Chapter 2
May 5th, morning.
    I was snapped back to reality from my sweet dreams by some noise. Ring, ring, it went.
    SEVEN?!! ALREADY?!!!
    I ripped my eyes open, grabbed my black, square-shaped clock, and squinted at it.
    The lime green glowing-in-the-dark digits said 4:55 o'clock.
    FIVE!?..
    I shook the clock a few times. The numbers were still there. And the alarm wasn't on.
    I realized that it was my phone ringing on the nightstand beside the clock.
    Someone's died??!?
    I grasped the phone piece to my ear: "Hello?? Hello?! Has somebody died?!"
    "Is this Rei Hino?" said a faintly familiar male voice.
    I blinked. "Yeah... Who's it??"
    "It's Brad Hoarse, your horseback riding instructor. I just wanted to make sure that you're already awake and ready to clean the horses to earn your credits."
    Good thing, that the phone was made of very hard plastic...

    I arrived at that barn. Everything was once again covered with the poop-and-hay mix. And the horses were neighing hungrily.
    I cursed and took the rakes...
    "Oh, I see you came, after all!" declared a voice behind me.
    Surely enough, there was smirking Brad.
    Boy, his name fits him ever so perfectly! A real BRAT!
    I placed my rake onto the ground: "If you hadn't called me, I'd be sleeping for two more hours!"
    "Well, yeah, but you have to do it, or you won't get your credits, you know."
    "How do you know?!" I demanded.
    "Ms. Haimisu told me."
    I groaned. "Great! Now, knowing that I can't quit, you'll keep picking on me!?"
    "Exactly!" He laughed.
    My fingernails dug into the rake...

    By the time that ill-fated school was over, I was as tired as a dog, because at twenty minutes after seven I had to run home (after I had cleaned the entire barn), take a shower AND a bath, iron my uniform, get dressed and everything, have breakfast, and be late to that prayer again...
    Forget those horses! They can wipe their butts perfectly on their own! For what they've got tongues, anyway?!..
    With that thought in my mind, I creeped by the guys' school.
    "Hey!"
    I turned around.
    In the gateway was standing Brad Hoarse, cheerfully waving his hand at me.
    "Go stick your dear mares to your butt, I don't care!" I yelled.
    He grinned: "You know, I have stallions, too."
    "Get off."
    "And actually I thought you could try horseback riding today..." he said wistfully.
    "Riding?" I repeated suspiciously. "You mean, not horse butt cleaning?"
    He laughed. "Well, if you'd really like to..."
    Grrr...

    We were admiring a fat, steady, small, white-and-gray speckled old mare named Aburami ('Fat Meat'. Whoever called her like that was one hundred percent right!) pulling at the wet grass. She wasn't showing much enthusiasm in riding today, and she didn't seem to be much of a steed (a high-spirited riding horse, as Brad told me). So, Brad showed me how to bridle and saddle that grazing flesh of a horse... or horse of a flesh... whatever! Anyway, somehow I managed with the bridle, but that girth thing wouldn't make it. Finally I pulled it as much as I could and fastened it.
    The horse was ready.
    But I wasn't.
    Then Brad announced happily: "Now, mount her!"
    "Mount?"
    "Exactly."
    It sure looked to me like 'mounting'...
    "How the hell?!" I cried.
    He shook his head, knelt down, took my left foot, and put it into the stirrup. I wasn't expecting him to do so, and since it was pretty high, I tumbled face-down into you-know-what. To make things worse, that Aburami decided that there's some greener grass ahead, so she trotted there, dragging me along.
    "@#$%^&*!!" I gurgled into you-know-what...
    My beautiful uniform!..
    When I finally managed to tangle out my foot out of that... stirrup, I heard Brad laughing.
    I marched up to him and slapped him.

    Before I started anything else, I decided to pull my hair into a bun. Horse apples and all, I mean. Those aren't apples which are falling down from a tree. There are those apples, which fall down out of horse's... well, you know.
    So I refused of Brad's help and got up on the horse in my own way. I carefully led her to the corral, climbed the fence, and from there I slid into the saddle. Okay, I was mounted. Now what?
    I surveyed the view. The HEIGHT!!
    I gripped the saddle.
    All right, I never told anyone, guys, but... I've got a height fright!!!!
    "Let go of the saddle!" said Brad.
    I shook my head vigorously.
    "You have to control the horse! Take the reins!"
    "Uh, can you... lead the animal? At least for a while??" I pleaded tearfully.
