Aurora Eos Rose 10/2/01 auroraeosrose@heavensdawn.org http://heavensdawn.org:8008/ Rated R- 17+ Chapter 9 – Makoto Kino The jeep was parked a block from the city hall. Mercury tapped at her computer. Sailor V was sitting on the curb, Sailor Moon wrapping the girl's injured leg. "Are you feeling better, Sailor V?" The silver haired warrior's voice was laced with concern. V stretched the bandaged leg, wincing a bit at the movement. "I'll be fine, Moon. I heal fast in senshi form." Sailor Moon watched the blonde carefully, helping the taller girl to her feet. "Are you sure? Mercury and I could do this on our own." Sailor V shook her head violently. "I've trained for five years, you two are relying totally on memory and instinct. We need to hang together, or we will all bang separately." Gekko's face turned red at Sailor V's comment. "That's all hang separately." He shook his head and ran a paw over his whiskers. "Are you ever going to quote anything right?" Sailor V shrugged her shoulders. She walked up behind still concentrating Mercury. "Any news?" Mercury turned her head once more, then crouched beside the curb with the other two. "The target seems to be in the hotel there, with, um, a lady of the night." Sailor Moon blushed bright red. Sailor V ignored the comment. "All right, so it's probably a sniper attack. Anything else?" Mercury shook her head. Sailor V leaned back, lounging on the grass. "Something's not right here. This is too easy. Why would they bother killing this guy anyway? Yes he's a big name in the computer industry, but it's really not that important." She looked up at the bright moon. "Maybe he's a decoy." Sailor Moon said the words slowly, her eyes also fixed on the shining sphere. Mercury flicked on her computer, fingers flying. "Oh god, they don't care about the guy at all. They want his family. His wife is the daughter of a United States Senator with a bad heart and a fortune and company to leave to his granddaughter. If the girl's parents die, and her grandfather has a heart attack, the estate will be put in trust to her guardian." Mercury's eyes grew wide. "Her guardian is her cousin, Mr. Arashi of Terran Eclipse." Sailor V's eyes grew thoughtful. "Everything keeps coming back to that damn company. It's like they're trying to take over the whole world." "What if they are?" Sailor Moon's voice was quiet in the still night air. She sat up and looked at Mercury, the two sets of blue clashing. Mercury took a deep breath. "If they are, their head start is so large we may not be able to stop them." Her voice was soft as she closed her computer again. "I think the father is a decoy. We need to keep the little girl and the mother alive, if at all possible." Sailor V stood up, shaking off the chill that ran up her spine. "All right then. I'll look for the sniper, and you two go watch the mansion. I hate splitting up…but it's the only thing we can do. Gekko gets guard duty on the cheating husband. If he comes out, bite him so the bullet misses." Sailor Moon giggled, but Gekko could tell from Sailor V's stern features that she wasn't joking. ____________________________________________________________________ Makoto was uneasy. The night was too quiet. And she felt this feeling, like something was nearby. Something dangerous…and familiar. Mako stood up, oblivious to the wind and the cold. She searched through her binoculars. Something was wrong. She could feel it in her bones. Her friends always joked about her "warriors sense." In the gang it had saved her life. Mako flexed her arm, the sleeve falling away enough to show scars from numerous knife fights. She wasn't going to hide from her feelings tonight. They had been right too many times. ____________________________________________________________________ Sailor V watched the girl through narrowed eyes. Her long brown hair was caught in a high ponytail, and she was dressed in tight jeans, a sweater, and a heavy coat. V didn't feel the chill much in Sailor Senshi form. The girl had a very expensive sniper rifle, and V could see a wad of cash protruding from a pocket. "Mercenary." Sailor V said the word like a blasphemy. The girl was staring off into the distance through binoculars, but not towards the hotel room. V watched from her perch above the girl. The girl picked up her rifle. "I don't think so, mercenary bitch." Sailor V leaped onto the girl, knocking her over and both went sprawling on the cold stone. "Dammit, he's going to kill them, let me up." The girl knocked V off with a single swipe of her arm. "I had the Tuxedoed bastard all lined up." Mako stood quickly, grabbing the rifle in one motion. "Stay out of my way little girl." She took aim again. