CHIBI REI
As Usagi made her way to the jinja the skies
opened up and sent their rains in torrents.
Lightening blazed to its destination and the
loud peals of thunder that followed it,
terrified her. The wind picked up and buffeted
at anything remotely loose, especially her long
hair and doomed umbrella.
She began to shiver uncontrollably in
deep-seated fear and decided finally on an all
out run. Loud, vicious storms reminded her
vaguely of Queen Beryl's nightmarish storm of
destruction on the Moon Kingdom, though she'd
never tell anyone.
She was drenched and chilled by the time she
arrived to the courtyard. A statue of a flaming
dragon sat on a pedestal left of the first step,
and faced a silent deer that sat upon a pedestal
to the right of the first step. They signaled
the entrance to the Hikawa Jinja. They lit up
eerily in the flashes of lightening. She
shuddered involuntarily.
Usagi had only the long assent up the jinja
steps to go, and thought smugly even Rei
wouldn't have the heart to turn away someone in
this condition!
Usagi's heart pounded, and her lungs burned
as her breaths came in pants of exertion. She
sneezed softly as she raced up the last of
those cursed stairs and under the jinja arches.
Usagi knocked gingerly on the heavy wooden
door at first, but wondered if she could be
heard over the storm. She knocked louder,
sneezed again, and when there was still no
answer, she raised her foot to use it. Then the
door suddenly opened, and Grandpa's very bald
head stuck out.
Grandpa's eyes narrowed when he realized it
was one of Rei's friends that shivered at his
door.
"You don't listen very well do you!" he
sighed.
"Nope, I never obey Rei's wishes," she
answered with a giggle and a bright smile.
Grandpa sighed again as Usagi sneezed once
more.
"Come in, child, before you catch cold. There
are towels in the closet next to the master
bathroom, go get dry and freshen up. Rei is in
her room... maybe you can get through to her."
Usagi deposited her wet backpack on the
floor, put the umbrella in the receptacle near
the door, and shed her sopping shoes next to
it. She rescued the carefully packed origami
cranes and tied it temporarily around her neck.
Her socks made soggy tracks across the floor as
she cheerfully found the promised closet.
Yuuichiro was nowhere to be seen, and Usagi
noticed as she passed his room on the way to
the washroom, that it had been cleared out.
The Shinto jinja had a traditional bathroom.
The changing room was separate from the
bathroom, and had a not so traditional
washer/dryer, and a sink with a mirror and
medicine cabinet. The bathroom had a shower
area to rinse off grime, and a traditional
furo, to soak and relax in, which was heated by
a wood fire. The benjo was in yet another room.
Rei had her private bathroom built in the
Western tradition, but it was the traditional
bathroom changing area that Usagi headed for.
"Eeep, I look like Luna after a bath!"
Usagi let her miserable excuse for odangos
out and dried her hair. She reached into her
purse she retrieved her brush and used it, and
didn't bother to put her hair back into its
usual style.
Her nipples were visible through her wet
white button up blouse and white lace bra. Her
short pink cotton skirt was plastered around
her firm hips. She manifested her powers and
dried herself the rest of the way off.
Usagi scrounged through the medicine cabinet
and found a thermometer, then located a bowl
and filled it with cold water. She smiled
wickedly. Rei hated to be fussed over. She wet a
washcloth, and proceeded carefully to Rei's room
with her treasures. She balanced everything in
her left hand, and quietly slid the door open
with her right hand.
Rei faced the wall and lay on her side with
her knees pulled up in a tight fetal position,
her arms were clinched around her stomach. Her
body shook silently as she cried and sniffled.
If she was aware of Usagi's presence, she gave
no indication of it.
Usagi wrinkled her nose at the odor of
alcohol, and looked in the garbage can near
Rei's study desk. She saw Yuuichiro's
prescription sleeping pills, and an empty liter
bottle of Nikki Yoichi whisky. Usagi hung the
senbazuru string over Rei's desk.
Dammit, Rei, you just can't ask for help, can
you? Grandpa will be so peeved if he finds out
about your little binge.
Usagi set the bowl noiselessly down on the
floor and knelt by Rei's futon. She shook her
head slightly as she shook the mercury down in
the thermometer. It didn't take a rocket
scientist to figure out what had happened. The
question was why.
Usagi hoped Rei had just borrowed Yuuichiro's
trashcan. She decided to give Rei the benefit
of the doubt and leaned over her friend.