    He shrugged, slipped the reins over Aburami's head, took them, and led her into the corral.
    The horse started trotting.
    I wanted to scream, "No!!! No!!!! I'll fall off!!" but my throat went dry.
    Suddenly, I felt the saddle sliding to the right. I wanted to shriek again, but I couldn't.
    After about ten steps, I was practically riding Aburami at her side (you know, where the ribs are?), grasping the saddle - my only hope for survival!!
    Brad deigned to glance back at me. He rolled his eyes sort of like horses do: "How did you MANAGE to sit like that???.."
    "Th-th-the girth!" I sputtered.
    This moment the ill-fated saddle slid to Aburami's stomach. I slid down along with it, still clenching it. For a few split seconds I could hold on to it, but after a while my fingers gave up, and I collapsed down into... well, not you-know-what, but into the fresh mud. You know, it rained in the morning...
    I wanted to swear, but instead I started laughing.
    Brad laughed along. Actually he laughed so hard that he fell down beside me into... yeah. He said I was his FIRST student who managed to do that!

    I was sitting on that damned horse again. I wouldn't ever touch that saddle girth again, so I made Brad fasten it. He gave me the reins: "Okay, now... ride!"
    I nodded, tied the reins around this post or whatever on the tip of the saddle... you know?
    "And how're you going to ride that way??"
    "Some way."
    I sat there for a while, telling myself to calm down and relax, which sounded like, 'Come on, it isn't a T-Rex you're riding on; it's just an old mare! It won't kill you, right? Right!.. Wrong!!..'
    I took a deep breath and began untying those reins...
    When some car honked...
    ...I screamed and my hands jerked away from the 'post'...
    ...Aburami neighed and brocked...
    ...I found myself in the air...
    ...The mare bolted into running around the corral...
    ...I was about to kiss the ground (excuse me, the mud!), when I found out that my left foot was still stuck in the stirrup...
    ...When I FINALLY dropped out of the @#$%^&* stirrup, I cleansed the mud out of my eyes and saw that Brad was rolling around in the apples and mud giggling like crazy. Then he recommended me to go to work in circus.

    I again was sitting straight on Aburami, clenching the reins along with the post.
    "Well, COME ON!" Brad called, frustrated. "Let go of the saddle and REIN THE HORSE!"
    I gulped. "I can't!"
    Then he did it. I mean, he cursed in English (good thing I don't know it... I guess it was pretty dirty) and jumped on the horse right behind me.
    How'd he do that?? Without the stirrups, I mean!?
    But anyway, he was there. He stretched out his hands on either side of me and grabbed... NO!! NOT WHAT YOU HAD THOUGHT!!!! But the reins! Along with my hands! Oi.
    "LET GO," he said grimly.
    Surely I did so. Eagerly. And grasped the 'post' instead.
    Brad softly nudged my bare thigh (I was wearing my uniform very short skirt, by the way): "RELAX, girl!"
    I decided not to slap him. Besides, there was no place to whirl around, anyway...
    He slapped the reins lightly, and Aburami took off.
    I panicked. What if I'll fall off???? What if that crazy horse will brock or whatever again??!??? Aauuggghhhh!!!!
    But then I even began enjoying it. It was... even, kind of exciting! And comfortable... I mean, with Brad's strong chest that I could lean back on... and arm rests at my sides...
    So I kicked back and relaxed!
    The hooves were clattering, the creak of leather could be heard, the sun was shining brightly after the today's rainstorm, sparkling drops of water were slipping down the leaves, the robins were ripping up their throats with chirping...
    Heaven. I was in heaven!..
    ...The wind was blowing at my face, and I felt good. For once in a while I felt good!..
    "Now, you try!" Brad said right into my ear.
    I almost fell off the horse.
    I clung to the saddle and shook my head frantically.
    "Mph-mph-mphhh!!!" he yelled.
    "What?"
    "Stop shaking your mane around! It doesn't taste good!"
    I smirked: "Oh, you mean, horse apples, mud, and all?"
    In reply he released the reins.
    I gripped them. I mean, what else should I do???
    "See? You're reining the horse!"
    'Really??' I thought.
    And then he placed his gloved hands on my waist.
    I KNOW, I KNOW that he doesn't have anywhere else to put his hands, but I still wanted to slap him. But I couldn't let go of the reins. So I let them stay there. The hands, I mean. Besides, they felt good!