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Mako motion with her head toward the binoculars. V hurriedly scooped them up. "Take a look at Mr. My Tuxedo Sucks by the mansion. The bastard set me up, the guy in the hotel wasn't the target at all." Sailor V held the binoculars up to eyes. She saw three groups of figures. One was on the ground, a large man in a tuxedo looming over her. The other was grappling with a second tuxedoed figure, and a third was holding a little child and running for all she was worth. Sailor V swore. Mako lined up the shot carefully. The wind wasn't in her favor, but she needed to hit the green tuxedoed guy before he did away with the woman underneath him. A shot rang out through the night air, and Sailor V leaped from the third story to the ground. ____________________________________________________________________ Sailor Moon was running like a thousand demons were chasing her. Actually, there were only two demons, but that was way too many as far as she was concerned. The little girl in her arms cried silent tears, holding tight to Sailor Moon's neck. "It'll be all right little one, we'll be safe in a minute. Just hold on." Moon tripped over a small mound, and rolled. She absorbed the shock with her body, but kept moving. Mercury wasn't in the best of situations. She was trying to hold off a very large, very angry Tuxedo Kamen off, while Sailor Moon took off with the little girl. She hurled her water attack again, swearing loudly when the man simply held up his cape to block the blow. Then he disappeared. "Dammit, he must have teleported. We really have to learn how to do that." Then a shot rang through the air. Mercury felt the memories threaten to overwhelm her, but pushed them aside violently. The green tuxedoed man fell off the woman he had been strangling. Mercury took her opening. She dived towards the injured man, ending up on her back underneath him, half covering the woman. She kicked upward, hitting the spot where a dark circle of blood was beginning to spread. The man swore loudly and staggered away. "Come on, we need to get out of here, now." Mercury helped the choking woman rise to her feet. The man in the green tuxedo headed towards them again, but a figure stepped in front. "Hey, greens. Why don't you play with someone who can fight back?" Sailor V wasted no time, attacking the injured man with every trick that Art had ever taught her. Kick, hit, duck, circle. It was like fighting Kaji, the green tuxedo jerk used the exact same style. Sailor V grinned. She had the advantage this time around. ____________________________________________________________________ Tuxedo Storm swore loudly. The little blonde brat was very good. She countered everything he threw at her, and retaliated nicely. He wasn't going to get anywhere. He let his eyes scan around the mayor's yard. The silver haired girl was out of sight. The dark haired girl was getting away with his prey, and Tuxedo Kamen had disappeared. Then an opportunity presented itself. There was another girl running towards the fight, this time not in a sailor suit. Storm smiled, and quickly teleported. "Hold it right there, Sailor Brat." Sailor V turned around quickly. Storm had the auburn haired girl from the balcony around the neck, slowly cutting off her air. "It's not nice to be mean to those smaller than you." V's voice sounded cocky, but she was fairly nervous. She couldn't attack the bastard without hitting the girl, and the girl was struggling pretty hard for air. Then the unexpected happened. The girl twisted slightly in the man's arms, and dug her elbow into his stomach, apparently pretty hard. Then the she dropped to the ground. V took the opening, blasting the man in the gut with a crescent beam. He threw his cape up quickly, absorbing a lot of the blast, but it still threw him back quite a distance. He slammed into the ground with a dull thud. "Come on, whoever you are, we have to get out of here. We're no match for them." Sailor V reached down and grabbed the stranger by the arm. "Come on, let's go." Mako was still a bit dazed from lack of air and the display of pyrotechnics from the strange girl's fingers. But she had no urge to stick around and get killed. She took the offered hand and followed the girl into the night. ____________________________________________________________________ Sailor Moon was running out of energy. She ducked behind a row of bushes and tried to catch her breath. "I think we lost them, sweetheart." "Think again." Moon rolled automatically. Her reaction saved her head, as a sword slashed through the bush where she'd just been sitting. "Dammit, don't you people ever go away?" Moon leapt to her feet and took off running again, the little girl in her arms getting heavier by the moment. She rounded a corner and ran into something hard. "Going somewhere?" His voice was low and full of amusement. Sailor Moon tried to pull away, but Tuxedo Kamen's strong arms held her in place. "Give me the girl." Moon kicked him in the shins. He pulled away a bit, holding her at arms length. Sailor Moon dropped the girl. "Run little one, go find your mama." Then she plowed right into the smirking man, sending