Ami lay awake in her bed for hours that night, thinking.
Her world was one of logic and information. Knowledge was paramount; ignorance was inexcusable, and the only solution to finding a gap in her knowledge of the world was to find enough information to not only fill it, but build a thirty-storey tower and a parking garage on top of it for good measure.
*And coming up with metaphors like THAT,* she mused wryly, *is a sign I'm way too wound up for my own good.*
Still, she was faced with an undeniable problem.
This Senshi business. She was still apprehensive about it—more than apprehensive; terrified, in all honesty. She still wanted as little to do with it as possible.
Still, the fact remained it had intruded into her life, and it was obvious she was going to have to deal with it.
However, she did not understand the causes, the reasons, or the logic behind any of it. This, to Mizuno Ami, was intolerable.
Her eyes flicked to the large-display clock on her dresser. 3:49. With a deep, weary sigh, she turned over on her bed, adjusting her pillows.
There was, loathe though she was to admit it, only one real source of information about this whole thing, as far as she knew.
Luckily, it was Sunday.
Breakfast had just ended at the Tsukino residence when Usagi's cell rang. "Moshi-moshi, Usagi desu."
//Tsukino-san.//
Usagi blinked. Glancing around, she slid quietly out of the family room and into the hall. In a whisper, she replied, "Ami-san? Are there more of those things?"
//No. At present, I am in no danger.//
"Oh. That's good." Usagi paused. "So, um...what's up?"
//I would not ordinarily contact you without a pressing reason,// Ami's voice replied in a hesitant tone, //but you are, admittedly, the only person I can turn to for this.// She paused. //I need to know more about this...business. I cannot tolerate having no knowledge or information about something which has become, much as I dislike it, a part of my life. Could we possibly meet today?//
Usagi blinked. "Um...okay. Where and what time?"
//My residence will suffice, and at your earliest convenience. My mother is on duty at the hospital until this evening.//
"Right. I'll be over in a bit." Usagi ended the call and pocketed her phone, frowning thoughtfully. She walked into the kitchen, where her mother was cleaning dishes. "Mama, I'm going out today to study with a friend."
Ikuko nodded absently. "Work hard, dear."
"Haaaai!"
* * * * *
Forty minutes later, Ami opened the door to find Usagi, bookbag slung over one shoulder, a wicker bag in one hand, the strange black cat, Luna, perched on her shoulder. She raised her eyebrows.
"Mama thinks I'm studying," Usagi explained. "I brought some snacks because, well..." She smiled gamely. "And Luna's the one who's going to have to do the actual talking. I barely know more than you do right now."
Ami nodded and stepped aside for the tea-haired girl to enter.
Once they had seated themselves and Usagi had distributed the canned juice and onigiri she had brought (and a small bowl of natto for Luna, who unexpectedly had a taste for the foul stuff), Ami looked at the two of them and said, "So...please explain, in as much detail as possible, everything connected to this Senshi business."
Luna looked up from her natto, strings of the stuff hanging from her lips; knowing Luna's true form, Usagi repressed a shudder at the image of the massive panther devouring some poor creature's entrails. "Where should I begin?"
"How and why I came to be a Senshi, for one."
The black cat tilted her head. "You are the reincarnation of a fallen warrior from a vast empire which was ruled from the Moon thousands of years ago."
Ami stared at her. "From...the Moon."
"That's right."
"As in, the lifeless satellite orbiting Earth."
"Lifeless, yes. But not dead. Not remotely. And at one time, the throne of an empire that spanned the entire solar system."
Ami shook her head. "That's not possible. Earth is the only planet capable of supporting life."
"This is true. But it was not always the case. You see, magic..." Luna paused, shaking her head. "Perhaps I'd better explain the history of the Empire of the Moon. Then I can make you understand the nature of the Senshi."
Usagi held up a hand to ward off Ami's protest. "Ami-san," she said softly, "After what the two of us went through last night, don't you think some things deserve to be taken on faith?"
Ami stared at her for a long moment, then nodded mutely. "Alright," she acquiesced. "I'll listen. Though I should warn you, I find the very notion difficult to believe."
Licking her lips, Luna sat back on her haunches. "Very well. This will take some time..."
And the two girls listened, raptly, as the crimson-eyed cat began to speak at length.
