Hikaru Mizuno stepped into the elevator; his hands shook with nervousness and excitement as he pushed the button and waited for it to close. Michi hadn’t said much, and had been vague with even that. "Come home," she'd said. "Your daughter needs you."
He had a bad feeling about that bit. Did Ami find out about her heritage? Worse, did that bastard Gothwrain find out about them? Every concievable possibility ran through his head in the span of thirty seconds, as the elevator ascended to the fifth floor.
After what seemed an eternity, the doors opened, and he made his way down the hall. He couldn’t feel his legs as he walked; they made their way to the door of their own accord.
It wasn’t until he’d knocked that he smelled the wererat.
Instantly, his eyes were everywhere; he shifted into hybrid form, ready for combat. If someone dared threaten his family...
The door opened; Michi stood there for a moment, then raised an eyebrow. “You normally weren’t this brazen, Hikaru...”
“I smell another wererat,” Hikaru replied. She (he could tell that the other was a ‘she’) was definitely here. “What’s going on?”
“Father?”
His eyes turned to meet hers... and then he understood everything. “A... Ami? You... you’re...”
“I know,” she said, blushing. “Thanks for the presents every year. I’m sorry you couldn’t be here... but I understand why, now.”
Hikaru walked over and felt his daughter’s cheek with his hand. “How... what happened? I thought you didn’t inherit...”
“I got... scratched,” she replied. “I was trying to calm down a werewolf friend of mine, and...” She raised her arms expansively.
HHikaru nodded slowly. “This... How much do you know about my clan, Ami?”
Ami fiddled with her tail nervously. “Um... Mom said that a lot of them were dangerous.” She hadn’t quite used the language her mother had; she didn’t know if he’d find it offensive - or if she should.
Hikaru nodded slowly. “That is... an understatement. Gothwrain is a sneaky bastard. He... he runs the clan as though it were the mafia. And... for a long time... he’s been trying to make me an offer I can’t refuse. That’s why I left.”
Ami blinked. “What sort of offer?”
He took a deep breath. “Well... you know how I work as an artist, right?” Ami nodded; several of his gifts had been paintings he’d done.
Hikaru sighed. Now there was a long story to tell... “Well... a lot of the inspiration I get for that comes from my magical ability. I’m one of the best magi in the clan. And Gothwrain wants that power for... well, power.”
Ami nodded slowly. “I understand, Daddy. All too well. You see... there’s something else you need to know about me.”
He blinked. “Really? What’s that?”
She pulled out her henshin wand. “Mercury Crystal Power... Make Up!”
Hikaru watched as his daughter changed from her wererat self to... a wererat Sailor Senshi. “Oh, dear...” He bit his lip nervously, then looked to his wife. “Michi?”
“Yes?”
Hikaru took a deep breath. “Ami is going to need some instruction.” He found himself grasping his tail nervously. “Um... do you mind me moving back in?”
His ex-wife looked at him carefully for a moment. For an instant, he could see the eyes of the young woman he’d fallen in love with so long ago. He wasn’t sure if he could protect her... but, all things considered, he suspected that the two of them could. He watched as that slow, mischievous smile crept up her features.
“Yes... I think we can find room for you... somewhere... to stay here.”
Hikaru smiled. He knew exactly what that statement meant...
See other episodes by Nightelf
(Posted Sun, 26 Jan 2003 07:14)
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