"Alright, you beat me!" 

I can still hear their voices.

"Isn't she wonderful?" My father tightens his obi and picks me up, then we 
walk over to where Mother is waiting. 

"Yes, just like you, dear."

"They'll never be gone while you remember them in your heart," they said. So 
why do memories hurt so much?

"Mommy, Daddy? Where are we going?"

"Up to Osaka."

I was so happy.

"Wave to the birds, dear."

How quickly joy turns to tragedy.

"What's wrong?"

"Engine fire and I've lost the rudder! Get the little one into a parachute!"

But it wasn't enough. I bounced off the wing strut as my mother pushed me out 
the door and in that moment, my future changed forever.

Eventually, I got used to the change. Sure, I couldn't do everything, but 
that wasn't so bad. 

Then came that day in the park. The cat. Suddenly, I was whole again. But 
nothing lasts forever. It can't. I would love to stay that way, but Luna says 
I can't. Something about a shell and how I'd starve if I didn't change back.

But I have hope now. The crystal's magic. Maybe someday I won't need the pen 
to be whole.

"You ready?"

Usagi's question jerks me back to the here and now.

"Yeah," I say with a smile. "I'm ready." I look over at Minako, who's 
buckling the last straps on her skates while the others put on their helmets 
and get their bikes. My friends. The greatest ones in the whole world.

Minako gets behind me and grabs the handles of my chair. "Okay, Makoto," she 
says. "Hang on." And then we're off.

I'm Kino Makoto, Sailorjupiter.

And really, its not so bad anymore.
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