"Rei," she whispered, and brushed damp bangs
away from her forehead. She pressed a palm
against it, and hoped she had a fever. She was
warm. Usagi swore softly to her self.
"How many pills did you take?"
Rei turned her head slightly to regard her
intruder. Great. It's her... Kami, why did she
have to come!
Rei groaned softly.
"Jussstaffyoo." She slurred.
Rei's lips trembled as they parted to speak,
and Usagi gently slipped the thermometer under
her tongue. She cupped Rei's chin in her right
palm and closed Rei's mouth effectively around
the glass, as her friend began to protest.
Usagi, wagged the pointer finger of her left
hand in Rei's red, tear streaked face.
"Uh-uh, it's rude to speak with your mouth
full, young lady!"
She mocked and grinned evilly, she reached for
a wrist to count her pulse. It was very slow and
weak, but stable. She took her car keys out of
her purse, which had a penlight attached to the
key ring, and checked Rei's pupil response.
She heaved a sigh of relief. I think she will
be all right! If she had not been a senshi,
though, she would be dead.
Rei's dark amethyst eyes glared daggers back
at Usagi.
Usagi's response was to lean forward, smile,
and place a warm gentle kiss on her senshi's
sweaty forehead while she stroked ebony strands
of hair from her hot wet face.
Rei closed her eyes when she felt those soft
lips and gentle touches. Her blood began to heat
curiously, and she blushed hotly. A strange calm
washed over her. Why does she affect me this
way! I shouldn't feel this way. Usa, please
don't... kiss me... you don't know what you do
to me.
Usagi placed the cool wet washcloth on Rei's
forehead and took a deep breath and let it out
slowly in an attempt to control her own
tumultuous emotions.
"Rei," Usagi began, "you are such an enigma.
The woman that you have become is beautiful,
self-assured, intensely focused, a consummate
warrior, and immensely talented. I admire you so
much, and I believe in you. Up to now, I have
trusted your judgment implicitly."
Usagi paused briefly.
"I also know there is also a part of you that
is a small, frightened, very angry, hurt little
girl. It is the latter I would like to address."
Usagi removed the thermometer, glanced at it,
and set it on the floor. It indicated 99.8
degrees.
"You are warm, but it's probably from being so
upset. I would have been surprised if you let a
flu bug keep you from a meeting. That means
something else bothers you... whatever it is, I
refuse to let you die because of it."
She squeezed her friend's right hand with her
own.
Rei pulled her hand away and spoke slowly.
"Please leave, Usa. I don't want to be
rescued. No one can help me, anyway, not even
you... and I hate thermometers. I'm tired,
Usa... so very, very tired. I'm tired of hard
work all of the time, tired of bare cabinets,
tired of fighting the war inside me, and around
me. I can't win, Usagi. Just let me die in
peace!"
Usagi smiled a toothy grin and set the now
warm compress into the bowl.
"You know, Rei, if you really wanted to commit
suicide there are much more effective means,
like strychnine. You may wish you could die
before long, but you're not likely to."
Usagi dimpled cheerfully.
"But for all your troubles, you'll probably be
one sick puppy with a whopper of a hangover. For
my troubles, I'll most likely receive verbal
abuse and get thrown up on! The thermometer kept
you quiet for a few minutes while I checked to
see whether or not you needed an ambulance."
Rei managed a weak rueful smile of her own,
then muttered.
"I really hate you. As a nurse, you have a
lousy bedside manner, and as a friend you are
pathetic. And now you probably think you've
earned the right to be nosey, hmmm?"
Usagi ignored the barbs.
"I think ultimately as your boss I am entitled
to a proper explanation for a cancelled senshi
meeting called by you."
Usagi pointed out.
"I'd personally like to know if you have had
any success with the identity of the 'Gate
keeper' mentioned in Valka's Scrolls of Toro
through your fire Kami."
Rei turned her head back towards the wall in
dismissal. She didn't want Usagi to know how
frightened she really felt, so she replied
rudely, "No. Please go, now."
Tears pricked Usagi's eyes.
"As your friend, I will not leave here 'till I
get to the bottom of this. You don't have to
carry your burdens alone, Rei, I am here for
you, please trust me.
If you need help at the jinja to make life
easier for you, the senshi will help you. You
are going to have to be a little more tolerant
of our mistakes, though." She whispered as she
rubbed Rei's broad back soothingly.
"Please don't shut me out, Rei. I care so
much about your well being and your happiness."
Rei's head pounded and she began to feel
queasy as the room slowly spun. Sickened, she
swallowed hard, and closed her eyes in
resignation. Who could resist Usagi's sincerity.
