We first met on that Sailor Moon site, when we were little.

The one where the admin was grooming little girls to be his girlfriend.

At the time, I was the only one who was standing up against him. You two, you sided with him. I suppose I shouldn’t blame kids; but I was the youngest. You two were older. You should have known better.

I suppose.

Years later, in that legendary kerfuffle, we would meet again. And I, like so many times before, would be the only one who would recognize us all.

But we were supposedly on different sides. And no matter what I did, I couldn’t reach you. Hell— even when we met a second time, online, around the turn of the new millennium, you didn’t recognize me.

For a brief, shining moment, we were all friends again. And I was the only one who would remember.

Eventually, we drifted apart. You went your separate ways, and I wandered down my Path.

I said I would always be your friend.

You don’t remember that.

And I cannot carry your memory back to where I am about to go.

So, regretfully, I have to tell you that I must let this memory go.

I said I would always be your friend.

I never anticipated that you might not want to be mine.

---

S.

I remember how we were all afraid of you. You were older than us— by a hair. And you were so damn wild. But you were good at protecting people.

You were good at protecting children.

And when someone was preying on children, you helped bring them to justice. When no one else could find them, you did. You helped the police— something you said you never did. But you did.

And you were good at what you were doing.

Years later, at that great kerfuffle, when I saw you again, I recognized you at an instant. You were still bright, and boisterious— flamboyant, in a way I once sought to emulate.

And then you threatened me.

I hardly know why. I guess the bucking and snarling of your youth never wore out. I guess why everybody else was afraid of you, it eventually… found me. It came my way.

And then I realized what others saw when you came at them.

You’re a racist, now. You were a racist, then. But I admired you for how you saved children. Now, I don’t know what you’re doing.

I know you’ve lost nearly everything.

I know it’s almost nearly your entire fault.

But I can’t stand to watch you destroy yourself any more.

I’m sorry, my friend.

I have to push you out of my heart, as well.