* * * * *
Fifteen thousand years ago, almost every planet and moon in the solar system was inhabited by a vast civilisation, ruled from the Earth's Moon. The only planet in the system which was not under the rule of this empire was Earth itself. The existence of this civilisation was made possible by powerful magic, and most especially by the creation of an artefact of vast, almost limitless power: the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou.
Created by the High Lunar Mages at the dawn of the Moon Kingdom, the Ginzuishou acted as a focusing lens for the incredible magical energy of the Moon. Whoever controlled the Ginzuishou could perform tremendous feats of magic, but the use of its full power was virtually impossible, as no living human can withstand the sheer force of that much magical energy. Attempting to use the Ginzuishou's full power would almost certainly kill the user.
However, its power could be used in more subtle ways, and in this way, the Moon was transformed into a paradise over a period of time by its queen, Serenity I.
The Mages studied the intricate magics which Serenity had woven across the surface of the Moon, and in time, were able to duplicate Serenity's feat, harnessing the deep wells of magical power that slept within the various planets and moons. In less than five hundred years, vast cities sprawled far and wide upon the surfaces of each world, sustained by complex and powerful spells.
Though the Empire of the Moon was highly culturally advanced, its citizens wanting for nothing, it was not entirely perfect. The people of Earth, arrogant in their insistence that their planet alone bore the right to rule the universe, prideful at being the only truly living planet in the system, and covetous of the power and vast riches of the Moon Kingdom, frequently attempted to cause chaos, suffering, and strife for their celestial neighbors.
The outer worlds of the Empire were continually plagued by incursions from the void between the stars, where dark, terrible things dwell, horrors beyond imagination.
Additionally, ambition among the various nobles and High Mages of the planets in the system routinely led to political insurrections and assassination attempts which, while usually not disastrous, caused enough concern that many people feared a civil war.
In time, Queen Serenity III devised a solution to the various problems plaguing her empire. With the assistance of her most trusted advisors and High Mages, Serenity selected loyal, virtuous, trustworthy representatives from each of the worlds in her domain, and wove complex spells to bind the magical power of the planets themselves to living human souls, allowing them to call upon that power at will and bring it to bear to defend the Empire and its people.
These were the first Senshi.
With the Senshi to defend against the various threats, be they from within or from without, true peace was finally achieved, and lasted for one thousand years. This time came to be known as the Silver Millennium.
During the final century of the Silver Millennium, a great upheaval occurred on Earth. The mighty kingdom of Arcanus, ruled by a wise warrior-king, Gaeus, successfully conquered almost every nation on Earth, uniting them under a single rule. His was a benevolent rule, and the subjects which initially opposed his rule came instead to revere him. Under his protection and wise leadership, the Earth flourished anew, and his advisors and Court guardians, the Shitennou, possessed power which was believed to rival that of the Senshi.
Gaeus sought peaceful relations with the Empire of the Moon, and though his initial advances were met with scepticism, Queen Serenity V ultimately believed his intentions to be pure and noble, and opened a treaty alliance with Earth. A decade into this budding peace, Gaeus' son, Prince Endymion, began to court the Queen's daughter.
The beginning of the end of the Silver Millennium was a young queen named Beryl.
The queen of one of the few remaining sovereign states, Beryl had long harbored a grudge against King Gaeus for conquering the world she so longed to rule. At the same time, she felt a deep longing for Prince Endymion, and when he began his courtship of Princess Serenity, she began to loathe the Moon Princess.
A powerful sorceress in her own right, Queen Beryl began dabbling with dark powers beyond the realm of man. She succeeded in breaching the barriers between the human world and a world of darkness, where dwelt terrifying, powerful creatures—youma.
A being of great, thoroughly evil power felt Beryl's hatred, lust, and obsession, and relished these dark emotions. Queen Beryl was given power anew—dark power, power to destroy, power to corrupt, power to taint and defile.
With this new power and command over vast armies of youma, Queen Beryl began her assault against the Arcanian Empire, spreading a firestorm of death and destruction across the Earth.
In time, only the great capitol city of Arcanus remained untouched by Queen Beryl's wrath. Soldiers and mages waged daily battle against the youma, fighting to the last to keep the one remaining refuge safe. The power of the Shitennou was crucial in maintaining the security of the palace.