Rei sighed audibly.
"I don't have much of a choice, do I,
Princess? I can't hide from you anyway."
Usagi smiled, stood, and stretched before she
settled cross-legged on the futon next to Rei.
She had rolled onto her stomach, brought herself
closer to the wall, and left room for her
friend.
"Yuuichiro has gone for good, hasn't he?"
Usagi asked gently.
Rei still faced the wall and her dark hair
fell like a blanket over her back. It partially
hid her face, but Usagi could see as Rei gave an
almost imperceptible nod.
"What would cause him to finally give up on a
relationship with you?" She prodded.
Rei spoke slowly, as she fought the effects of
the pills and the half-liter or so of whiskey.
"He wanted children, Usa... his own children.
I couldn't give him any, so he left."
Usagi's heart already ached, and now it began
to hurt.
"Why can't you have any children, Rei-chan?"
She questioned very softly. Usagi laid her hand
on Rei's shoulder and squeezed it slightly.
Rei buried her face into her pillow and cried
with heart-wrenching sobs.
"I just... can't," her scream muffled by the
pillow. Oh please don't make me tell you. I
don't want you to treat me differently.
Usagi felt her friend's pain, and her own
tears began to fall. She put an arm around her
senshi.
"Yes, you can. Let it out, Rei. Nothing you
tell me will ever leave this room, I promise.
It will help you feel better, too."
"No."
Rei wept bitterly for a long time. The only
recognizable word spoken was 'mom'.
Usagi felt helpless.
Rei finally rolled onto her side to face
Usagi, but her eyes were squeezed tightly shut,
her face looked like mint toothpaste, as she
fought to control her nausea. She clutched her
stomach with her arms and drew her knees up.
Usagi watched as Rei's stomach lurched. Oh no,
there was no way Rei would make it to her toilet
in time... she was too groggy.
"My stomach hurts." Rei whimpered. Her lips
trembled as she wet them.
I'll bet, Usagi thought as she mopped Rei's
brow with a gentle hand.
"Try to calm down, it's alright."
Usagi got up quickly as Rei started to retch
and pulled the bag out of Rei's garbage can and
brought the empty can over to the futon.
"Hang on, Rei!"
Usagi helped Rei to sit up and supported her
with an arm around the small of her back. Usagi
held Rei's hair out of the way with her other
hand, while Rei held the trash can and emptied
her stomach.
Rei dry heaved, then leaned heavily on Usagi,
and tried to catch her breath. Rei trembled
like a frightened child.
It looked to Usagi as though the Miko hadn't
eaten in a while. She set the trashcan within
reach of her friend and proceeded to clean her
face and mouth off with the washcloth. She
wrapped her arms around her sick friend.
Rei stiffened, and blushed in her friend's
arms. Kami, how can she possibly want to touch
me right now!
"Thank you. I'm sorry, Usa... "
Usagi rubbed Rei's washboard abs gently as
tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Shhhh, its alright sweetheart I'm not
offended, you can't help your sickness, please
don't be embarrassed. Can't you understand by
now, Rei, that there's nothing you could
possibly do to make me love you any less? Not
anything!
It is I who should apologize. You're right,
Rei, I am pathetic as a friend."
Usagi cleared a lump out of her throat.
"I failed you the minute you couldn't trust
me enough with your turmoil to come and talk to
me. You made an emotional decision based on your
hopelessness. You probably felt death was your
only recourse. I don't blame you for anything,
and I'm so sorry I let you down."
Usagi was crying now.
"I could have lost you, today, Rei, and that
scares me to death. I... I would have never
forgiven myself if that happened!"
Rei sighed, and knew that Usagi had every
right to be angry... but her princess had chosen
forgiveness instead. Usagi had laid the blame
upon herself and had pardoned her.
Usagi's soft words, and touches worked like a
balm on a wound that festered. Her tears fell
warmly and washed across her own soul.
"Don't cry, 'Sagi. You didn't fail me, I
failed myself and you." She murmured.
Rei felt warm and loved... as though she
belonged there in Usagi's arms. She began to
relax and actually snuggled deeper into Usagi's
embrace. Rei wondered if her mother had been as
tender... she had needed someone like her
princess as she grew up. Someone to be a
shugotenshi... a Guardian Angel.
Usagi held her senshi close and pressed her
cheek against her friend's forehead. She rubbed
Rei's back slowly and ever so gently, as she
contemplated.
