Name: "The truth about Ami: revelations". Author: Cony. E-mail: rubi@riemann.mat.puc.cl Rated: PG-13, for violence and language. Author notes: well, as many of you out there have wanted, here's the second installment of TTAA. Many people have asked me to write a sequel . . . and some of them even gave some wonderful ideas, so I did. You may notice now that this part is the close follower of the previous one, so I highly recommend you read TTAA first before diving into this one. Again, I ask for apologies if you don't understand something. You see, the whole story is been developed inside my mind, and I know what things will happen further on . . . so I sometimes forget you can't read my mind and see why did I write that line in there when it doesn't even fit, ok?. If you have any questions, just ask me, and I'll be glad to answer your doubts. Which I know must be and AWFUL lot!. For those who still don't know, in this fanfic, the girls are much older. 20, to say the least. So don't freak out because they are doing things that can't be done by minors, 'k?. Don't worry, there's nothing 'adultish' in this fac (so far), but the violence and mild words . . . well that's another story. I know many of you will find Reiko 'too', or 'extremely' violent in here, but hey, wouldn't you?. Just read the situation and you'll understand what I mean!. So, without further ado, I present you, TTAA: Revelations. What new secrets will we learn from Reiko and Hiroshi's past?. read and find out!. Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all related characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi and other big companies, so don't sue me, 'k?. ***The Truth About Ami: Revelations *** They hate me. I know they do. I can't blame them, though. My reaction would be the same if they circumstances were turned around. Who would like to befriend a murderer?. A liar?. Ever since that day, when the truth was revealed, I've been feeling uncomfortable in their prescense . . . exactly as they do in mine. It's as if the intimacy and friendship we shared was broken . . . I no longer can feel as if they were my family . . . as days pass, I am starting to think on them about enemies . . . as if they were planning something behind my back . . . My hopes were thrown to earth very quickly. When they knew about my past, I seriously wished for them to understand my new personality . . . but it seems they don't. I can't act as I'd like to. Everytime I do something that's totally un-Ami like, I can feel their stares and reprobation. I even catched Mina-chan frowning when I said I didn't want to study any longer, that I wanted to go shopping . . . those gestures inmediatly make me feel hated, and unconsciously, I return to my old behaviuor. Mizuno Ami returns to life, and Suiseki Reiko returns to her slumber. Again, I'm alone. Right now, I'm all by myself. The girls are busy . . . or so they told me. >From that day till now, I don't know if to believe them. The faces, the looks, the gestures . . . everything tells me they're lying . . . and I'm feeling desperate. I told Hiro-chan about this, and his words soothed me down, at least for a while: 'Don't worry, Reiko-chan. They're just getting used to this new you. Give them a little time . . . everything will be fine soon'. I believed him, and peace returned to my heart. At least for a couple of days. But when weeks passed by, and they started avoiding me . . . my doubts returned. Just some minutes ago, I called Rei-chan. I needed to get out, to feel loved and befriended again. But, for the fourth time in two weeks, she refused to go and take a stroll with me. As Minako did. And Makoto. Usagi is busy with Mamoru, but I still feel as if I'm slowly being rejected from the group. I start recalling many little details, which now came clear into view . . . like when I arrived in late at a meeting at the Hikawa Jinja . . . I heard conversation from outside Rei's room. My name was said several times, so I tried to listen closely, but I stepped on an old wood pacth, and they heard me. When I entered, they stopped talking, and refused to tell me what it was all about. Or when Usagi, Mako-chan and I were walking home back from school . . . Usagi-chan saw Mamoru-san in the distance, and with a happy squeal left both of us alone . . . although I didn't notice then, I now know Mako-chan felt uneasy. I saw as she firmly grabbed her bag, and fiddled with her feet . . . something I had never seen her do before . . . before I could ask what was wrong, Mako-chan said: "Hmm . . . Reiko-chan . . . you don't know how much I'd like to go home with you . . . but I . . . I just remembered I had a . . . well, a . . . a cooking lesson in just half an hour. So, see ya!. Bye!". And there I was left, alone in the street. Mako-chan