    I glanced back at him. After all, that mare can run all by herself! I realized that after a while. I can even release the reins, it would be the same. It's a corral! Anyway, I peeked at him. He was smiling... Really smiling... A smile crept on my lips, too, and they widened in that dopey drunk grin... His eyes, which at first seemed steel-like to me, sort of like the gray sky on the cold day, now were soft and smiling... And they looked like when you're in love. I guess I'm no better... Oii! Please, no! Gods, make me look better!! I mean, because he looks really stupid!!..
    That MARE chose this exact moment to come to an abrupt halt and munch on some fresh dandelions.
    I flew out of the saddle, rolled down the animal's ridge, and landed in those dandelions.
    And Brad followed me, and ON me, and OVER me.
    Good one, Aburami! You wouldn't see a piece of me near you any time soon! Mean creature!..
    Then Brad suggested to walk me home. I replied sort of like, "Sure! But don't you suppose, that people will think an army of super-ultra-high-stinky bugs invaded Tokyo if we'll walk together?"
    He laughed. I mean, he LAUGHED and didn't say anything. Whoa!
    So he walked me home.
    ..."You never told me your grandfather's a Shinto priest, and that you live at a temple!" said Brad, as he surveyed Hikawa Jinja (it means 'Fire River', by the way) Shrine.
    "It's a SHRINE," I stressed. "And oh, yeah, I forgot to declare that when we met! Want me to show you around?'
    "Well, yeah!"
    So I invited him over to the verandah and started sliding the doors: "That's our living room... That's our kitchen... That's our storage room... That's Grandfather's bedroom... Gramps!!"
    My dear poor Grandfather, who announced himself sick this morning and made Yuuichirou work at the shop all day long, was lying at his bed, fully dressed, crunching on bacon chips, sipping Diet Coke, and watching some American action movie/thriller on TV.
    The moment he saw me, he shoved the Coke and the chips under the pillow (DAMN! It'll take tons of time to clean those sheets!), flipped off the TV, and sheepishly looked at me: "Oh, you are early, Rei-chan! Hello!"
    "Gramps!!!" I thundered instead of a greeting. "I thought you said you're SICK!! And also I thought you didn't like junk food, Coke, and action movies!"
    Silence dawned at the room. It was that kind of silence when you can hear every little sound, which right now happened to be Grandfather's burp. (I TOLD him to eat Tums! But did he listen? No-o-o-o...) He innocently smiled at me. "Well, chips... Actually... They are turnip! It's healthy, you know!.. And it wasn't an action movie, my dear Rei-chan! It was a good old samurai movie!"
    "I never knew that samurai used machine guns and grenades in the IV century, did they?"
    Before he opened his stinky mouth, I slid the door hard.
    "Nice grandfather," Brad commented. I even forgot he was there... "And I bet that Arnold Schwartzenegger wasn't starring in any samurai movies."
    "Yeah, I know... So! Here's my bedroom..." I began sliding the doors again. "Yuuichirou's bedroom..."
    As I opened that door, I was practically blown off the verandah by blaring saxophone music.
    Wait a minute! Yuuichirou's playing SAXOPHONE??!???
    Yeah, he was there. With his plaid boxers on and the saxophone.
    Good one, Yuuichirou! Last week it was the trumpet. Now it's the saxophone. Next week it'll be... I'm afraid to think of that.
    I pushed the door to close, flaming.
    "Who's that?" Brad frowned.
    Frowned!! Hehe! Gotcha!
    "Oh, that? That's Yuuichirou. It's our miko (priest's student). He works at the shop. You know, he helps us to sell charms and - "
    THE SHOP!!
    I slammed the door back open: "YUUICHIROU!!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE SHOP!!!!!!"
    "Arrgggg-oooo-eee!!" The saxophone let out some indistinct sound, when Yuuichirou heard me. He shoved the instrument under the bed and flew out of the room: "Sorry, Rei!!.."
    "At least get dressed or what!!!!"
    "Oh, yeah!"
    Yuuichirou darted back into the room, dragged on his blue kimono pants and the shirt, and as he raced out onto the verandah again, he noticed Brad. He squinted suspiciously (you wouldn't tell even if he's looking at you or not, because of that hair covering his face; but I'm used to it, so I can): "Who's he?"
    I absolutely wordlessly, with a killer look on my face, pointed him out with my finger to the direction of the shop.
    Yuuichirou pulled up his pants with a hurt look and marched off the verandah, glaring sideways at Brad.
    Brad continued to stare after our 'miko'. "You know, you better fire him," he said finally.
    "Great idea! Okay! And that's my meditation room!"
    "You mean... you MEDITATE here? You see the visions of the future and stuff?"