Chibi Rei needed to deal with a lot of
serious issues... and Usagi was determined to be
the one to help her.
"Rei-chan, what does your mother have to do
with your inability to have children? Talk to
me about Chibi Rei, Miko-sama."
With her head buried in Usagi's neck, Rei
basked in the comfort of the warm gentle
embrace a few minutes longer. Then Rei finally
began to open up... much to Usagi's relief.
"You're right, Usagi, I need to talk about my
past with someone. I probably should have
confided in you a long time ago. The Kami know
you've proven your trustworthiness time and
time again. I didn't think anyone needed to
know because the past is in the past. I didn't
want any of you to feel sorry for me. I don't
need, or want, anybody's pity. Obviously,
though, old unresolved wounds can surface in
the present, and can cause some pretty stupid
decisions to be made."
Rei smiled when Usagi hugged her tighter.
"Thank you, Rei, this means more to me than
you could know." Usagi said quietly.
"Without trust, love can not grow, and a
relationship is impossible. I am who I am
because of the trust my senshi put in me. The
ginsuishou brought all of us together, because
all of your senshi star seeds are bound to it.
But our love and trust for one another is what
allows us to be such a formidable team. It is
what makes us unique in this universe. And
right now I want Chibi Rei to know, that she
can put her trust in me, and never doubt my
love for her!"
Rei relented.
"All right princess, I'll let Chibi Rei tell
you her story."
* * *
She wet her lips and cleared her throat a
little.
"After I was born, my Mom had a lot of
miscarriages. I got the distinct impression
that somehow it was my fault by the way my
father would look at me, and it made me feel
guilty. Then, when I was about five and a half,
she finally carried a baby past the first few
months. One day my Mother told me she needed to
go to the hospital... it was time to give birth
to my baby brother, Megumi."
Her tears started to flow again, but Rei
continued shakily.
"But something went terribly wrong, there was
sooo, much blood."
Rei choked.
"They couldn't stop the hemorrhaging and
sh... she died. Megumi lived only about three
days."
Rei paused and took a shuddered breath.
"After that, my Dad started to drink heavily,
and began to change. He was embittered, and
very definitely didn't want to take care of a
child... especially a girl."
Usagi caressed Rei's cheek and stroked her
raven locks gently.
Rei paused a moment, hesitant to continue,
but Usagi's tender touch won.
"What happened, Rei-chan?" Usagi asked,
softly.
"At first the changes were small. He said
that since Mom was gone, I would have a lot
more chores to do. So I cleaned dishes,
separated laundry, and did whatever housework
he wanted done. I'd be punished if I didn't
meet his standards.
Dad had to leave early for work, and he would
wake me before he left. So I had to get myself
ready for school on my own. I poured my own
cereal, dressed, and caught the bus for school.
Everyday."
Usagi stared at her. "You were only five!"
"No, I was six by then." Rei said, and
sniffled.
"He always told me I was just a worthless
girl, good only for menial labor, and it was
never too early to learn how to please a man. He
would often tell me he wished it had been me who
died instead of my brother because a son meant
something. A son could carry on the family name,
and be someone important that he could be proud
of."
She paused and cleared her tight throat.
"One day, when I was around nine, my Dad came
into my room. He stank of alcohol, and he woke
me roughly."
Rei shuddered as she remembered, and fought
suddenly with another bout of nausea.
"He started to touch my chest and in between
my legs, he wanted to show me the only other
thing a girl was good for. Since he was stuck
with me, he... he needed me to pleasure him the
way Mom used to do. He told me I would learn to
enjoy it."
Usagi felt sick, too, as she watched Rei grab
the wastebasket and heave stomach acids into it.
"Didn't you tell anyone?"
Rei shook her head, and lifted an ashen face
to look at her.
"I wanted to, but who would have believed me
over Senator Hino, the great political genius...
Tokyo's brightest hope for the future? He
promised me if I ruined his political career, he
would find a way to kill me. I believed him."
Rei said bitterly.
"I did want to die, though, and told him so...
once. He beat me for my insolence... but not
where anyone could see. He was really careful
about that.
Soon after my mother had died, I dreamt the
same dream over and over again and heard a voice
that sounded like hers in it. She told me I had
to stay alive... so I did. I never exposed
Senator Hino for what he had become."
Usagi swallowed another lump in her throat
painfully, somehow she knew that the dreams were
probably because of future senshi duties.
Usagi's voice had a tremor in it as she spoke
softly.