However, for reasons known only to themselves, the Shitennou had secretly changed allegiance. Their betrayal came as a great shock to King Gaeus, as the Shitennou were known far and wide for their honour, loyalty, and integrity. The thought that they would turn to the side of darkness was inconceivable. And yet, the Shitennou slew Gaeus with their own hands.
Prince Endymion was on the Moon when Arcanus fell. He stood alongside the Senshi at the final battle, as Queen Beryl's youma swept across the surface of the Moon. He died protecting Princess Serenity, and she fell dead atop his body moments later.
Queen Serenity, filled with grief, horror, and fury, saw that the Moon, the jewel of the greatest human civilisation ever to exist, had fallen, and the end had come. Unwilling to allow Queen Beryl to truly win, unwilling to see the great and mighty empire fall under the rule of her enemy, Queen Serenity used the full power of the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou.
Queen Beryl, the Shitennou, and the youma armies were banished to the dark void between worlds, sealed away, condemned to a living purgatory. Serenity prayed for the souls of the then-current Senshi and her daughter to endure the passage of time, to be reborn in a distant future, in a more peaceful age.
Queen Serenity died, and the Ginzuishou disappeared. Its disappearance, along with the interruption of the natural reincarnation cycle of the Senshi, destroyed the delicate magics which sheltered and nurtured the vast cities on the other planets. Every remaining trace of the great and powerful Empire of the Moon was destroyed, reclaimed by the unrelenting nature of the universe. The Earth, now a dark, ruined wasteland, descended into an age of ignorance and hardship, and by the time civilisation stood once more upon the Earth, Arcanus, Beryl, and the Empire of the Moon were long forgotten, purged from living memory.
* * * * *
Ami and Usagi stared at Luna. Ami's expression indicated she was working furiously to assimilate this information into her memory and analyse it. Usagi's eyes were wet with unshed tears.
Luna paused for a moment to let her lengthy story sink in, then continued.
"Only one survivor of the Moon Kingdom remained. My Master, a High Mage of Serenity's Court, survived the Fall, and placed himself into a magical sleep. Every one hundred years since the Fall, for the first month of the first year, my Master and I have awoken, gone into the world, and searched for any sign of the return of the Senshi and the Princess.
"At the beginning of this century, we awoke, and immediately felt both the presence of the Princess and a weakening in the boundaries behind which Queen Beryl's forces are sealed. We knew, at once, that the long-forgotten war between two dead kingdoms was about to begin anew. And that is why we have been searching for the Princess and her Senshi."
Ami frowned thoughtfully. "Why have no ruins of this Moon Kingdom been discovered?"
"That is my Master's doing," Luna replied. "After the Fall, before placing himself in eternal sleep, he destroyed the remains of the Palace and everything else which still stood. The feature of the Moon's surface your astronomers call the 'Sea of Tranquility' is the result of my Master's final service to his queen."
"Alright. So there are Senshi corresponding to each planet—except, I would assume, Earth. Correct?"
"Yes. Although," Luna paused, "Neither my Master nor myself are certain more than four of the Senshi would have been preserved. The Senshi of Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars were on the Moon at the time of the Fall. The others were...too far away to have reached the Moon in time."
Ami frowned. "But Tsukino-san is a Senshi. Of the Moon."
Luna's brow furrowed. "Usagi is Princess Serenity reborn. Neither my Master nor I understand why she has manifested Senshi powers. There was never a Senshi of the Moon."
"Why not?" Usagi asked. "I mean, if it was the center of this big empire, wouldn't it—"
"The Ginzuishou," Luna interrupted. "Keep in mind that the Senshi were created by binding the entire magical energy of a planet to a living soul. The Moon's magical power had already been bound to the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou. It wouldn't have been poss..." She trailed off, eyes widening. "It shouldn't be possible. There can't be both a Ginzuishou and a Senshi."
"So...the Ginzuishou doesn't exist anymore?" Usagi asked.
"So it would seem. Unless..." Luna eyed Usagi speculatively, then shook her head. "No, I'm sure that's impossible. Besides, I'll admit I don't know as much about it as Master does. I'm not exactly a Mage."
Ami studied her for a moment. "Luna," she said eventually, "I would like to meet this master of yours. It seems to me he might have more complete answers to many questions, if he was, as you say, a member of this Queen Serenity's court."