    "Exactly."
    He frowned.
    "You don't believe me," I stated grimly.
    "Actually... yeah!"
    "I'll show you!"
    I threw off my shoes and stepped inside: "And take off your boots!"
    He glanced down at them. Then took them off and came after me. He was in neon-pink socks with the blue smiley-face design printed on them. "Don't mind my socks," he said sheepishly. "I wasn't going to take off my boots, you know."
    Guys are so stupid! I mean, I'd never in my whole life wear -
    I peeked at my own feet.
    Never mind!
    I dragged Brad to the Sacred Fireplace, plopped down, took out a flint and striked it. Fire wouldn't catch. One more scratch. No fire.
    Click, click, flint, flint... COME ON, I look stupid!!!
    Then I saw Brad's hand before my nose, holding a lighter.
    I graciously grabbed it, ignoring his smirking face. Gramps will kill me, but I don't care.
    I lit the wood, and the Sacred (well, not so Sacred anymore) (yesterday I'd spent half an hour trying to light the wood with that @#$%^&* flint) (mental note: carry a lighter with yourself!) Fire's flames danced around.
    "Okay!"
    I settled my butt down on my feet and posed my hands into this gesture that Usagi calls 'pistol'. Actually, it's an ancient meditation pose that helps to relax!
    Just then I noticed that Brad was hiding a grin.
    I fired up (literally): "WHAT!"
    "Nothing. But you look stupid," he smiled.
    I look stupid to anyone besides ME!
    I gripped my hands together. "I'll SHOW you!! I'll... I'll see your past! I'll know all your past!"
    He panicked (why?? He was a drug dealer or what?): "NO!! Um... I... I already know my past!"
    "All right! Then your future!"
    "And what about YOUR past?.."
    "MY past!?" Oiii... My past... I can't! "No! I'll see your future! Period."
    I concentrated and closed my eyes... Something flashed before me...
    I clenched my fingers and frowned...
    Images... Images appeared... Everything was blurred... Then I saw him... Brad... He was talking... No... Debating... Arguing... with some white-haired woman... Before I could see her more closely, the image changed... And I saw... a blue-robed guy... pointing a blue crystal ball at...
    HE'LL BE ATTACKED BY THAT ROBED GEEK!!!!
    I jerked off my vision.
    I was wet. Covered with sweat. It was a real vision... So he'll be attacked!!..
    Brad was looking at me expectantly.
    What should I tell him!??
    Come on, girl, make something up!.. Fast!!..
    "Oh, um... You're, uh... in danger... And you're... um... you shouldn't talk to any white-haired women."
    His worried expression changed to a... sneering one. "You know, I could use some fortune-teller with the same effect. You didn't see anything. And you can't do it."
    "Hey!" I jumped up. "I SAW!!"
    He stood up and turned his back on me. "Besides, it doesn't matter. I don't want to learn about my future or my past; I want to learn about YOU."
    Good thing he couldn't see my face. Because a sly drunk grin was stretching at it.
    Ah-ha! Gotcha!
    "Well," he said after a while. "You showed me your house... Now I have to go."
    Uh-huh. You have to. Huh-huh.
    Actually, I didn't want him to leave... But I couldn't tell him so, right? You know, it's against my nature! To tell people what I'm thinking!
    We both went to the door.
    I cast a side-glance at him. Well, idiot! Stay! Can't you read my eyes??..
    He was side-glancing at me, too.
    It was called: who-will-open-the-door-first?
    Neither of us did.
    Because the next split second the door was thrust open, and Usagi's cheerful snout poked into our faces: "Hey, Rei, you know - " She saw Brad and practically slid down against the doorway in awe, pressing a manga issue to her chest. "Wooo!?.."
    Minako jumped up to see over Usagi, and her jaw hung open. "Hey, guys!!" she screamed. "Rei's got a MAN in her room!!!!"
    "Really?? Who's that hottie???" Makoto exclaimed.
    Ami didn't say anything, because she was swimming in yet another anatomy book.
    I was blushing, I was fuming, I was ashamed...
    I dared to peek at Brad. I was expecting him to look like, 'I'm not here, I'm no one, I'm not with her, and I even don't know her! Don't look at me!' You know, like most guys do, right? Wrong!
    Because this one was like, 'Hi! I'm here, I'm Brad, I'm with this great girl! Any problems?'  He stretched out his hand to Minako: "Hi. My name's Brad. I'm Rei's horseback riding instructor and her friend." He shot a sparkling grin at me.