him sprawling on the ground. The two grappled on the ground for a moment, Sailor Moon fighting to keep the much larger man down. He rolled over on top of her, pinning her to the grass. "I think maybe you're trying to distract me." Sailor Moon glared at the sapphire eyes behind the white mask. "You are a master of the obvious." Tuxedo Kamen looked around for a moment. "Well, little brat. It appears the girl got away, but I don't think you'll be so lucky." He grabbed Sailor Moon's arms and stood up. "Think again, Cape Boy." The foot hit him square in the side, sending him sprawling on the ground. A long arm grabbed Sailor Moon. "Come on, babe, we need to get going." Moon stumbled after the pony tailed, long legged girl. "But where are we going? And who are you?" ____________________________________________________________________ Sailor V grabbed the little girl, stifling the scream with her hand. "I'm not going to hurt you princess. Let's go see you mama, ok?" The little girl relaxed in Sailor V's arms. "That's better, come on sweetheart." Mercury had the jeep up and running, her still woozy passenger in the back, when V came barreling towards them. "Go Merc. The Cape boys are hot on our tails. And we need to pick up Moon." Mercury nodded and revved the engine. Then she took off towards the mansion at full speed. ____________________________________________________________________ Tuxedo Kamen watched the vehicle drive off, overflowing with female passengers. "That's the second time they've tried to halt our plans. I need to know where they're getting their information, and I need to know now." His face was knotted up in rage. "You'd have to ask Ice, he's the one with all the answers. Umino might know." Tuxedo Storm wrapped the temporary bandage tighter around the bullet wound. "You'll need to stay in this form until you've healed properly." Tuxedo Kamen examined the wound for a moment. "What about the girl you hired to do the hit?" Storm glared. "She's the bitch who shot me. I'll find her. She won't get away with this." Kamen nodded. "I'll let you handle it then, I need to find where the information leak is." Tuxedo Kamen put his hand on the other man's shoulder, and the two disappeared in a burst of light. ____________________________________________________________________ Gekko watched from the shadows. "Well, they forgot me again. But I suppose that's a good thing. I better get back and inform the others. Umino, another link to Terran Eclipse." The white cat ran off into the night, heading for Mina's apartment. "And I really need to teach those girls how to teleport." ____________________________________________________________________ Rei woke to a pitch-dark room, wrapped in a cocoon of blankets, a warm body pressed against her. For a moment her mind refused to function. "Shhh, it's late, go back to sleep." The voice was gentle in her ear, and the arms wrapped around her were warm and comforting. It was quite a contrast from his actions earlier that evening. She resisted the urge to move closer to his warmth. "Why me?" Rei's voice was quiet, a bit pensive. Ikusa sighed and moved closer to the girl. "Why not you? You're beautiful, sensual, and your father is in the right position to make it worth my while." Rei resisted the urge to smack the man. "So the pretty girl with the right connections? Is that what I am to you?" Ikusa rolled Rei over, lowering his head close to Rei's. She could feel his breath against her in the dark. "No my firebrand. There's something about you. Something that draws me in. Like a insects hover around a flame. Something about the way your eyes flash with fire." He pressed a kiss against her lips. "You are mine now, Rei. Forever. But a word of caution. Don't make me angry, or tonight will seem like a walk in the park." His voice was soft, but the threat was very real. His hands had tightened on her arms during the recitation. He pressed another kiss against her lips, the soft touch contrasting with his tight hold. "Please, that hurts." Ikusa let go, and pulled the girl into his arms. "I'm sorry sweetheart. Go to sleep. It's late." ____________________________________________________________________ Sailor Moon sat slumped in the stolen jeep, the enormity of her problems hitting her in the gut. She was supposed to be in a room, over an hour away. She had no idea where her children were sleeping. She watched Sailor V and Mercury in a discussion over what to do with their three new additions. Two were sleeping in the back seat, the third was arguing vehemently with Mercury and V. V wanted to dump them at a hotel, Mercury wanted to drop them off at the Three Lights, and the auburn haired girl wanted to take them to the police. Moon set her head on the Jeep, wishing she were anywhere else at the moment. Sailor V was the one who witnessed Sailor Moon figure out how to teleport. One moment the sleepy superhero was sitting in the jeep, the next she