Thorny Remembrances

Chapter One

	Lita Kino rolled over in bed; she couldn?t get up.  The clock 
said it was after ten in the morning, but she was too tired.  School 
started hours ago.  The alarm had gone off repeatedly trying to tell 
her it was time to put on her uniform, and she had ignored it.  She 
thought about the others sitting in class listening to the boring 
lectures.  There was a time when the lectures interested her, but 
not now.  

	There was a time when her life had been so busy and exciting 
that school lectures held a passive charm, an enduring reminder that 
not all life was about fighting, winning, sacrificing.  She wondered 
what had changed.  

	"No more bad guys.  No more danger," she thought.  

	At first she hadn?t wanted to admit it, that she missed the 
danger.  No, that she had craved the danger.  Since she was a small 
child, since her parents had died; she?d used her strength to 
overcome all obstacles.  She no longer lived in the orphanage.  
She had her own apartment.  It was subsidized by her late parents? 
estate, but still it was hers.  She had become a strong Sailor 
Scout, had defeated evil that ordinary people couldn?t comprehend, 
and had passed her exams.  

	This last week had been the toughest.  Late at night, after her 
friends left and when she should have been sleeping, she would go out.  
She would walk the city streets looking for trouble.  If one knew 
where to walk, trouble was never far.  This week she had stopped two 
muggings, a sexual assault and a carjacking.  She?d only transformed 
into Sailor Jupiter for two of them.  

	Last night she stopped a liquor store robbery.  She didn?t 
transform for that one either and had the cuts and bruises to prove it.  
The two guys never knew what hit them.  

	She chuckled to herself, "No one ever expects a fifteen-
year-old girl to kick their ass."  

	She also smiled at the irony, that she wasn?t old enough to 
be inside a liquor store.

	Lita was hooked, hooked on the adrenaline.  She craved that 
action.  School would have to wait; she was busy saving the world, 
one person at a time.

	The phone rang, interrupting her thoughts.

	?Hello??

	?Lita, it?s Serena.  Tell me your not still sick.?

	?Hey, yeah.  But just a little.  I?ll be there tomorrow.  
Can you get my assignments again??

	?No problem, but that?s what you said yesterday,? Serena said, 
prodding Lita for more information about her mystery illness.

	?Well, I would have come today, the cough is better, but I?ve 
got an achy back.  I must have done something, twisted it,? Lita 
smiled at her misleading honesty.

	?Okay, but I?m coming over after school to check on you.  
Do you need anything?  Groceries?  Meds?? she asked, still not 
convinced.

	?Let?s see, I?m out of smacks.  Pick something up that we 
can share.? 

	?Will do.  I?ll see you in a few hours.  Feel better for me, 
okay??

	?I will,? Lita said, listening while the phone disconnected.

	She sat up, contemplating telling Serena about her midnight 
escapades.  But she knew Serena wouldn?t understand.  She thought none 
of the others would understand.  None of the others were alone, 
not like she was.

	Her mind raced down a list of the other girl?s families.  
Ami lived with her mother.  Rei lived with her grandfather at the 
temple.  Mina and Serena had the entire family thing going on, 
complete with pets.  The only other person that might understand how 
she felt would be Darien.  He was an orphan too, from a very 
early age.  His parents had been killed in a car accident, hers in 
a plane crash.  

	"But Darien?s so together.  He?d think I?m crazy."  She blushed 
at the thought of telling Darien her secret.

	She dragged herself out of bed and went to the shower.  She?d 
have to clean up a little if she was going to be interrogated by 
Serena.  Lita Had let the apartment go as well as her own 
appearance.  She hoped the snacks Serena was bringing would keep 
her distracted.It was almost sundown when Serena finally arrived.

	?I was about to give up on you, girl,? she chided while 
unlocking the door.  ?What?d you bring??

	?Well, not knowing what you wanted, I probably bought to 
much,? she said emptying the contents of a shopping bag on the 
kitchen table.  ?How?s your back??

	?Pretty good.  We?ll see how it feels in the morning.?