    Minako shook his finger. "Wow!.. So you're her instructor?? Way cool!! You're the American exchange student??? You've got such a dreamy accent, you know!! I know English! We could talk sometime! I've lived in England! United States are much cooler than England, I know! But England is cool, too - "
    I plugged her mouth with my fist. "You can go now," I grinned at Brad.
    But Makoto shoved her way through us to Brad, thundering: "Do you have a girlfriend???"
    I nearly broke Minako's tooth.
    "Girlfriend?" he asked. "Why should I have? Or maybe I will... in a few days."
    He didn't look at me.
    GO, BRAD, GO!! For me, I mean!
    Usagi was about to say something, but I shrieked at top of my lungs: "BRAD MUST GO NOW, OKAY?!"
    Ami ripped herself away from her book. "Who is Brad?"
    "Yeah, I really must go now." Brad pulled on his boots, walked off the verandah, and smiled at me. "I'll see you tomorrow, Rei."
    I smiled, too. You know this warm feeling in your chest?..
    Everyone around were showing their dental works.
    Brad started down to the beginning of the shrine's stairs.
    Thank goodness he didn't turn around and -
    At the gate he turned around and waved at me, smiling.
    I smiled again.
    By now everybody were exposing their wisdom teeth.
    I noticed that Usagi was blotting the corner of her eye with a white handkerchief and waving it after Brad.
    I wriggled my hand out of Minako's mouth and...
    The scuffle.

    The girls and I were sipping Coke over talking about Brad. Actually, they were squealing about Brad. I was groaning.
    The door was thrown open: "Hey, guys! See what I've got!!"
    I choked on the Coke and whirled around to see... Chibi-Usa. I mean, SERENIE.
    "Meet my new boyfriend!" she declared, dragging a boy of about twelve inside with her.
    "I'm not your BOYFRIEND!" the boy weakly protested. "I'm your FRIEND!"
    "Whatever. You're a guy who's a - I mean, you're a friend who's a guy."
    Okay, first I have to tell you how she looked, and how that poor boy looked. Then you'll get the whole picture. All right.
    Serenie: fuzzy neon-pink tank top, which looked more like a sports bra; a skirt... I mean, pants... I mean, all together - hot pink mini over Capri-pants, printed with giant yellow daises; platform slip-ons with two daisies on toes; two braids, which trailed towards the ends, not being held by anything (actually, I guess she'd braided in wires, because the braids were sticking around); in her ears were huge daisies (of three sizes, since she had three holes per ear); plus she'd dyed pink stripes ALL over her braids.
    The boy: plain ordinary Japanese black hair and plain ordinary black eyes; plain ordinary white T-shirt with some plain ordinary monster's snout design on the front; plain ordinary jean shorts; plain ordinary white sneakers; plain ordinary blue faded cap worn plain ordinarily backwards.
    Cute pair, isn't it? And besides, he looked SCARED. No, TERRIFIED.
    Something fell down behind me. I turned around. That was chewed-up caramel, chocolate, and peanuts - formerly a piece of Sneakers that had fallen out of Usagi's mouth.
    "Daughter!!" She sprang up. "What are you WEARING?!? Who let you!? Where the hell did you buy these CLOTHES?!!! You look like - like - "
    Serenie looked thoughtful. "Like... cute? Mommy?.."
    I shook my head: "More like a walking neon road sign, saying: 'Stop and stare at me!'"
    "Right, Rei!" Usagi actually patted my shoulder in approval. (Whoa!) Then she switched her attention back to her daughter. "And!! You're dating boys around at TWELVE!??"
    The boy used this moment to escape.
    Serenie proudly stuck out her chest: "Twelve and seven months!"
    "Whatever!!! You're a CHILD!.. You CAN'T - "
    My phone rang.
    I grabbed the mouth piece, pulled out the antennae, and under the yelps "You can't!!", "No, I can! I'm allowed!!!", "By whom?!", "By you!!!!", "I never!!..", "You did!!!" I tried to figure out who was on the other end of the line.
    "HELLO?" I shrieked.
    "Why are you shouting??" someone replied.
    "WHO ARE YOU???"
    "What?"
    I leaped out to the verandah and crashed shut the door. "HELLO!?" I screamed into the phone.
    Came the soft and calm Brad's voice: "Maybe you'll quit shouting at me??"
    Oii...
    "Um, yeah... Sorry."
    "Is that your grandfather watching another action movie?" he guessed. "I mean, all those yelps in the background.
    "Uhh... kind of."
    Action movie?.. Good!
