrieved
a quad of mugs and began pouring some into each.

'Mama-san?'

'I'm sorry baby, but I... I don't know yet.'

'I understand," she sighed. "You will tell me, right?'

Turning, she handed two of the mugs to Kai.

'Hai.'

'Alright,' she half-smiled, kissed her lightly on the cheek, and left
without a backward glance. Questions swirled anew in Kai as she
proceeded to meet her sister.

:So what is it? What's is going on? Is Nakio hiding something? What
could it be?: The only answer came: Anything. Not easily, mind you,
but it was indeed possible. And since having attended college and
being away for two years, Kai felt that her awareness of the situation
in total was slight at best. A week at home just wasn't enough to give
her an accurate sense of the undertones of interaction that had
developed over those pair of years.

'Tenma?' she called into the room.

'Hai!' a voice replied. 'Come in.'

Her hair was thin and wet, and she had changed into a - Kai blinked -
maternity dress? Gazing at her, Tenma's face registered nigh coldness,
and a partial frown.

'So what was it you wanted to talk about?' Kai asked gently, very
aware of her sister's defensive mannerisms. The answer, however, was
made quite obvious.

'So what's his name?'

'Kai... it's... I...' she swallowed a chunk of lava into her stomach,
for it burned inside her as the emotions swirled within. 'I was
raped.'

Everything Kai had felt to be true about her sister, the stalwart, the
strong, the column of confidence, shattered like an ice sculpture
under the violent throe of a rock slide. Tenma's words held an
uncertainty for sympathy, aware of the remoteness Kai had walled about
herself.

Kai found herself trembling, feeling as though slapped.

'Tenma!' she cried softly, reaching for her sister.

Silence offered itself to them, and was accepted in part, aside from
their faint, autonomic breathing.

'It scares me to see you so... so scared.' Kai admitted with
Time-wrought hesitance.

Tenma only shook her head.

'You can't dwell on it, sis'. Really. You've go to move on... forget
the assh...'

'Kai! You don't have to swear!' Tenma snapped abruptly, interrupting
with round eyes.

'Since when did that start bothering you?'

Tenma refused an answer, feeling vague, and uncertain.

'I guess it doesn't matter. Why are you wearing this?' she pinched and
tugged at the light blue dress in a pair of fingers. 'You don't start
to show for several months... Um, how long has it been?'

'Only a couple weeks,' she admitted, eyes downcast. 'But I am...
feel,' she took her sister's hand, pressed it to her stomach, and held
her there for a time.

Aghast and awestruck, she pulled back.

'Tenma-chan... how...'

'I don't know.'

'This is what you were talking about with Mama and Nakio.'

She nodded.

'Nakio's psychic. She talked to me in my mind.'

'You need to see Osaka,' Kai decided gravely.

'Who's that?'

'A person I met on campus.'

'What about Mama?'

'Well, hai, of course after we tell her,' she replied with an ashamed
smirk. She got to her feet. 'I've got to change. We'll go talk to Mom
afterwards, okay?'

'Umm, I suppose.'

---

'I apologize, Mai-san,' Nakio began, setting herself down at the table
aside the light of the window in the kitchen.

Mug and plate of sweets in hand, the recipient of the apology refused
the offer as she accompanied Nakio, sitting opposite her. Ayana had
decided that her mother was not likely to entertain her, and had
departed, seeking just that. Nakio warned her not to interrupt Kai and
Tenma, explaining to the young girl that they wanted to be alone. She
had smiled, understanding, and trotted off.

'She's so bright, Nakio. Even at six she understands so much,' Mai
observed, eyes catching the empty doorway through which she had
exited.

'Hai,' Nakio calmly agreed, sipping at her tea slowly. The warmth
filled her throat, drew forth a thread of tension from her and untying
a pair of knots in her neck. Mai's earth toned eyes drifted back from
the doorway, and halted on Nakio, gauging and considering her.