	?You know,? said Serena, watching Lita though the corner 
of her eye, ?we have a Scout meeting tomorrow afternoon at the 
temple.  Why don?t we just have it here?  I brought enough food 
that you wouldn?t have to make anything.?

	?Hmmm, ulterior motive for the volume of munchies.  Okay, 
if I feel up to it,? which in her mind translated into if she 
didn?t get any visible injuries on tonight?s patrol.

	The two teens spent the rest of the evening going over 
lessons and watching television.  It was almost nine at night 
before Serena said good-bye, practically tucking Lita in before 
leaving.

	?I thought she?d never leave,? said Lita to herself 
locking the door behind Serena.  She went back to her room and 
changed clothes; jeans, black t-shirt, short leather jacket.  
A baseball cap kept her long brown hair from getting in her face, 
the ponytail pulled through the back of the hat.  


	The night air chilled Lita.  There would be a frost in the 
morning.  Her black leather boots made a clicking noise on the 
empty downtown streets.  She walked with purpose and tried to 
sense danger lurking nearby.  Lately, she felt as though she could 
taste it on the air, the bittersweet taste of sacrifice and triumph.  
She rounded a corner into an alley.

	?Come on alley.  I?ve hit pay dirt here before.  Let?s see 
what we can shake loose tonight.?  The shadows in the narrow passage 
made it easy for her to conceal herself.  She stood and waited.

	A voice from behind startled her.

	?Hey sweetness, I?d ask if you come here often, but little 
girls don?t usually hang around in dark alleys.  At least not the 
little girls I know,? said the gritty voice.

	She could feel his hand touch her shoulder.  She could feel 
his intentions through her being.  The excitement rose hot in her 
blood.
	
	?You should move along,? she said, giving him an opportunity 
to walk away.  ?I?m waiting for someone, and it?s not you.?

	?I?m insulted.  You know it?s not nice to insult your elders.?

	She turned around to face the stranger.

	?This is the last time I?m going to warn you.  You should 
leave.?

	Part of her hoped he would go, but the other part of her?
the part that was already planning where to kick him, hoped he?d 
make his move.  The latter part won as the man grabbed the nape 
of her neck and pulled her closer.

	?I don?t think you understand what?s about to happen here,? 
he hissed through clenched teeth.  

	His breath was hot with alcohol, and his face scarred.  Lita 
almost felt pity for the fool, as she broke free of his grasp.  
She backed away, surveying the older man, getting her footing.  
He lunged at her, only to find she was quick to move.  Colliding 
with the brick wall behind her the drunk cursed.  When he turned 
for his next attack, the blade of a knife flashed the streetlight 
briefly.  Lita shook her head.  On the next pass she kicked the 
man in the back, reminding her of her own pain.  Wincing, she 
crouched and regained her composure.  The man took advantage of 
her position and buried the knife in her shoulder.

	"Careless," she admonished herself.  

	Standing and turning towards her assailant, she smiled.  
She could feel the adrenaline in her veins.  Her shoulder stung 
with the fury of the cut, but she didn?t care.  Here was her danger, 
she thought licking her lips.

	In a burst of anger she lashed out at the man.  At first he 
thought he?d won with his feeble attempt to subdue her, already 
untucking his shirt from his pants and unbuckling his belt.  The 
first punch caught him off-guard.  The second one spun him around.  
Another kick pushed him face first into the wall.  He fell, blood 
splattered on the bricks behind him.

	Lita grabbed him by the shirt collar and tossed him on his back.  
She leaned over his face.

	?Don?t you ever?ever?treat a woman like that again!"  
She reached in his pocket and found his wallet.  Removing the ID 
card she showed it to him.  "I?m keeping this.  If I find you in 
this alley at night again, I?ll make the injuries more permanent.?

	Turning around, she left him lying on his back in the alley.  

	"Broken nose, crushed cheek, missing a couple of teeth.  He was 
lucky I stopped when I did."

	It wasn?t until she passed another couple that she remembered 
her own injuries.  The looks they gave her reminded her that her 
shoulder was bleeding.  She tried to look to see how bad it was, 
but the coat hid most of her back.  From the front she could see 
the blood trickling down her shirt.  Disappointed that she?d 
have to call it an early night, she headed back to her apartment 
to clean and wrap it.