    "So..." I decided to get straight to the business. "What's up? Did the horses poop extra this time, and ya need me to clean up?"
    He laughed nervously. "No. Um... I need you. I mean, I need to see you."
    "So soon? I just got that shit off me..."
    "It's not about the horses. It's..." He cleared his throat. "Can you come to the stable?"
    "Stable? Uh... If it's not for the horses, why should I come to the stable??.."
    It looked stupid to me...
    He inhaled loudly: "Just... can you come?"
    Wooo... Serious hunk!
    "Sure," I blurted out. "Be right there in five minutes!"
    Honestly, I wanted to say in five seconds, but that would be too... straightforward, you know?..
    He hung up.
    I looked myself over. A T-shirt and jeans. Good enough for a stable date!
    I peeked inside the room, grasped my jacket off the hanger, and without telling those action movie heroes where I'm going, I was off to my date.
    Breathing like a rode to death horse, I galloped at the full speed to the guys' school. I flew into the backyard and grabbed the gate pole. I wanted to get my normal breathing back, otherwise he'll think that I hurried over to see him. Well, actually, I did... But that's besides the point! Rule #1: never show a guy you want you're dying to see him!
    Then I saw them. Ms. Haimisu and Brad. They were arguing over something. And arguing really hard.
    Being myself, I hid behind the post and tuned up my ear nerves.
    "...You can't go after just one!" Ms. Haimisu insisted. "You have to get the others! I mean, what do you have six horses for?!"
    "But you made those courses too hard!" Brad said. "Nobody wants to take them!"
    "I've been thinking of that. Maybe I'll change the rules. Then we will have more. But meanwhile, don't let this one slip away!"
    Is she his mother or what? I mean, talking like that!
    Brad hung his head. "Actually, I WANT her to slip away!"
    "What are you talking about! She's too good!" Ms. Haimisu fumed. "If you lose this one THIS time..."
    She didn't finish and stormed out, fortunately not noticing me.
    One question: what EXACTLY were they talking about???..
    Brad was still standing there.
    I silently tiptoed behind him and slapped his back: "Hey, Brad!!"
    He leaped up at least three feet high. "What are you doing here?!?.."
    I blinked. "What do you mean?? You've asked me to come!" I glanced at my watch. "Exactly six minutes ago! Am I late?"
    He smiled, but his eyes were nervous. (Ah-ha!!) "No, you're not late. Sorry, but you're right on time."
    Excuse me?
    He was eyeing me with such sorrow... and sadness... (!?) Then he took a deep breath, clenched his teeth, and grabbed his chest. (I mean, the middle of his chest.) A dazzling blue light burst out between his fingers...
    I screwed up my eyes... When I opened them, before me was standing... a robed guy. In a blue, long robe. No, it wasn't blue... It was very bright...
    I squinted...
    It was very bright and shimmering... Yeah, azure! Azure Guy! And it was the first robed guy we had encountered! And he was holding this... this shepherd-like wooden staff in his left hand. A blue crystal was perched in the center of the arching staff's top. Actually, it was really stupid, but it reminded me of a... druid. Right. But druids had brown robes!..
    My eyes widened. Wait a second, if this Guy's standing here, then...
    "Brad?!" I croaked.
    The Guy's eyes darted from side to side. Then he nodded, sort of like zipped open his robe, and threw it to the ground...
    His black, gloved hand pulled down the black clothing hiding the lower part of his face.
    Ah-ha. That was Brad. Wearing Mamoru's suit. I mean, Endymion's. Except for the fact that all those trimming lines, plus a few parts, and his cape's lining were azure. Oh, and... on his chest was a round azure brooch, a black upside-down penta-star inlaid over the silver normal penta-star.
    I couldn't help myself, but my first thoughts were like, 'Wooo... He's so masculine... and strong... and man-like in this suit... Better than Mamoru!.. Oiii.'
    Brad stammered: "Uh... I'm a Priest! And I have to kill you!" he declared.
    He has to kill me??
    "Why???" I cried out.
    "You... I'm Azure Priest, and I've got to kill you!"
    He snatched the crystal from the staff and aimed it at me with determination on his face.
    But his hand was trembling.
    "Brad!?.."
    His hand shook, and he lowered it hastily.
    "Have you gone nuts?! Brad! What's with you??"
    Something changed in his eyes... Something... something black shadowed his eyes... (You know 'The X-Files'? The black oil?..) The blue crystal flew up. "I have to kill you," he said in mechanic voice.
    The crystal started pulsing... and pulsing... and pulsing...