was gone in a flash of light. "Where the hell did she go?" Makoto stood up hurriedly. "She was there just a second ago." Sailor V smiled. "I think Sailor Moon figured out how to do that nifty teleport trick. I hope you managed to give her a communicator, Mercury." Mercury nodded. "I gave it to her on the way to Tokyo. We can get a hold of her, and the teleportation will be great." She turned her attention back to the computer on her lap. Sailor V looked at the three girls still in the jeep and sighed. "I still say we should put them in a hotel." "I agree with you, V." The voice made Makoto jump up and spin around, fists ready. Sailor V stood up and ran into the girl's arms. "Healer! I take it your mission went well?" Makoto put her fists down, but glared at the newcomers warily. Mercury's mouth dropped open. "There are three more?" Sailor V turned around quickly. "I'd like to introduce you all to Sailor Starfighter, Sailor Starhealer, and Sailor Starmaker." Sailor V pointed at the three girls in leather. "I'd like you three to meet Sailor Mercury, Makoto Kino, and our completed mission for this evening. We were just discussing where to put them now." Maker nodded and walked forward. "I think it would be best to put them in an out of the way hotel, and send them home on the first plane." Mercury swallowed hard. "That sounds like an excellent plan." She turned to the vehicle. "There's a decent hotel just a block over, if you three want to come with me." Makoto shook her head. "No thanks, I'll just go home. I'll be fine." Sailor V shot the tall girl an incredulous look. "You're kidding, right? You'd be killed faster than you can say goofy guts." Mercury groaned at Sailor V's choice of words. "I have to agree that it would be foolish." The group turned around at the sound of the new voice. "Gekko!" Sailor V leaned over and hugged the white cat. "If you leave me again, V, I swear I'll scratch up your couch." Sailor V cringed. "The two men in Tuxedoes know who you are, Ms. Kino. I know of a place you can stay." He looked at Sailor V, who nodded. Makoto stared at the cat for a second, then she just shrugged. "That's something I've never seen before. Either I'm really tired, or I just hurt too much to care. All right, if you're sure your friend won't mind, talking cat." She took the wad off bills out of her pocket and walked over to the jeep, where the mother and daughter were both still seated. "Here, this is for her." She handed the money to Mercury. "All right cat. Let's go before I wake up." Sailor V smiled. "Good night everyone, let's get going." The starlights bowed politely and started moving over the rooftops of Tokyo, while Mercury drove off in the jeep with the two sleeping females. Sailor V took off after the Starlights. "I guess that leaves you and me, cat. Lead the way." Gekko snorted. "Why do you girls insist on calling me that? My name is Gekko. We have a long walk, let's go." ____________________________________________________________________ Sailor Moon sat up slowly. She was back in her room in the mansion, but she had a massive headache. "Now how in the world did I get here?" She quickly detransformed, stuffing her communicator and brooch in her purse. Then she climbed on top of the covers and drifted off to sleep. ____________________________________________________________________ Mamoru Chiba was angry. He stalked through the hallways of his mansion, his head swimming with his recent defeat. "Little girls. Somehow those little girls know what I'm up to. And this time they managed to stop me. And the other three, the ones in leather. They're even more powerful." Mamoru stopped for a moment, his eyes pressed tightly together. There was more here than what he could see. He felt a surge of energy ripple through the house. He raced for the source. He opened the door slowly, but all he could see was Usagi lying on top of the covers. Her hair was undone, spread over the white bedspread in a layer of silk. He walked over to the edge of the bed. She was still wearing her clothes from earlier in the evening, down to the nylons and heels. Mamoru sighed. He picked up the sleeping woman, smiling a bit at the way she wrapped her arms around his neck and mumbled in her sleep. Mamoru carried the girl to his bedroom, almost laughing at the way she snuggled into the black satin sheets on his bed. Like an angel in a cloak of darkness. He watched her sleep while peeling off his own clothing. He'd sent someone to escort Hino to a room. The old man could examine the sheets in the morning. Usagi groaned and turned over in her sleep. Mamoru pulled the last of his clothing off and walked over to the bed. "Sleeping in your clothes, silly girl." He pulled off her heels slowly, throwing them over his shoulder. Then he pulled off her nylons, and made her sit up so he could take off her dress. "You need to cooperate a bit for this, Usako." The girl just groaned. Then she was in her bra