Luna sighed, bowing her head. "It is not possible. Master has chosen to refrain from meeting with you at this time. He feels it prudent to maintain a discrete distance between our two groups until all of the Senshi we know to be active are located and Awakened."
"What do you mean by 'our two groups'?" Ami asked.
"Master has found one of the Senshi himself."
Usagi perked up. "Which one?"
"That, we're not sure of." At the questioning looks she received, she elaborated, "We know she's a Senshi, we just don't know which one she is."
"Could you explain that more clearly?" Ami asked.
"I can't, but..." Luna paused, frowning thoughtfully. "Hold on." She bowed her head...
"Wait!" Usagi cried hastily. Luna glanced up at her inquisitively. Usagi rummaged in her wicker bag, withdrew a paper napkin, and placed it on the floor before the cat. Luna snorted, then bowed her head again. Ami gave Usagi a curious look, but Usagi just tilted her head in Luna's direction.
The blood magic wound on the cat's forehead opened, spilling drops of black blood onto the napkin. She closed her eyes and sat silently for a full minute. Then, she looked up again, and something had changed. Her eyes, normally burning crimson, now shone with an odd silver light. She spoke, and the voice was no longer hers, but a rich, cultured male voice with a faintly echoing quality.
"The magical aura of a Senshi can be detected by anyone with the right mana sense before she is Awakened, but there are only two ways for a Senshi to actually Awaken and claim her birthright. One," the cat said with a pointed look at Ami, "is to experience a severe, usually life-threatening trauma. The other is for a member of the royal line of the Moon Kingdom to Awaken the power of the Senshi. Without either of these events, the power will not fully awaken, but it is still there." A pause. "A device was created, back in the Silver Millennium, which allows a known Senshi to transform and use very basic, low-powered magical abilities as a means of training. The form she takes is a generic template of a Senshi, with no specific planetary or elemental alignment. The lone other Senshi that has been found, I have given such a device, so that she may learn to fight. Once she meets Princess Serenity for the first time, it will be a simple matter to Awaken her." Another pause. "Princess Serenity, Mercury, I regret that we cannot meet at this time. Please trust that I have my reasons, and that when the time is right, I will reveal myself to you, and all will be answered. For now, trust in Luna, let her guide you, let her protect you."
The silver light in Luna's eyes dimmed, returning to the usual crimson fire, and she blinked rapidly. "I didn't know he could do that," she muttered in her usual voice.
Usagi's eyes widened. "Was that..."
"My Master, yes, speaking through me."
"I would have liked to ask him several more questions," Ami frowned.
"I doubt very much he would have answered. Master does like his secrets."
"Like his name?" Usagi asked. "I don't think I've even heard you say his name yet."
"That's because I can't," Luna replied. "The blood magic, which I have told you about before, is not the only control Master has placed on me. I am also under a geas of the True Name."
"A what?"
"A geas. Extremely powerful High Magic. When bound to the magic of the True Name, its power is strengthened tenfold. My Master has bound me to his will by blood and by my True Name. Likewise, I am under a geas which prevents me from speaking his True Name—or my own. 'Luna' is not my actual Name. It is simply a convenience."
Usagi frowned. "Why wouldn't you be able to say the names?"
"Sealing an individual's Name from their own lips is a powerful means of controlling them, binding them to your will. Also, because Naming a living being affords a measure of influence over them, by magically forbidding me from speaking his Name, Master has assured I cannot break his control over me."
Ami and Usagi stared at her for a long moment.
"So, you're...more or less a slave?" Usagi asked, growing horrified.
"That is correct," Luna replied, absently twitching her ears.
"That's horrible," Usagi moaned, face pale.
Luna shrugged. "It is not ideal. However, if I were not so bound to my Master, I would have perished in the Fall. As part of the blood magic, his life energy sustains my own. I do not find servitude so distasteful that I would prefer death."
Ami fixed Luna with an unreadable stare. "Luna," she said after a moment, "You weren't a servant of Queen Serenity, were you." It was not a question.
"No," Luna admitted. "I was not."
"You were part of the army that invaded the Moon."
"Yes. I am a youma. I served Queen Beryl. I killed many humans on her orders, and was defeated by my Master during the final siege on Serenity's palace."
Usagi's eyes widened. "You're...the enemy?" she squeaked.