    But nothing flew out of it.
    We stood like that for a full minute.
    Then I saw (or imagined) that something began blasting out and panicked - he'll kill me!!
    Now, I don't care! I'll transform and kick that idiocy out of his head! Or will make Usagi do this!..
    I held up my finger: "Just a sec!" Then I rummaged in my jacket pocket in search for my transformation pen and threw my right hand into the air... "Mars!.. Mars!.." Great. What's wrong with me?? I've forgotten the words??? And then my lips and lungs uttered, "...Featherly Make Up!"
    F - ? F - !? FEATHERLY???? What the -
    Reddish feathers encircled me... FEATHERS?!?
    After the whirlwind settled down, I glanced down at myself. Instead of my beautiful, beloved, pretty purple bow on my chest were... feathers!!
    I pulled at one. It fell out.
    "I'm not a CHICKEN!!!.." I shouted tearfully.
    Oh!! The bow! My butt bow!
    I grabbed my buttocks. There were no tracks of this bow, too - there were FEATHERS!! With two long ones trailing down to my knees.
    Am I a peacock or what?!??
    I noticed that Brad was laughing hysterically, leaning at his staff.
    "What!?" I demanded.
    Choking with tears, he pointed at my feet.
    I looked down. There were my red high heels. With white chicken feathers attached to the hind parts.
    Hermes, huh!!!
    I ripped them off. I mean, the feathers! I wanted to burn that idiot who invented those idiotic suits!.. By the way, who was that? If that was Serenity!!..
    I'm trailing off the subject.
    Brad was getting on my nerves with his giggles.
    I thrust out both of my hands. Now something groovy will fly out! Something new and cool!..
    Brad jerked his damned crystal up and pointed it at me (AGAIN), his shoulders shaking with chuckling. Then he (AGAIN) burst into laughter.
    I lowered my arms, clenched into fists, my nails burying holes in my palms. I've got to take some boulder! Or rock... Or maybe I should take out some mare, place her with her butt against him, and make her hind kick... No, that's too cruel. Oh!
    I saw this good, thick, hard, covered with pooping tree-branch, lying on the ground between us.
    Hehe. I'll get the shit out of your head!!
    I ducked for the stick...
    Brad gathered himself together and stuck his crystal into my face...
    I grasped the stick, hit his hand, the crystal fell down, flashed, appeared on his staff, I yanked out the staff, sent it flying into the barn (the horses neighed), smacked Brad's head with the stick, he collapsed, I jumped at him, and snatched up his collar: "Wake up, you idiot!! You're a normal guy!" To make it sound very supportive, I slapped him a few times. "WAKE UP!!!"
    "I will, if you'll get off me!!" he croaked.
    Ah. Oii. I realized that I was perched at his stomach. Gulp.
    Something gleamed before me.
    I focused my eyes up...
    Silver Crystal was being shoved at my nose by a black hand...
    I trailed it up...
    It belonged to... a silver-robed guy, who ordered in a woman's voice: "Get off him!"
    Since I was about to do it anyway (and since the Crystal looked really impressive), I obeyed without hesitation.
    Brad staggered up, checking his head.
    Silver Guy... I mean, Silver Woman... I MEAN, Silver Priest (or whatever!) gave Brad his pooped-all-over staff and the crystal. (Those horses are fast, you know.) Brad accepted it.
    "Now," said Silver Priest. "Kill her!"
    Perfect. Wonderful. Two against me!
    "But you can't!" I blurted out.
    The Priest cocked her eyebrow. (I guess she did, because I couldn't tell for sure; the black mask was covering all her face except for her blue eyes... Hey, familiar eyes! And the voice!!!..) "Why can’t he? And... where's that girl? Rei?"
    Huh? She didn't recognize me?? She DIDN'T???
    I grabbed my face. Oh. I had this half-transparent red mask covering the upper part of my face... Cool! Innovation! Just to take those feathers off, will be just fine...
    Brad panicked.
    Oh, no, no, don't tell her, please!! You have seen me!..
    He opened his mouth and: "Uh... the girl... She ran away... This... this... um... woman... girl?.. Uhh..."
    "Sailor Mars!" I helped him.
    "Yeah! This Sailor Mars showed up and started fighting with me!"
    So he's got some brains left, after all!
    Silver Priest narrowed her eyes. "So... You let her go. Once again. Kill this one!" she yelled angrily.
    Uhh...
    Brad raised his shaking hand along with the crystal. (How many more times?..) It began pulsing...