going to take cooking lessons?. Yeah right!. As if!. She needs as much cooking lessons as I do with extra studies!. I knew she was lying to me, but she was already too far away to ask her. And I was surrounded by people . . . running as fast as I could wasn't a choice. Blinking back some tears which were threatening to escape my eyes, I turned around, and walked home. Much, much later, I realised I had been walking on the wrong way, and grumpily had to turn around. I just didn't want to get home . . . I wanted to be alone for a while . . . to be able to think . . . about what's going on. So, right now, I am alone again. No one is beside me . . . at least to keep me company. People and people brush my side, yet none of them stop to talk to me . . . perhaps they can sense the terrible person I am . . . or perhaps everyone knows about my past . . . why has that lady been staring at me for so long already?. Her eyes have narrowed . . . she's looking suspicious . . . oh God, now I'm getting paranoic. That would be the end of it!. I start walking faster, this time, letting my feet take me wherever they want. I am not seen where . . . I am just too shocked. Ever so slowly, my loyal friends have been turning their back onto me. Small details pop into my mind. Wards . . . wards on every door of the Hikawa Jinja . . . the words marked deep into my brain 'Evil Spirits, begone!'. Mako-chan's fear . . . her lame excuse to get away from me . . . Minako-chan . . . her eyes always set onto me, yet never looking at me straight, as if afraid of me discovering her . . . Usagi-chan . . . long ago clinging harder onto Mamoru-san's arm, as if to protect herself . . . even Mamoru eyes me suspiciously everytime I talk to him . . . I can feel as his eyes are rooted to my hands, waiting for me to strike . . . Even Luna . . . the calm, quiet and so wise small cat is scared of me. I remember a week ago, when we were at the Jinja, on Rei's room. I absently grabbed Luna and sat her on my lap. For a moment, I felt her tensing, but then I only thought it was the surprise . . . yet I now I know otherwise. The stiffening of her body, the bristling of her hair . . . only when angry or terrified do cats bristle . . . she was scared of me. She feared I was going to squeeze her little neck too tight, of press my hand on her back too hard . . . Luna, even *you* leave me?. You were the only one who fully understood me . . . you never lost hope in me, even when everyone else had . . . and now, even you're scared and afraid of me . . . as I petted you, I remember hearing you making some strange sounds . . . I mistook them for purrs, but I know now that they were hisses, disguised by your clenched teeth and closed mouth. You were fighting yourself for not striking back and slashing my hand, which you feared so much . . . As tears start gathering on my eyes again, I don't feel someone who's been walking by my side for some minutes now. I only notice him when he speaks: "What's wrong baby?". I turn towards the voice, startled. The first thought that strikes my mind is that I must be loosing control . . . no matter how distressed I was in the past, I'd never let anyone get near me without noticing . . . but all my worries are swept away by a bright smile . . . my Hiro-chan is standing right there, by my side. I squeal in delight, before launching myself into his arms. As he encircles me, I feel as everything melts away . . . with just a hug, he's able to brush every fear away from me. I breathe deeply, his scent filling my nostrils. How does he manage to always smell like a forest in spring, I'll never know. But it always calms me down. I feel relaxed inside his arms . . . I snuggle deeper in his embrace, brushing my face on his T-shirt. My head is set on the crook of his neck, and his chin is resting on my hair. "Care to tell me what's wrong?", he says, hugging me tightly. I close my eyes, and whisper: "Well . . . I . . .". Words are stuck inside my throat. I can't tell him . . . and it feels weird. Even before we realised we loved each other, we would be the other's confident in everything. It's the first time I can't tell him something . . . we just stay there, in silence. People pass by us, but we don't notice. Right now, the world is only us. I can feel as his hands caresess my back, brushing my worries away. His voice says, reaching me as if he was very far away: "Would you like me to buy you a soda?. We can talk better on some cafe if you want". Silently, I ackowledge. I can feel his hand grasping mine, and squeezing it tenderly. I look up to him, and smile for the first time in ages. He always makes me feel special . . . I can't resist it, and give him a quick peck on his cheek. He blushes, and mutters: "Reiko-chan, don't do that in public". In spite of