“Soon,” she says, and with that, she’s gone.
Great. Even Nexus has nothing better to do than worry about what Sailor and I might be doing.
I check my watch. Sailor’s session with Sunday will be over now and she’ll be waiting for me. Except it won’t be me who comes, it’ll be Aziza. I wonder if I made the right choice. Those two clearly don’t get on. I did though. Aziza is a good fighter, probably only just behind me in terms of her skills, and I know she won’t let her distaste for Sailor affect her training. Not like me, who can’t seem to let my feelings for Sailor not affect every damn thing I do.
I slip outside and go to the warehouse. I sneak in while Sailor is distracted practicing a new move Sunday must have shown her, and hide behind the shelving unit. I tell myself it’s so I can watch Sailor’s progress rather than watch her. I just make it in before Aziza shows up. Sailor’s eyebrow goes up when she sees Aziza.
“Where’s Rye?” she demands.
“He thought it was time you took on an opponent who doesn’t really care if she hurts you,” Aziza sneers.
“Bring it on,” Sailor says.
If she’s particularly upset that I’m not the one training her, she hides it well as Aziza advances on her and instantly throws her down.
“First rule. Don’t expect your enemies to warn you when they’re about to attack,” Aziza says as she pulls Sailor back to her feet.
Sailor actually grins as Aziza advances on her again. Aziza is pushing her harder than I ever did, and Sailor is loving it.
“Keep your guard up,” Aziza demands. “Focus on me but don’t let me be your sole focus. Others could be sneaking up on you.”
As she says it, Aziza launches herself into the air, springs over Sailor, and spins in midair. She comes down and wraps an arm around Sailor’s throat.
“You’d be dead now.”
She pushes her back, and Sailor gets a decent kick in.
“Higher,” Aziza commands.
Sailor kicks out again, but it’s no higher.
“I hear your dad wants you to meet his girlfriend and play happy families,” Aziza says as she steps toward Sailor.
Sailor kicks higher, with more force, and I smile to myself. I could never do what Aziza is doing. She’s using Sailor’s emotions to strengthen her. Sailor punches toward Aziza, but she easily blocks it.
“Is it your dad that’s bothering you or is it Rye dating the prom queen?”
Sailor punches again, harder this time. Aziza blocks the punch, but it sends her back a step. She grins at Sailor.
“Or is it that Rye went on a date with a human and the gods didn’t do shit about it?” Aziza taunts her as she steps in, throwing a punch.
Sailor roars and grabs Aziza’s wrist. She throws it to one side and throws a punch. She catches Aziza in the mouth and Aziza goes down.
“Shit. Shit. I’m sorry,” Sailor babbles. “I didn’t mean to hit you.”
She holds out her hand to Aziza. Aziza reaches up but instead of letting Sailor pull her up, she pulls her down.
“Sit for a moment,” Aziza says.
Her lip is split and she wipes the blood away. She looks at Sailor and when she looks at her, her expression is different. It’s like she sees what I can see for the first time. That Sailor is no weak little human. That she’s strong, able, and ready for this. I’m not certain I’m right, but I’m pretty sure Sailor has just gained Aziza’s respect.
“I’m really sorry. I don’t know what came over me,” Sailor says.
Aziza smiles and shakes her head.
“It’s nothing that won’t heal. And I had it coming.”
Sailor gives her a half smile.
“I should really just let this whole Rye thing go, shouldn’t I?” she says.
Aziza shrugs.
“Probably. But that’s not what’s really bothering you is it? Why is meeting your dad’s girlfriend bothering you so much?”
The taunting tone Aziza was using earlier is gone and now she sounds curious. Sailor studies her face for a moment and evidently decides to trust her. She smiles sadly.
“It’s funny because I agreed to come here so my dad could start over. After he lost my mom, he was a shadow of himself. Like all the life was gone out of him. I would have given anything to see him happy again.”
“So what changed?” Aziza asks.
“I…it sounds stupid, but I wanted him to get over my mom and be happy, not replace her and forget her. He told me his date the other night was the best date he’s ever had, and I feel like he’s forgetting my mom. If we don’t keep her memory alive, then who will?”
“I get it,” Aziza says. “But think about your mom, Sailor. Would she want you both to live in the past, consumed by memories and being miserable?”
“No,” Sailor says. “And on a logical level I know that.”
“But the heart isn’t logical,” Aziza finishes for her.
“Exactly,” Sailor says.
She looks at Aziza differently too now. Like for the first time she’s seeing the real person underneath the ice queen act. Aziza grins at her.
“Yeah. I do have a heart. I just keep it well hidden.”
Sailor laughs.
“Look, Sailor, I know I’ve been a bit harsh on you, but there’s so much at stake here. We can’t afford to let you off easily. The others, they don’t see that. They want you to feel welcome and so do I. But honestly, I’d rather see you alive to hate me. Someone needed to be the one you had something to prove to.”
“It worked,” Sailor says. “When the Savior Spirit touched me, I could hear you all from a far-off place. And you know what got me back on my feet? Hearing you say I was weak.”
“See. I might not be all warm and fuzzy, but I know people.”
Aziza jumps to her feet.
“Come on. Let’s go for a run. It always helps me clear my head and maybe it’ll work for you.”
Sailor nods and gets