    I prepared to meet my fate... My soul decided for me that I couldn’t possibly hurt him with whatever my weapon was. And I couldn't...
    I closed my eyes... When they opened, Brad whirled around and shot the stream of water at Silver Priest...
    Brad!..
    I wiped my nose.
    ...The Priest ducked at the last moment and got furious: "You!! Traitor! You betrayed our Great Kami! You betrayed our mission! You - "
    I didn't let her finish and threw out my hands (I mean, I thrust them out), crying: "Mars F -, Fe -, Fu? - , Th - Featherly!!.. Uhh... Th... F...?!" Then my mind made me to say it at last. "Mars Featherly Therapy - " I spat. "I mean, Mars Featherly Fire... Thrust!"
    YEAH!
    Out of my outstretched palms flew... flamed whitish-reddish chicken feathers, which swarmed all over Silver Priest's robe. It caught on fire, and the Priest, cursing like crazy, dragged it off herself to the ground. And there she stood, thin girl with long white tails trailing down to her knees, buns of hair at her head, wearing a metallic Sailor's collar with a black tie (you know, sort of like Minako's junior high uniform?)... Everything was black except for the metallic stripes at her gloves', boots', and skirt's edges...
    It's the copy of Silver Sailor!! Wait a minute, no! Silver Sailor didn't have the staff! She had Crescent Stick! And her mask was metallic! And most of her suit was, too!..
    "You are!!.." I started.
    "I'm Silver Priest," Silver Sailor-look-alike snapped. "And I will kill you. BOTH." She held up her staff with Silver Crystal in it with both hands and aimed it at me.
    SH -
    I whirled off the way and realized that behind me was standing Silver Sailor, pointing her Crescent Stick at Silver Priest.
    Wow.
    I felt dizzy.
    I looked at Silver Sailor more closely. She had blue eyes and white hair AS WELL.
    WHO THE HELL ARE THEY????
    Silver PRIEST clenched her teeth: "You. Again."
    Silver SAILOR frowned: "And you, too."
    "You're ruining my plans!"
    "And you! How dare you to steal pure souls from innocent people!"
    "And who the hell are you to ask me such questions?!"
    "None of your business. You're outnumbered! Surrender."
    The staff shuddered in the Priest's arms. "I AM outnumbered," she growled. "But I am not beaten!" She quickly changed the aim of her staff at the innocent, poor Brad, and the beam practically yanked out his pure (probably) soul, which sort of like soared away.
    Before we could do anything, the Priest crouched, then leaped into the air...
    "No!!!" I'd almost shouted, 'Brad' but if I did, Silver Sailor would know who I am...
    So, instead of yelling around, I jumped to the Sailor: "GET HIS SOUL BACK!!!! STASH IT, I DON'T KNOW!!!!!! JUST GET IT BACK!!!"
    She jerked off. "Get your feathers off me!"
    I looked at my hands. A few flamed feathers were still clinging to the gloves. I shook them off.
    "Now, get him back, please!.." I pleaded tearfully. TEARFULLY??.. Excuse me, I'm CRYING??? Yup, tears were streaming down from under my mask... I'm CRYING!! I'm crying over a guy!.. What a shame!..
    I brushed them away angrily. I've NEVER cried over a guy!
    The Sailor nodded and started searching the heavens for Brad.
    "There! There!!!" I stretched my hand out toward the shimmering something, which got tangled up in the oak's branches.
    Silver Sailor cried out, "Sailor Silver Moon Crystal Power Rehabilitation!!" (HUH.) A white beam of light, coming out of Silver Crystal at the Stick, reached for the soul, and pulled it down to Brad's body... The soul flashed and disappeared. Brad's body detransformed into his jeans and T-shirt.
    We waited.
    Suddenly, he took a deep breath.
    YES, HE'S ALIVE!!!!
    How I wanted to yelp that out...
    The Sailor smiled timidly, crouched, and was off to the skies, tails and all.
    Now I can finally spring to him and kiss him!
    No.
    First I detransformed.
    Then I walked over to him, knelt down, and felt his pulse. "You all right?"
    "Yeah." He opened his heavy eyelids.
    "Okay," I said, my heart beating like crazy at the sight of his blue eyes... "Get up, I'll help you out, and we'll go to the shrine."
    When he placed his hand on my shoulder, I felt him so... close... to me...
    I cursed the day when I'd been born as Rei. Darn, if I'd be Minako... She'd jump into first stranger's arms without thinking.
    BUT I COULDN'T.
    So I led him to the shrine.

Chapter 3