Minako's eyes shot open and she looked at Makoto like she grew a second head. She blinked a few times as the words sunk in. The words which were the wrong words. They hit her then, after sinking that thudded in the bottom of her stomach like a dead weight. She closed her eyes and took a breath, trying to sort out what this night was really about. She was so confused. Her mind was flying a mile a minute trying to put everything together. Guilt. The swing set where it happened. The act. Her eyes opened again as she figured out what Makoto brought her here for. 'She thought everything I was doing was and act brought on by guilt that I had for her taking that blow from that youma.' Her brow began to crease and her eyes began to narrow. Something in her was beginning to splinter and would snap at any moment. 'All that work I did, being so subtle, trying to show her my love, and she thought it was me being nice trying to pacify my guilt!' Her knuckles were white from gripping the chain of the swing. Makoto was aware of the emotional change happening inside of Minako. She had no idea why it was happening though. She didn't like Minako being upset and she knew she had somehow caused it. She just wanted to make things right again. She reached out and placed her hand on Minako shoulder. "Don't touch me right now Makoto." Minako's voice was very soft and very dangerous. Makoto pulled her hand back, pain evident in her eyes. She had no idea what was going on. "Mina-chan..." she whispered softly, "tell me what's wrong-" Minako looked at her as if she asked the stupidest question in the world. "What's wrong? What's wrong? What's wrong Makoto is that you won't open your eyes; that's what's wrong," she snapped. Her temper was blazing and she was trying her very best to bring it under control. Makoto was hurt and confused. It was obvious that Minako was highly angry with her. All she wanted to do was make everything better. Make everything right again. "Mina-chan if we could just talk." She paused and looked and the blonde who had her eyes closed. She was silent and Makoto took this as a sign to continue. If she could explain herself things would get better. "I know you feel guilty about me taking that blow for you from the youma and that's why you have been nice to me for the past couple of weeks. I mean you ignore all the boys and turn them down if they ask you to do anything just to be with me. I don't want to see you waste your time trying to "repay" me for what I did. It's part of being a senshi and I would do it again in a second if I had to. You need to move past this. I'll always be here for you. I'll always be your friend." She finished and watched Minako closely. She could see her temple pulsing as her jaw clenched and unclenched repeatedly. Makoto didn't head its warning and added one last thing. "I'm freeing your from what ever duty you think is owed to me." Minako bolted out of the swing and stood towering over Makoto were she sat. She was absolutely fuming. "Duty? You're freeing me from my duty?" Her eyes were blazing and her face was flushed. "That's what you thought all this time." Makoto sat in the swing stunned. She had never seen Minako this mad before. "Gods Makoto you are so dense and blind." Sarcasm was almost tangibly oozing out of her as she spoke. "Thank you so much for thinking for me and deciding you know what best. I didn't know you could read minds and I'm terribly impressed. Though what amazes me is how you could tell what I'm feeling by looking through your own eyes instead of mine. You'll have to teach me that trick someday." Makoto seemed to shrink from the onslaught. Her shoulders hunched over and she bent closer to her knees. Receiving this anger from Minako felt like her insides were being torn apart in a great void of emptiness. She visibly flinched as the biting words struck their mark. "You want to talk about an act then look at yourself Makoto. You've got one hell of a performance going on there yourself. What's in your hand Makoto, cause I know its not what I expected it to be." Makoto was totally confused, The barrage was coming so fast she couldn't sort it out in her head. Her instinct told her to do what ever Minako wanted so she moved her hand from behind her back and revealed a smooth black stone. There was a grove in the center where her thumb lay and she rubbed it slowly. It helped her relax and concentrate. Minako looked at it and a recognized it from Makoto's dresser. Makoto had explained what it was before so she didn't have to ask. "So why don't you tell me about your act Makoto, just to make sure I have my story right. Makoto had a blank look on her face. "I don't know what you're talking about Mina-chan. I ju-" She was cut off from saying anymore by Minako's enraged voice. "The act Makoto, the act where you play the part of my friend though that's not what you want." Makoto's brow furrowed. She truthfully didn't know what Minako was talking about and a defensive anger began to emerge. "That's not true Minako. I am your friend and I want to be your friend more than anything. I would do anything for you." She stood up not liking the lies that Minako threw at her. Minako faced her and poked a finger at her chest. "Of course you would do anything for me. I know that. But being my friend is not the reason for it nor is it what you want more than anything. If it was then you wouldn't have bought me that necklace you keep in your nightstand drawer." Makoto's eyes were wide and her jaw was slack. She just stared dumb founded. She felt as if her heart had been ripped out and her entire world was coming to an end. The pain and loss she felt at that moment filled her eyes. She only saw how angry Minako was with her. She believed it was because her secret had been found and Minako was disgusted with it. Memories of her old school washed over her. All the hate she received, the torment from the people at her old school. It was all happening again. Everything in her life that she tried so hard to protect was destroyed. All in an instant. She had to leave. She had to get out of there before the pain crushed her. She turned and ran. She didn't know where she was going. She just knew she had to get out of there. She never heard Minako's voice calling after her or the tread of her footsteps as she tried to keep up. But Makoto was running from the demons that chased her, and no one would be able to catch her.
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