The black cat sighed. "I was. I am no longer. By my Master's will, I am bound to protect you, Princess Serenity, even against my Queen. I can harm no living human being."
The room was silent for a long time.
Ami cleared her throat. "So the monsters we were attacked by were sent by this Beryl person? They are also youma?"
Luna's eyes flashed angrily. "No. Those were most definitely NOT youma. They were something truly obscene."
"Necrocites, you called them, wasn't it?" Usagi asked.
Luna nodded. "Corpses, given a semblance of life to serve the bidding of a Necromancer."
"So...zombies."
Luna tilted her head. "Not exactly. As I understand the term, a zombie is created from a corpse that has been dead for some time. Necrocites, on the other hand, must be created from the recently deceased...at the moment of their death. The control magic that empowers a Necrocite involves entrapping the soul within a crystal at the instant of death." She shuddered. "It is a truly vile, perverse magic that creates such a thing."
Usagi blinked uncomprehendingly. Ami, however, seemed to understand. "So essentially, you need to kill a living human to make one of those Necrocite things."
"Exactly."
Usagi's eyes widened. "But...that's...!"
Luna absently flicked her tail. "It does not make sense that the Dark Kingdom would be using Necrocites," she said at length.
"Why not?" Ami asked.
"Youma feed on life energy," Luna explained. "Youma kill to feed on the souls of their prey. Youma would not use a magic that, in essence, would lead to their own starvation."
"But this Queen Beryl..."
"Queen Beryl would NEVER resort to Necromancy," Luna stated with absolute conviction. "She loathed Necromancers. Her kingdom was nearly destroyed early in the Arcanian War because it was a breeding ground for Necromancers. She personally killed every Necromancer that was discovered within her domain."
"Alright. But these Shitennou you mentioned. What about them?"
Luna shook her head. "The Shitennou, even though they betrayed their liege for reasons that were never clear, are noble, virtuous men of highest integrity. They scorn and despise Necromancy. To them, it is obscene and filthy. I cannot imagine any of the four of them would ever resort to such vulgar tactics."
"Then how do you explain the Necrocites which tried to kill us last night?" Ami asked, her tone becoming sharp.
"I have no explanation. Master does not seem to know either. As I have said to the Princess, it is a disturbing and unexpected departure from what we know." She paused. "Especially given the population density of this nation. This city alone, your Tokyo...a Necromancer who is determined to create an army of Necrocites..."
Ami paled. Usagi pressed her hands to her mouth in horror.
A moment later, Ami spoke again. "So to summarise, a small number of people born into this time carry with them the souls and magical abilities of Senshi who died thousands of years ago, and are now to be thrust unwillingly into a war against thousands, perhaps millions, of enemies."
"Essentially, yes."
"And there is no option for avoiding involvement in the battle?"
Luna shrugged her shoulders. "Lay down and die. That's the only way out without fighting."
Ami nodded, then stood. "Very well. I appreciate the information you have provided." She walked to the door and turned to her two guests, expression unreadable.
Usagi and Luna glanced at one another, frowning. They understood they were being asked to leave, and after gathering her belongings, Usagi walked to the door, stepped into her shoes, bowed and bid Ami good day, and left, Luna once again riding on her shoulder.
* * * * *
Chiba Mamoru met his parents for lunch at a small but classy restaurant in the bustling business district. It was a weekly ritual; though they saw little of each other during the week, they made time to meet for Sunday lunch—last week, of course, being the exception.
"Mamoru-kun," his mother began, "are you terribly busy Saturday night?"
He frowned, sipping his coffee. "Not to my knowledge. Why?"
She passed a glossy sheet of paper across to him. "The Yamagoto Corporation is sponsoring a gala on Saturday. We were extended an invitation, but have a previous engagement. It would be beneficial for our family to be represented in attendance—and you might meet important people who will help advance your career once you graduate university."
Mamoru frowned as his father put in, "And you can take your fiancee as your date. Having a beautiful, charming companion will boost your social standing."
"I...do not know if I can commit..." Mamoru paused, blinking down at the leaflet. An inset corner depicted a velvet-lined display case of glittering gems and gold figurines. One of the statuettes was holding a brilliant, lustrous jewel. "Are they presenting these?" he asked his mother, indicating the inset.
She beamed. "Ah, yes. The chairman's wife wants to impress the partners by showing off her collection of priceless jewels and gold." She sighed. "A pity your father and I cannot attend..."