	It wasn?t until after the clothes were off and the 
adrenaline wore off that Lita realized how bad the cut was.  
The knife had entered the top of the shoulder, digging deep into 
the muscle.  She?d cleaned it, but couldn?t stop the bleeding 
long enough to wrap it.  She blamed herself for not being more 
careful.  

	"I should have transformed.  If he hadn?t caught me off 
guard.  Or, if my back hadn?t seized up on me."  She thought of all 
the ways it wasn?t her fault.

	Giving in, she picked up her coat and headed to a clinic.  
Her black leather coat hid the blood as she boarded the train.  
She?d been to her local clinic twice this month already.  The train 
would take her to one a few miles away.  Before the train was 
underway, a young man took the seat next to her.  He tried to 
smile.

	?Is it okay if I sit here?? he asked sheepishly.

	?Yeah, I guess,? she looked at the dozen empty seats in 
the car.

	?You okay?  You look a little pale.?

	Not really in the mood for a conversation, she nodded 
and grunted an answer.

	He seemed to get the hint and tucked his head into his 
chest, eyes down.

	?I?m sorry,? she rethought her response.  ?I?m just 
not feeling well.  On my way the to the doctor.?

	?Oh,? he said relieved he wasn?t getting the brush 
off, but looking concerned that she might be contagious.

	?No,? she laughed.  ?Something fell on my shoulder??

	She didn?t get a chance to finish the sentence.  A 
group of young men boarded the train at the next stop.  As 
soon as the doors whooshed shut they began to make their 
presence known.

	?Ladies and gentlemen, as you are our guests, we would 
like to introduce ourselves.  We are the Guardians of the West 
Side.  Tonight we will be guarding your personal belongings.  
Please bend over placing your palms down on the seat ahead 
of you.?

	Lita did as they said, too sore to fight.  She could hear 
the men going from passenger to passenger demanding wallets, 
jewelry and other valuables.  Desperately she tried to think what 
she could do to stop the thieves.  She couldn?t transform, too 
many people present.  She wouldn?t be much good in a fight with a 
bum arm. 

	Before she could find an answer, she heard one of the men 
raise his voice.

	?I don?t care if the ring is stuck, put it in the bag or 
I?m gonna cut off the finger.  Jet; give me your knife.  I got a 
ring to get.?

	The woman began to whimper and beg.  Lita knew what she 
had to do.  She stood, weaving from loss of blood.

	?You guys better leave her alone.  I don?t want a fight, 
but I can?t let you hurt anyone.  Take what you?ve already got and 
get off at the next platform.  We?ll all stay in our seats till 
the doors shut behind you.?

	The men laughed.  ?You gotta be kidding.  Sit down little 
girl.  It?ll be your turn in a minute,? said the man as he put the 
knife to the woman?s finger.  

	Feeling that familiar rush for the second time that evening, 
Lita hurtled over the man sitting next to her.  She punched the 
young punk in the face.  The knife dropped to the floor of the 
train.  The turning of the tracks sent it sliding to the back 
of the car.  He punched her in the face, sending her back a few 
paces.  She ducked his second punch and sent an uppercut to his 
stomach, raising him off the floor.  When he landed, her elbow was 
waiting.  He dropped to the ground.  Turning to face his friends 
she heard someone yell ?Look out!? followed be a loud popping noise.  
Her side burned.  She looked down to see blood on the front of 
her shirt.  At first she thought the trickle from her shoulder had 
become a steady stream, but then she could smell the powder 
and grease.  She put her hand over the hole in her side as she 
sank to the ground.  

	The train stopped at the next station.  The gang of men took 
their stolen goods and ran; leaving their friend slumped against 
the wall unconscious.

	Lita was barely aware of someone at her side.  

	?Call an ambulance!  She?s been shot!?

	A woman?s face leaned over her.

	?Hold on honey,? she heard the feminine voice say.  ?Can I 
call someone for you, your parents??

	The sounds faded.  The lights faded.  Lita closed her eyes.