'Why didn't you tell me you were psychic?' Her voice was serene,
gentle, and deadly. She held the protective fear and instinct of any
mother, and though she cared about Nakio, it was plain that the former
needs would take precedence over their friendship. Nakio shared these
feelings, knowing them, reading them in the woman's eyes.

'Mai, I am here to protect the twins, not harm them.'

'For your sake,' she replied coolly, a dark fire in her face. 'I hope
so.'

:It's well beyond time now to tell her; advised a voice within.

:I realize that. But she's not going to like that I've deceived her
for so long; she replied wistfully.

'Nakio... Or is that your real name?' The hardness in her voice hurt,
and Nakio winced as if struck.

'No, Mai-san. Forgive me. It is not.'

Mai's glare did not soften.

'I am Kino Makoto. I don't know if you've heard of the...'

'Bishojo Sailor Senshi....' The tension eased in an odd manner. She'd
heard about their disappearance. Everyone had. Yet even as she said
the words, only then did the remainder of the facts fall into place.
There was a rumor one of them had returned, but...

'You've been here for seven years Makoto. You've only been missing for
a couple of weeks... How is that possible?'

'I don't know. I guess Phate knows what she's doing.'

'Phate? What do you mean?'

'I'll explain.'

'Okay, but what about Kai? You're going to have a hard time explaining
that to her.'

'Well, it's not going to be any easier than this...' her words jammed
firmly in her throat, constricting thought has much as her vocal
instrumentation, '...but I guess it's got to be done.'

Makoto's tension tripled as a stark thought raised its fearsome head
and glared upon her with glowering spheres of yellow light.

'How do you know? Kai and I weren't friends long enough to...'

'No...' It was Mai's turn for guilt. 'But Kai knows people. It's not
my place to tell you, but she can. If she knew who you were, she would
have already...'

She nodded slightly in reply.

'Um, do you mind if I ask what happened?'

'No. I guess it doesn't matter now anyway, since we're pulling all the
stops. I was captured by a lion youma, who took the us and sent us
away from this world. It is a long story Mai-sama.' A long restrained
fatigue penetrated the usually tempered look she wore with such
deliberation. 'There is so much... and to relate it all...'

Mai shook her head.

'It's alright Makoto. Just tell me... what... Where did you go? How
did you fall in love?'

The request faded into oblivion as Makoto began speaking. The
encapsulation passed with several pots of tea, lunch, and the delicate
darkening of the midsummer sky into the early evening. Makoto
illustrated the violent nature of the future Earth. She elaborated on
the Coalition and their Communist-style attempts, and frequent
successes, in rebuilding a society dominated by their order. She spoke
of her experiences, her capture - Mai pointed out the reference to the
story she had told Tenma - her life as a Cyber-Knight, being hunted by
the Coalition. Through a bout of tears she spoke of Hanlan, of her
love for him, and the emptiness in her soul, which delivered the
finest charred slivers of agony every moment she did not distract
herself from the situation at hand.

Makoto did not speak of Marlanda, and deliberately failed to mention
the ancient who had saved her from the Slaver and former CEO of Neo
Tech Industries. She did, however, tell the story of Phate, and what
had been her bidding.

Rapt, unable to conceive the majority of the events told, Mai sat, and
having already wept for her, was silent.

'This woman - so beautiful, so, so...' she paused, lost in the
recollection. 'She was so outrageously sensual that it was more of a
feeling than a look. She called herself "Phate," and she wanted -
well, it was really simple. She just wanted me to prove myself. She
said that she was impressed by my fighting ability, but said that I
could be better.'

Answering Mai's curious expression, Makoto said:

'It was really crazy. I thought it was a dream. Even a nightmare would
have been suitable. It wasn't though, and Phate proved that to me
pretty quickly. She has little tolerance for ignorance. I stayed for a
few months, training under her, and then she just... sent me here.'

'Why?'

'To protect the twins.'

A quizzical look washed over Mai's face.