and underwear. Mamoru hesitated for a moment, his breathing speeding up a bit. Then he pulled off the rest of her clothes and put her under the covers. He shut off the lights and slid into his bed, pulling Usagi's soft body tight against him. "Good night Usako." He brushed a kiss against her ear. She mumbled in her sleep and turned over, pressing her body tightly against him. Mamoru sighed. The night would be long at this rate. Usagi moved a little closer, her silken limbs rubbing against Mamoru. He pressed a kiss against her lips. She responded slowly, still half asleep. "Mamo-chan?" Usagi's voice was husky with sleep. Mamoru pressed his lips against hers again, letting his hands drift over her body. His tongue danced inside her mouth, sending warm sensations flooding through her body. One hand moved between her legs, groaning when he felt the dampness there. "Usako, open up for me Usako." Mamoru pushed Usagi's legs apart, and thrust himself between them. "Mamo-chan, Mamo-chan that hurts." Usagi pressed against his chest, now fully awake. "Shhh, baby. Just relax." Usagi squeezed her eyes shut tightly. Then Mamoru shuddered and collapsed on top of her. He rolled over and fell fast asleep. Usagi simply waited for a moment, a bit unsure of what to do. But she was sticky now. She stood up and headed for the bathroom. After cleaning up a bit she headed back for the bed. "Sometimes, Mamo-chan, I don't like you very much." With that statement, Usagi rolled to the other side of the bed and fell fast asleep. ____________________________________________________________________ "I love you, Serena. Don't ever leave me." A strong pair of arms wrapped around her from behind, holding her tightly against a strong, muscled body. Her eyes gazed up at the brilliant blue sphere of earth. "I love you. As long as I see the earth hanging in the sky, I'll be by your side." She turned around slowly and buried her face against a chest cloaked in metal. "You give me the courage to believe, sweetheart. Believe that we can defeat this darkness. Believe that we can win this war." She felt tears dripping down her face at his words. Belief was all they had left, for the darkness was closing in. She could feel it closing in around them. It was choking off life. It was destroying love, happiness. And there was really no way to stop the dark. ____________________________________________________________________ Usagi sat up with a jerk, her breathing a bit harsh. Nightmares, everywhere she looked. She was wrapped in what seemed to be a mile of black satin sheets. Mamoru was on the other side of the bed, snoring gently. Usagi ran a hand over her forehead, surprised to find a layer of sweat lying there. She slowly moved off the bed, careful not to make it wiggle at all. She was absolutely naked, but there was a thick black robe on a stand by the door. Usagi grabbed the robe and headed off into the night. ____________________________________________________________________ Ami sat on the edge of the balcony, the strange pen held tightly in her hand. The wind was a bit chilly tonight, dusting the air with a breath of frost. She lifted her head, staring at the stars. They twinkled brightly in the darkness. "Sailor Mercury." She whispered the words to herself, turning the strange device over and over. Something was sitting on the edge of her mind, like a painting behind a dirty glass. Ami could almost make it out, but yet something seemed to block the way. She pulled out the computer again. The object felt like an extension of herself. She ran her fingers over the light blue cover, tracing the symbol of Mercury on the front. Mercury. For some reason the name felt almost strange, as if it were meant for another. But the water. Ami closed the computer again. She had felt the water, heard it speak to her. They had been one, wrapped together in a never-ending circle of liquid. She opened her eyes again. She had examined the pen every possible way she knew how, short of dismantling it. It was just a regular pen, with the symbol of mercury on it. No mechanical device, no magical qualities that could be detected. Ami furrowed her brow. There had to be a reason why it worked. She felt another flash of almost memory spurt through her. She opened the computer again. A single set of words flashed on the screen. "The Past-Daphne." Ami caught her breath for a moment. She pressed the enter key. A story appeared on the screen. It looked as though it had been copied directly from an ancient manuscript, by a scanner or similar device. She looked at the strange language for a long moment. It wasn't Latin, or Greek, or Japanese. In fact, it wasn't like any language she had ever seen. "I don't know what this language is." Ami had the urge to pound her head against a wall. She stared at the strange markings for a long time. "This is driving me insane. All my schooling and still." She lowered her head, her eyes shut with frustration. Then