"Oh Rei, I wish I could wave a magic wand and
turn back the hands of time so I could save your
Mom! Your dad was very wrong, your life never
has been, nor ever will be useless or worthless.
You are precious and you mean everything to me!
I don't know what I would do without you, and I
don't ever want to find out.
I know he's your father, but I hope he was put
in jail and they threw away the key!"
Rei smiled a little before she continued.
"There was a big snow storm when I was ten,
almost eleven, and school had been cancelled.
Maybe you remember it. Well, my father
expected me to shovel the snow off the steps,
sidewalk, and driveway before he came home. It
was really cold out, but I found if worked fast
enough, I could break a sweat. I got tired,
though, and I felt sore all over, especially my
hands. The cold had started to affect my
performance, so I went back inside to warm up,
put band aids on my blistered hands, and eat
something. Then I went back out to finish off
the sidewalk.
Soon after I went back out, my father came
home and stank of 'happy hour'. He was in an
unusually surly funk, and complained loudly
about jerks who couldn't drive in snow... as he
climbed out of his car, drunk.
He had come home early and before I had
finished my task. His face was livid with
drunken rage and he snatched my shovel from me.
I was terrified he would hit me with it.
Instead, he handed me a grocery bag and ordered
me into the house to go start dinner while he
finished the job.
When he came in, his rage erupted and he beat
me mercilessly. I was too wiped out to offer
myself any protection and I could feel my bones
crack. I passed out.
When I came to consciousness, I was in my bed,
and he was... on top of me, hurting me inside.
I was too tired, and in too much pain to care.
I passed out again."
Usagi shuttered. She knew what that felt like,
and Rei had only been a child! She squeezed
Rei's hand to encourage her to continue.
"Early in the morning as usual, just before he
left for work, he shouted through my door to
wake up. When I didn't answer, he came in to
force the issue. When he saw me, he stopped. He
told me I couldn't go to school for a few days,
and he called the school to tell them I was
sick.
He told me he would deal with me later and
warned me I was not to let anyone in. Then he
left me.
I felt so alone and I hurt so badly. I started
to feel sick to my stomach after a while and
when I threw up blood, I knew I needed help. I
dishonored my father and crawled to the phone
and managed to call 911, I think I told them I
got hit by a car... before everything went
black."
Rei paused and wet her dry lips.
Usagi felt a strange desire to kiss them
tenderly, but refrained.
Rei swallowed hard and continued.
"When I woke up, I was in the hospital and my
Grandpa bent over me. He told me nobody would
ever leave me alone, or hurt me ever again. I
didn't believe him. I knew my father would find
me and come for me. Then he would take me home
and beat me, just like always, whenever he
found me somewhere other than home.
Only this time I was sure he would kill me
because I had gone to the hospital behind his
back. If the hospital staff hadn't bought my
'car accident on the way to school story', my
father's political career could definitely be
damaged."
Rei brushed a stray tear from Usagi's cheek.
"Grandpa tried to assure me that wouldn't
happen. He promised, when I felt better, I
would go to live with him at the Hikawa Jinja,
and he would never let my father take me away.
I wanted to believe him with all my heart."
Rei swallowed hard again, and fought a new
wave of nausea.
"The nurse came in then. She told me I would
be there for a while. She said I was very, very
sick with internal injuries, broken bones, and
I had some... other infections, she didn't know
how I had pulled through. She called me a
miracle. I remember how glad I felt that I was
so sick, because I felt safe there."
Rei grabbed the garbage can and dry heaved
uselessly into it.
Usagi rubbed her back to try and soothe her.
When Rei finished, she laid her dizzy,
painful head back onto Usagi's shoulder. She
closed her eyes, and continued.
"While I was there, I was seen by
pediatricians, psychologists, psychiatrists,
and 'specialists'. I think your mom was there,
too... I don't remember ever being the center
of so much attention before, or after.
When I was better, one of the specialists,
who had examined me while I was there, came to
talk with me. She told me she was really sorry,
but in her professional opinion, I had suffered
a considerable amount of scar tissue damage to
my cervix and uterus. It would probably be very
difficult for me to bear children, especially
given my Mother's history for miscarriages."
Rei took a shuddered breath.
"When I was released, Grandpa took me to the
Hikawa Jinja, as promised, and the years of
Shinto 'purification for incest' began. When I
asked him why my father hadn't come for me,
Grandpa told me the district police had arrested
him. I told Grandpa that I hadn't mentioned even
once that it had been my father who had beaten
me.