his words, I know he liked it. I kiss him on the lips now, feeling as he answers me. So soft . . . tastes to fire and smoke . . . Suddenly, he pushes me softly away, and whispers: "As much as I'd like to stay here, that lady over there is staring at us suspiciously. I bet she thinks I'm a pervert or something . . .". I rest my head on his chest, and say: "Let her watch. I bet she's dying to be in my place". Hiroshi smiles at me, and whispers: "Never loose that humor of yours babe. Now, let's go". He grabs my bag, and clasps my hand. Together, we walk into the Crown Parlor, which was less than a square away. As we sat, by the corner of my eye, I saw a glint of yellow. Attracted by it, I turn to look around, and see it's Minako. She is talking to Rei, both of them with their heads close to the other, as if sharing a secret. The priestesess violet eyes see me, and they inmediatly stopp. I can see as Rei-chan makes some shhhing movements to Mina-chan, telling her to quiet. I stare at them by the corner of my eye, my back turned to them. I can clearly see as they whisper to each other furiosly, and cringe on their seats. Do they want to deceive me?. Me?. I could recognize them in a Three Light's fan-crowd, with my eyes closed . . . and besides, the huge mirror next to me isn't helping them much. Their reflection is set right in front of my eyes, and I see as they quickly scramble out of their seats, and rush outside. Something inside my heart breaks, and it is all I can do not to make a scene right there. From the way they were moving, I knew they didn't know I had seen them . . . I freeze my heart, and sit on the other side of the table, where my back is giving to where they were seated. Hiroshi seems not to feel anything . . . or at least he doesn't show it. After we order - well, better said, *Hiroshi* orders a couple of drinks, we're finally alone. For some very long minutes, we both stay quiet. I don't know what to say, and he awaits for me to speak. Unazuki-chan returns with the drinks, and I can just feel her wondering glare on my back . . . the question she's asking herself just pops into my head . . . . . . I hold back the urge to turn around and scream at her to stop it. A scene is the least thing I need know. So, I stop myself, and wait until she leaves. And when she does, I can't take it anymore. I whisper, afraid to hear the answer: "Hiro-chan, is there something wrong with me?". I can't see the look of surprise that spreads upon his face, but the reflection of the vase tells me he's taken back. "Wrong with you?". His voice is full of wonder, and a bit of fear, if I may say. I take the straw, and slowly ripple the green drink in front of me . . . "Yes. Am I that horrible?". "Of course not. You're the most wonderful person I've ever met. You're beautiful, responsible, friendly, nice, lovely--". He is cut short, as I continue his speech: "A liar, a murderer, a monster . . .and the list goes on and on". Hiroshi's left speechless for some seconds. With a very strong will power, he stopps his jaw from falling down. He grabs my hands from across the table, and holds them tight. "Baby, you're not a monster. What makes you think that?". I answer in a soft whisper that reaches his ears: "They do . . . they way they've been acting around me . . . as if they're afraid . . . Rei-chan has wards on her house . . . and they no longer want to be alone with me . . .". Two small tears trail down my cheeks, and drop to my skirt. Hiroshi doesn't know what to say. How can you deny what's true?. He had felt it himself. For some days now, the girls had been distant with him, and even Mamoru had started talking less and less to him . . . now that he gave it a second thought, it was as if they were actually scared of them. A grin of sadness appears on his lips, as he realises we are starting to return to our previous way of acting . . . hiding, pretending, lieing . . . he knew all she wanted was a normal life, and she certainly wasn't getting it. And right now, when her defenses were at their lowest rate, the feelings of guilt and despair were taking their best on her. And he knew there was only one way of letting her know she was wrong. "Sweetie, come", he says, grabbing my hand. He throws some coins on the table, and leaving the totally untouched drinks behind, we stand up. Hiroshi draggs me with him, forcing me to stand up. I'm reluctant. Eventhough we had been together for years and through heaven and hell together, I don't want him to see my teary face. The fact that I was letting my emotions control me was too humiliating . . . or so I thought. The trained instinct of my time as a spy was still deep embedded in me, and unconsciously, I am now living the way I was trained to . . . mind before the heart. Brain first, emotions