the tickle began again. The whisper of something floating through her mind. Like the first time she had opened the computer, the memories came back to her. She pulled up a second screen and starting translating. "The legends say that before the universe was formed there were two great powers. Chaos was nothingness, destruction, and anarchy. Cosmos was light, creation, and hope. But they were both alone and longed for something more. They found each other, and discovered love together. They mated, and from their love came the universe in its beauty. Gaia and Uranus were created from the union, land and sky. Then Cosmos and Chaos argued about the purpose of their creation. The shouts echoed through every galaxy, making the universe shake with the force of their anger. Hurt and angry, Cosmos retreated to her crystal spire. Chaos refused to retract the hateful words he had thrown in his anger. He retreated to the great star cauldron, where his rejection by Cosmos turned into isolation, loneliness, and a great bitterness. The feelings festered into plans for revenge against the object that had stolen the heart of the one he desired. He planned ceaselessly for the destruction of the universe he had helped create. Chaos's plots caused hurt and destruction, the very thing that had driven Cosmos away. But as time passed and he forgot how to love, he no longer cared. The two children of Chaos and Cosmos found solace in each other following their parent's separation. Gaea and Uranus joined together and from them came twelve great powers, the titans. Then the two formed the race of mortals from the dust of stars, placing them upon living planets. Time passed, and the mortals multiplied and settled throughout the universe. The titans grew distant from their parents, and from the mortals who reached out among the stars. They separated themselves from the ones who were bound by age and death, they knew nothing but other titans. The Titans mated with each other and bore the gods. Their children were ostracized for their apparent lack of powers. Chaos, Cosmos, Uranus, and Gaea each took in some of the infants to rear. Chaos felt stirrings of emotion, for the first time since Cosmos had left him. Then the day came when the gods left to begin their own lives, and with the distraction of the children gone, Chaos returned to his schemes. He found a ready target in the decadent lifestyle of the Titans. Chaos tempted his grandchildren, and the Titans became violent and plunged the universe into war and destruction. Chaos reveled in his mischief. But his plans were soon to be shattered. Cosmos intervened and woke the power concealed inside the gods. They banded into four groups and launched attacks against the corrupt titans. They successfully rebelled against their parents, destroying them and taking control of the universe. The victory brought order and stability. But the fates had already decreed the paths of the gods, and both Chaos and Cosmos knew the time would come when the gods would reach maturity, and walk the paths of their destinies. For they were less than omnipotent, but more than mortal. And the gods had paid a price for their powers. They sacrificed a portion of their souls. To keep them whole, the fates wove the gods' together- two forming one. The result was a bit unexpected, without their soul mates' love, the gods would rot from within." Ami slammed the computer shut, the words of the story still haunting her. "Very much like the old Greek myths." She rubbed a hand over her tired eyes. She could see a hint of the sun moving over the horizon. It was almost dawn. "What is this story? Who wrote it, where did it come from?" The breeze grabbed the whispered words, whipping them into the dawn, leaving behind a confused girl. Ami closed her eyes, weariness overtaking her, the words still haunting her mind. "Without their soul mates' love, the gods would rot from within." ____________________________________________________________________ Usagi moved quietly through the hallways of the strange mansion, her heart wrapped in a strange foreboding. Usagi sat down on the bottom step of the main staircase. She closed her eyes tightlyl. "Momma?" The voice came from the stairs above her. Usagi turned around with a jerk. "Chibi-Usa?" The girl was standing on the top step, wearing her favorite pink, ruffled pajamas. "Are you all right Momma?" Chibi-Usa ran down the staircase and threw her arms around her mother. Usagi held the girl, just grateful to be near her. "I missed you so much Chibi-Usa." Usagi blinked back tears. "Did you have a good day?" The little girl nodded. "We got to meet Akira's daddy, and he taught us some neat stuff and then we met our new nanny Rika, and then we ate pizza and watched movies and then Akira went home with his daddy and I went to sleep." Chibi-Usa took a deep breath at the end of the recitation. Usagi smiled. "I'm glad you had fun. Is your new nanny