Grandpa said the evidence had been
overwhelming against my father. When the test
results came back positive for the rapes, it
literally put nails in his coffin. When I was
thirteen he, was executed. You know the rest."
Usagi was in shock when Chibi Rei's story
ended, she let her tears fall and mingle with
Rei's.
"I didn't realize your father was dead, Rei."
"It's ok, Usa, really. I don't want anyone
else to know for now, though, just you."
* * *
Usagi could feel Rei's body sag heavily
against her. She was weak and exhausted. She
placed the trashcan on the floor and reluctantly
lowered her friend's weary head onto the pillow
with a sigh. She felt strangely warm and good
inside when she held Rei. She stroked her ebony
bangs gently from her forehead.
"I'll be right back, Rei-chan."
She picked up the garbage can and headed for
the toilet to dump it and clean it. Before she
left the bathroom, Usagi filled a glass with
water. Rei was barely awake when Usagi
re-entered. She put the trashcan down near the
futon.
"Rei, would you like some water?"
Rei nodded affirmatively, but eyed the cup
dubiously.
Usagi started to offer her the water, but
noticed how badly Rei trembled.
"Here, let me help you."
Usagi held her up and brought the cup to her
lips.
Rei thirstily drank all of the water and...
gagged.
Even before Usagi could put the cup down,
everything had come up. Usagi didn't have a
prayer. She laughed.
"Oops. See, what did I tell you? Look at my
shirt! See if I help you again, you ingrate!"
She saw how upset Rei was, and recanted.
"It's alright, you big silly, it's only
water!"
Usagi brushed Rei's instant tears away from
her beautiful eyes for a moment or two before
she laid her back down.
"I'm, sorry Rei-chan, you must feel really
crumby, and here I am teasing you! Maybe after
a few hours of sleep you'll feel better, and we
can try again, ne?" She kissed a wet cheek
affectionately and said softly, "I need to use
your bathroom to clean me up and the rest of
these things we used, but I'll stay with you
until you fall asleep, if you want me to."
Rei's eyelids drooped as she whispered.
"Stay."
Usagi smiled at her, knelt down next to her
futon and held her hand. Usagi watched as Rei
quickly slipped into unconsciousness and her
hand went limp in Usagi's own.
Usagi picked up the thermometer, bowl, and
washcloth. She left the trashcan, in case Rei
woke up and suddenly needed it. She went into
Rei's private bathroom and closed the door
with her hip.
She laid her back against the door for a
minute or so, as her thoughts swirled
chaotically in her mind. Her own head began to
pound. Kami-sama, what a life of horror for a
child! The horrors they had faced as senshi
paled in comparison.
She washed the thermometer, dried it with
isopropyl, and put it in Rei's medicine
cabinet.
All the while, she thought about the men in
Rei's life. First there was Jadeite, who had
truly loved her, but he had been taken and
mutated into a killer, there was her negligent
abusive father, Mamoru who rejected her for his
'destined princess', lastly there was Yuuichiro.
It had taken Rei three years to have the
courage to trust him in a relationship, and he
hadn't really loved her after all. She was just
a means to an end. Usagi realized why Rei was
so upset.
Oh Rei, how I wish I could be the one to fill
the void in your life, I love you so much!
Usagi removed her wet shirt, washed it out,
and hung it on an empty towel rack. She washed
out the face cloth, rung it out, and draped it
over her forearm. Usagi refilled the cup with
water, and she paused at the door to study Rei's
supine form for a moment. Her invincible body
guard suddenly seemed fragile and incredibly
vulnerable.
Usagi approached Rei's futon and set the cup
down on the floor near the trashcan. She knelt
down and used the dampened cloth to very gently
dab the tears from Rei's pale cheeks. She
carefully wiped off her sweat glistened brow,
and lastly, cleaned all the sickness away.
Usagi rolled Rei onto her side so she
wouldn't choke if she had an accident. She
noticed as if for the first time the myriad of
old faded scars on Rei's strong back. She had
always thought they were from Kendo and Jujitsu
practice.
Curious, Usagi gently pulled the bike shorts
down far enough to expose a long scar on her
abdomen near her bikini line and traced a finger
along it. Usagi fought back her tears as she
hitched the shorts back up.
Usagi went back into the bathroom to clean and
ring out the washcloth again. She hung it next
to her soiled shirt. She found a quilt on a
shelf in Rei's cupboard, and placed it around
her friend.
She kissed her cheek and said softly, "Sleep
well, I hope you feel better."
After she donned one of Rei's shirts, she left
the room quietly and went in search of Grandpa.
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