Usagi was late already, as usual, when to improve nothing her mother stopped her on her way to the door: "Phone Usagi, hurry up or you'll be late.
- I'm already late, mom. Moshi moshi ?
- Usagi, said a strangled voice, it's Mako.
- You don't sound well, what is it?
- Nothing, she answered with obvious difficulty, a cold. We have the same classes today, can you tell me what I'm missing?
- Of course! Are you sure you're alright? You sound like you're speaking with a potato in your mouth.
- Thanks Usagi."
Makoto said nothing more but only hung up a long moment later. Usagi left to school and a true miracle happened: she actually listened in class and seriously took notes. She did by friendship many things she would neglect to do by duty. On lunchtime, she joined Ami in the computer lab where she was eating with one hand and working with the other. So that's why there were so many crumbs in the keyboards, she thought.
" Ami ? Am I disturbing you?
- Of course not! Do you have a problem?
- Yes, I'm worried about Makoto.
- We were all afraid to lose her yesterday, I think we'll all worry for a while, it's normal.
- When we left yesterday, she was so pale, and this morning she called me to say she couldn't come to school. If you had heard her voice on the phone, you'd think speaking is an immense effort.
- We'll pay her a little surprise visit tonight, to make sure she's alright. Otherwise we'll drag her by force to the hospital, okay?"
Usagi nodded, still unable to forget that fear clinging to her mind. That despair she had felt listening to the silence of death haunted her, she kept thinking about it. Of course she feared for Makoto! The strongest of the group, a mythical warrior gifted with mighty powers… defeated by a simple arrow, the Sailors were little more than mortals, more fragile even regarding the terrible dangers they faced. Of course she felt her group awfully vulnerable! She could lose one of her friends anytime, this time for good!
As she watched Ami get back to work, she felt tears coming to her eyes. Ami was all the opposite of Makoto, so delicate, timid and silent. She looked so fragile! And she was mortal! MORTAL! She had to protect them all, she had failed less than twenty-four hours ago. How could she hope to protect Earth if she let her friends die?
She was often seen crying, but this time she was ashamed, ashamed of her failure, and she ran into the washroom to hide. Of all the day, she didn't even touch her dinner.

Mamoru, after college, was waiting for Usagi in front of her school, she generally came out of detention at the time he arrived, and he didn't miss her this day either. It did happen, days where she wasn't kept after class, or more or less long. But this time she almost passed him without seeing him. In the company of Ami, she walked quickly and without sauntering. Her serious look seemed seriously out of place on her face, she was usually so charmingly careless. Something wasn't right.
"Usako, he called, Usako, is everything alright?
- Mamo-chan ! Can you come with us please? I'm feeling all sad.
- But what's happening, odango ?
- I failed to protect my friends, she admitted gazing down, Makoto was killed. The silver crystal saved her but I'm so afraid to lose her again. Or one of the others. Or you, Mamoru!
- Usagi, you should rather cheer, you did save her! You're a good warrior and I know we're safe with you.
- No! Trusting me has done enough harm!
- Usako, everything will be fine, you'll see."
They knocked on the apartment's door. There was no answer, but the young woman was generally trusting and often forgot to lock, so they came in anyway. On the living room table, the empty cups and cookie plate from the evening still laid there. Neglecting cleaning was not like Makoto, even sick.
Usagi called, then walked farther into the apartment, followed by the others. The bloody clothes were still on the bathroom floor. The bedroom door was open, so the walked in. Makoto was under the sheet, a pillow on the head and an arm over the pillow, on her side. Her pants were on the floor, but she had kept her shirt, wrinkled by the night.
At her approach, the hand clenched, grabbing the pillowcase, and came down with the pillow. Behind, Ami and Mamoru were closing in. Makoto's hair was undone, they didn't see her like that often, it suited her nicely, and directed a large green eye toward the intruder, the other hidden by the sheet. "Coming for my flowers, I bet?"
Usagi didn't understand immediately, then remembered the previous day and smiled. "Idiot, we came for you!" The brown-haired girl stretched a leg and rolled on her back, her hands not moving an inch next to her body, as if she had been a wooden mannequin. On her right cheek, on which she had leant, a large white marked covered the skin from the temple to the jaw. "Makoto! she exclaimed, Your face!"
Ami came closer and looked. The mark was very pale, slightly yellowish maybe, and blurred. If she remembered well, pigmentation problems generally had a clear contour and didn't appear from one day to another. "I've never heard of anything like that, she began, but of course, there's still a lot of things I don't know. All I can say is it's not something we see everyday.
- What? said Makoto, What is it? Mamoru, there's a mirror in the top drawer next to you, give it to me."
The young man obeyed and she grabbed the handle, inclining it toward her face. "Oh, just that? Hearing you we'd think I'm missing half of my face!" She handed back the mirror and Mamoru put it back in its drawer.
"My mother will probably accept to see you if I ask her, Ami offered, she's a good doctor.
- No thanks, I already have an appointment.
- For free.
- I have an insurance, with all our fighting, what did you think?
- Speaking of insurance, slipped Usagi, did you reread your life insurance contract? If the words are loose enough maybe you can get the money!
- I don't think resurrection is covered. And you would be getting the insurance money.
- Me?
- The life insurance came with the package and I don't have a family.
- Heu, I think I missed a part, said Mamoru. Makoto, isn't your arm tiring?"
Makoto looked up and saw that despite the had let it drop, her arm had kept its upward position. She lowered it. "I have bizarre cramps like that since yesterday, that's why I didn't go to school, it's not very serious, it doesn't even hurt, it's just annoying.
- When's your appointment? Usagi asked.
- Wednesday.
- It's two days! You won't die till then?
- Ah no! Once a week is enough!"
They left about half an hour later, Mamoru realising he still didn't know enough to really grasp what was going on. Usagi was only vaguely reinsured, okay Makoto would survive that, but her shape wasn't too bright. She hoped she would get better soon, and not only because she had to pay attention in class for her.

Chapter 3