Mamoru eyed the photograph for a long moment. At length, he looked up at his parents, eyes sharp and intense. "I would be honoured to attend the gala in your stead, Okaasama, Otousama."
* * * * *
"Luna," Usagi said as they walked along a fairly quiet street, "why didn't you tell me? That you're...you know."
"Would you have been able to trust me, if I had been honest? Can you trust me now, with the truth known?"
Usagi threw a hurt look at the cat. "You've saved my life at least twice, Luna. I know I can trust you. I mean..." She paused. "I don't...it doesn't matter. I just wish you'd told me. It's...I don't like being lied to."
"And it concerns you that I am a youma? That my kind are the sworn enemies of your world?"
"It...does bother me a little," Usagi admitted.
Luna leapt from the fence and landed in front of Usagi. "Then kill me now, Princess. You have more than sufficient power. Were we to do battle, I would not stand a chance against you."
Usagi stared at the cat, whose crimson gaze remained steadily fixed upon her. At length, she sighed. "You know better than that, Luna. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you."
Luna continued to stare at her, an unreadable emotion in her eyes. "You may have to one day, Princess. If my Master's control ever breaks, if I am ever allowed to return to the service of my Queen, I must. It is the very nature of what I am. If I am ever freed of the geas, if the blood magic is ever broken, I will become your enemy, and you will have to kill me."
Usagi's eyes began to well with tears. "Luna...don't say things like that. Please...I don't want to hear something like that."
"I am only telling you the truth," Luna said simply, turning away. "We cannot change what we are, deep inside. We must follow the path upon which we are set." She leapt lightly to the fence and began padding away.
Usagi stood unmoving for several minutes, fighting back tears. "You're wrong," she whispered into the empty air. "You're so, so very wrong, Luna."
* * * * *
As soon as he arrived home, Mamoru picked up the phone and dialed the Tsukino residence.
//Moshi-moshi, Tsukino desu,// spoke the voice of Tsukino Ikuko.
"Tsukino-san, this is Chiba Mamoru. Is Usagi available?"
//She is out studying with a friend. I can give you her mobile number...//
"No, that is not necessary. I am calling because I am to attend a corporate gala in place of my parents this Saturday evening. I will require a companion, and Usagi, being my fiancee, is the preferred choice of my parents."
It was difficult to miss the unspoken implication that she was not his personal preferred choice, but Ikuko chose to ignore it. //Usagi will be happy to accompany you, Chiba-kun. We will see you Saturday evening.//
"Thank you. I will call tomorrow with the arrangements."
As he hung up, he considered once again the image of the glittering, perfect jewel on the leaflet.
*It's a necessary evil, if I am ever to obtain the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou.*
* * * * *
Usagi arrived home to find her mother waiting with an anticipatory, predatory gleam in her eyes. She gulped nervously. *This looks bad.*
"Usagi-chan," Ikuko said sweetly. "I have good news."
"Hai?"
"You have a date with Chiba-kun on Saturday night."
"EEEH?!" Usagi stared, wide-eyed, at her mother. "What do you mean?"
"Chiba-kun will be taking you to a gala ball on Saturday. You'll meet some very important people and we'll buy you a brand new formal gown...you'll have a wonderful time!"
Usagi stood speechless for a long moment. Then, she bowed her head, sighing wearily. "H-hai." She trudged upstairs to her room, her complete lack of enthusiasm almost derailing her mother's manic glee.
* * * * *
Kino Makoto, dressed in a seifuku (not HER school's uniform, but a generic navy cosplay seifuku) and with her hair done up in a sickeningly childish style, laughed forcedly at a feeble joke made by her "date" for the evening as the two of them exited the love hotel. She formulated a careful, flattering reply—but it died on her lips as, horrified, she recognised a man standing on the opposite side of the street.
*Oh...SHIT.*
"Something wrong, Mako-chan?" her client asked.
She forced a cheery smile back onto her face. "No, not at all. Listen, I hate to cut the fun short, but something just came up."
He frowned. "I paid—"
"I know, I'm sorry, I'll refund you two hours, okay? But I've REALLY got to—"
She trailed off as the man across the street turned, noticed her, and dropped the cup he was holding.
"FUCK!" she spat. Without a second glance at her client, she broke into a run.