second. The real life stories of other agents who had let their feelings come in between their duty were very popular in the agency's corridors. How Matzuwata Ikato had been killed at a secret meeting with his supposed victim, who in fact was his lover . . . or as Sansin Jitai was killed by one of her own partners for wanting to quit and marry her forbidden boyfriend . . . many and many stories like these were pretty well known to anyone under the agency's hand, and they feared it's consequences. With each new event of 'emotion-factor' as they called it, security was more and more strict, almost becoming a military institution. Anyone who even showed a bit of feeling was inmediatly put under costant surveilence, in case they would do anything that would reveal the aency's prescense to the world. And now, eventhough my life as a spy was only a memory, old habits die hard. As much as I'd like to just stand in the middle of the street and scream, my instincts forbid me to. And to show tears . . . well, it is a clear sign of weakness. And I wasn't letting Hiroshi see it. He didn't speak, and only dragged me outside. When we were on the street again, I felt him stop. I didn't want to look up, and just kept staring at the floor. For some seconds, there was no noise, as neither of us moved. And then, I felt a couple of hands on my face. A soft whisper on my ears: "Reiko, let me show you you're not a monster. Promise me you'll listen, ok?". Almost by relfex, I nodded slowly. His hands covers my eyes, and softly, made me turn around. He whispered on my ears again: "Now, look". Gently, he uncoveres my eyes. Blinded at first by the strong sun light, I close them quickly. When I'm better prepared to open them again, I do. Through a haze of tears, I could see a blur of colors and noise. Blinking the tears back, my vision cleared. And the more I saw, the better her heart felt. A park . . . a child playing with a basketball along with his friends . . . a small girl cicled around a fountain, which at the same time, softly wetted a young couple holding hands . . . under the refreshing shadow of a tree, a family had lunch on a picnic . . . puzzled, she turned towards Hiroshi. A gentle smile danced on his lips, making him look more handsome than ever. "Hiro-chan, what's this supposed to mean?". He caressed her cheeks, and answered: "If it wasn't for you, all of this wouldn't exist. You and I know some missions were vital for world peace. Thanks to you and your courage, places like this still exist". His voice soothed her soul like a heavenly balm. "I know it hurts to be rejected and feared, but you knew you were sacrificing a normal life when you joined us. You've been through hell and back . . . but now that you can live as normal as possible, you're giving up?. Reiko-chan, life is what you make of it, remember?". She nodded slowly, understanding what he meant. For once in her life, she was given the chance of living as a normal person, with normal worries and joys . . . and she was throwing it away?. It was perfectly understandable that her friends were scared of her, but it would soon pass. They would soon realise the fact that she was just old Ami . . . with some additions of course. A hesitant smile appeared on her lips, and was inmediatly joined by another one on Hiroshi's. He then cupped her face with his hands, and softly brushed their noses together. "What I love the most about you is you'r strengh. Now that you've survived what we both have handled before, I know absolutly nothing can beat you---". He was cut short as a slightly feminine yet sounding masculine voice interrupted him: "Very poetic my friend. Now, could you please release Ami-chan?". To be continued . . . Well, what do you think?. It was past February when someone (sorry, but I truly forgot your name, if you know him, or *are* him, forgive me!) wrote to me begging for a sequel. He said, that for example, I could write about the reactions of the Senshi to this new aspect in Reiko's personality. And that was the thing hat got my gears rolling!!. So, if you're reading this, feel very idolised and praised, because I still hold you very next to my heart. Now, who is this misterious stranger?. To my opinion, if you read carefully, you should already know who he/she is. It's obvious, isn't it?. I know this chapter was pretty boring, to say the least, but I needed it to be this way. Next chapters, we will see some spine tingling revelations . . . after, that's the title, isn't it?. You will find out what the Outer Senshi think when they realise the *weak* Senshi isn't so anymore . . . I mean, Reiko can even defeat Haruka on a fight!!. Please, keep up with me. trust me when I say you'll like the next chapters much more, because that was when I really got inspired!. See ya!. Cony.