'I don't honestly know. It's been so long that I can hardly see the
point, but... she's never been wrong.' Makoto stated with a tone of
finality.

'Pardon? Don't you mean "hasn't been wrong before"?'

Makoto shook her head firmly, saying nothing as she stood slowly.
'Mai... are you up to cooking, or should I?'

Mai blinked. 'Um, if you don't mind...?'

She smiled faintly, 'I don't.'

Makoto began running a sink of dishwater as Mai turned to leave.

'I'm going to check on the twins,' she stated softly.

'Hai,' she replied, not looking at her.

'Makoto?'

The tone of her voice drew Makoto's eyes upwards, her gaze somewhat
expectant.

'Darling Mako-san, thank you. For your honesty,' and she departed with
an endearing glance. Makoto sighed, left with the frustrations of
ignorance. What next?

:She did take it awfully well; Ellison pointed out.

:I suppose; was the morose reply. For once, Makoto's ancient rune
weapon could not muster a response. At least she would not have to
trouble Ayana with the nonsense of her fake identity. She was at such
an age that details like those would affect her minimally - or so she
thought. With this obstacle cleared, what would come next? The idea of
Ayana growing up never knowing her father frightened Makoto deeply.

'Mama-san?' Her voice was soft, thick with concern. 'Are you okay
Mama?'

Tears jumped to her eyes, she turned and scooped the little girl into
her arms, hugging her tightly. Alarmed and frightened, she yelped.

'Mama-san! Why are you crying?' her bell of a voice pleaded. 'Are you
hurt?'

Beyond her own pain, Makoto became vaguely aware of a difference in
her little girl. Her voice, her weight. She distinctly felt heavier.
The tears halted. It was not just a matter of an additional five
pounds over a few weeks. The difference was nearly five pounds in just
a few hours!

'Mama-san? Are you okay?' she entreated of her mother with her
startlingly sharp brown eyes.

'Hai Ayana sweetie,' Makoto lied, heading towards the nearest
bathroom. 'I'm fine.'

'But you were crying. Are you hurt?'

:By Phate's word, what do I say?: 'I was just worried about you.'

'Mama-san... I know. It's okay. Papa-san is here.'

She nearly fell forward as she set Ayana on the scale. Her heart
paused for a preplanned action, and as she gazed unbelieving at her
child, resumed. She landed on one knee, wincing faintly.

'Ayana... Papa-san is gone.'

She shook her little head eagerly with a pleasant smile.

'No Mama-san. He's here!'

:Ellison?:

:She's right. Your wedding ring. Get it:

:But...:

:Don't argue with me child!; Ellison snapped impatiently.

'Ayana, can you tell Mama how you know about Papa-san?' she asked
gently, striding at an alarming pace towards her bedroom.

'Hai. I felt him,' she replied matter-of-factly, extremely proud of
herself.

Thoughts flew through her mind. Ayana weighed too much for a five year
old now. Almost sixty pounds. Enough for an above average height eight
year old. She was psychic and she recognized Hanlan's psychic
presence. Well, as Makoto was so powerful, from being a Sailor Senshi
as much as a Cyber Knight, it made sense. Like mother, like daughter.
The first part, however, bothered her. Why was she growing like this?
Nothing she had read during her training mentioned anything like this.
Besides, she was not on Rifts Earth any longer.

'Stay here,' she bid, fading into her room, collecting her silver and
ruby dove ring, and returning only a moment later.

:Hanlan; she thought, reaching out with her consciousness.

Silence.

'No Mama-san, he's busy,' Ayana explained.

A confused and surprised glance suffused Makoto's expression.

'What? Doing what?'

'Saving Tenma-chan.'

'Oh my Goddess...' she took Ayana in her arms and dashed straight to
the dojo, expecting Mai to be there.

'Where's Mai?' she asked herself.

'Outside,' Ayana replied, her voice sounding distant, vacant.

Makoto's fear carried her thoughts while she strained with child in
arm as her feet carried her body at full stride.