nice?" Chibi-Usa made a face. "She's all right, but the only reason she got the job is because daddy likes the way she looks." Usagi flinched at his casual use of daddy. Yesterday the girl didn't even know her father, now the man was daddy. "What does she look like?" Chibi-Usa tilted her head. "She looks like you, maybe a little taller and older, but pretty like you." Usagi resisted the urge to laugh. Chibi-Usa leaned very close. "But she dyes her hair, I saw the funny color at the ends." "Well, you be good for her." Usagi wrapped her arms around the small boy and stared through the picture windows on either side of the front door. The stars glittered brightly against the night's blackness. "Momma? Endy's been talking to him again." Usagi looked at the girl for a moment. "Talking to who?" Chibi-Usa shrugged. "I don't know. He and Endy talk while Endy sleeps. Endy says I shouldn't listen, but they're loud tonight." Usagi felt a strange shiver travel down her spine. "Why don't you go back up to bed sweetheart." Chibi-Usa nodded and headed up to bed. Usagi stared after her for long moments. "Who is Endymion speaking to in his dreams?" The question haunted her until exhaustion took over and she fell asleep. ____________________________________________________________________ Mamoru reached over the bed. His eyes popped open instantly when his hands met nothing but empty space. "Where the hell did she go now?" He sat up in bed, his eyes scanning the room quickly. His robe was missing from its place, and the door was hanging slightly open. "Why can't she stay in bed for once." He stood up, cursing when his feet touched the cold floor. He dug through a drawer in the dark, finally coming up with a pair of satin pajamas. After a few misplaced arms and legs, he managed to get them on, and headed off after his wayward bed partner. ____________________________________________________________________ "Usagi." The woman's voice echoed in the stillness of sleep. "Usagi, listen to me. The past is the key to the future. Remember that. Only in your past will you understand the road to take." Usagi felt a slight jerk and opened her eyes. She was cradled in Mamoru's arms. "Mamo-chan?" She raised an arm, wrapping it around his neck. "What are you doing out here, Usako?" His voice sounded a bit angry. "I couldn't sleep, strange dreams. So I went for a walk. I guess I fell asleep." Usagi closed her eyes. Mamoru sighed at woman asleep in his arms. He moved carefully through the hallways to his room, careful not to bump into the walls. He managed to maneuver through the door, and laid her carefully on his bed, almost laughing at the way Usagi burrowed under the covers. Mamoru stared at herfor a long moment. Usagi opened her eyes. "Are you coming to bed? Thank you, Mamo-chan, I was cold." Then her eyes closed again. Mamoru climbed into the bed, pulling the woman into his embrace. Usagi rolled over, snuggling up against him. "Good night Usako." He pressed a kiss against her forehead, and they drifted off to sleep. ____________________________________________________________________ Makoto glanced at the clock again. Four a.m., almost dawn. She crossed her arms behind her head. The bed here was comfortable, and clean. She hadn't lived anywhere this clean in ages. Since her parents had died. Mako pushed the thoughts of her parents from her mind. She refused to think of them anymore. Those memories accomplished nothing; they only dredged up feelings that lingered for days. The clock in the living room chimed again. Mako gritted her teeth. She had the urge to run out and smash the thing into pieces. Four a.m., and another job making her a fugitive. How many times had she run away...changed her name...jumped at every shadow? She stared out the window at the stars. Why did things like this happen to her? And her employer would not be happy. Arashi Ryujin didn't take betrayal lightly. He would come after her, and probably be more persistent than the others. Someone else to run from, months of hiding, of looking over her shoulder. And he wouldn't quit, until she killed him or he killed her. "I should have just killed him." Mako rolled over, pounding the pillow beneath her viciously. "I should have just minded my own business and killed the cheating bastard." She closed her eyes for a moment. The dark eyed little girl flashed through her memory. "I should have just ignored it, let them do what they wanted. I didn't need to get involved." Mako felt the tears gathering behind her closed lids. She couldn't even lie to herself. "Your hearts too soft for this work, Mako. Always has been." She flopped onto her back again, emerald eyes staring at the ceiling. "Tell yourself that they're bad, they deserve to die. Block out the feelings. But this is the fourth one you've screwed up now." Mako held her bare arm above her head, watching the way the moonlight shone on her scars. They didn't stay for too long. After two or three years even the worst of scars seemed to heal over, leaving nothing but smooth flesh. Mako rippled her fingers in the night air. How many people had her hands killed? How many people's lives had she snuffed out? She knew the ones she had killed had deserved their fate. The few contracts that hadn't she didn't finish. Hence the running, the scars. Still she was beating herself over the head for her failure again. She slowly lowered her hand. She had lost her apartment now. And she didn't have a job. But a voice whispered in her soul. The little girl is alive with her mother. And her father was alive too. The family hadn't been wiped off the face of the earth. Mako smiled at the thought. The little girl was alive. And that would have to be enough. ____________________________________________________________________ Arashi kicked down the door viciously. The little brat wouldn't escape him. He had pegged her as cold hearted. She had handled dozens of assassinations for him. Dropped her targets without a twinge of conscience. "So why the hell did she get a conscience for this one?" He had deserved to die, just like the others. He was a bastard, cheating on his wife, embezzling money. Mako should have jumped at the chance to wipe more scum from the earth. Arashi stormed around the room, rifling through drawers, tearing the dirty sheets from the bed. Nothing. The girl was gone, disappeared. The only things in the apartment were some old clothes and a few pictures. Arashi let loose a string of interesting insults while kicking the battered dresser over. No one screwed him over. He was the one who blackmailed and betrayed. He was the one who blasted people out of the water. He sent the worthy to hell, or paid to have it done. And no one ever talked back, no one ever questioned, no one ever turned on him. He fixed his gaze on the room, anger still seething. His arm hurt. She had nailed him in the shoulder, leaving a nice wound. The injury would heal, and even the scar would fade. But no one betrayed Arashi Ryujin and lived. Not even a gorgeous long legged assassin who had never failed to get her mark, at least when she tried. He would find her. Arashi took his anger out on the room, smashing it to pieces. Then he dumped the canister of gasoline on the place and set it alight. "Ikusa would have liked that touch." Arashi left the burning building, the rage still festering. Not only had she betrayed him, but she had disappeared as well. He'd find her. And he'd do more than just kill her. He almost laughed as the wind kicked up and the rain began to fall. He turned his face up to the angry skies and let the storm caress him. ____________________________________________________________________ Rei woke up alone. The bed was empty, the room quiet and still. And the door was open. She sat up slowly, wincing from pain. She looked down at her body, not surprised to find a few yellowed bruises and scabbed over scratches on her stomach. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, wobbling a bit as her feet touched the floor. Her lips were dry, and her throat hurt. "Good morning." Rei turned around with a shriek, her hands flying to cover parts of her naked body. Ikusa stood in the doorway, a silver tray in his arms. Rei felt a blush spreading over her pale skin. "You, you surprised me." She dove back under the covers in a desperate attempt to cover herself. "I thought you might be hungry, I know I am." Rei didn't miss the leer in his eyes or his tone. He wanted her, badly. Ikusa set the tray down on the bed, ripping off his red satin robe. He crawled under the covers beside Rei. "I thought maybe I'd feed you some breakfast first." Rei eyed the tray, her stomach grumbling loudly. She giggled a bit at the noise. "I am a little hungry." Rei reached for the strawberries in the corner. Ikusa slapped her hand. "No, no. I'll feed you." Rei pulled her hand back, a bit of anger in her gaze. But Ikusa's smile was gentle. He picked up one of the pieces of fruit, holding it up to Rei's lips. She took a bit, the sweetness melting in her mouth. "That's wonderful." Her eyes were closed in pleasure. Ikusa felt his control slip a bit. His firebrand was too sensual for her own good. He reached for another strawberry and prayed for patience. ____________________________________________________________________ Kaji watched the little boy sleep. He had been a bit surprised that Mina hadn't shown up the night before, demanding her son back. Akira was on the couch in Kaji's penthouse. His building was across town from Terran Eclipse, in a section of town known for violence. But no one would dare try to enter. Not with Kaji's guards. Akira mumbled in his sleep and flopped over, one long arm hanging on the ground. The boy was big for his age. Five years. Kaji had lost five years of his son's life. He turned and headed for the elevator. The nanny was supposed to be by to pick the boy up in an hour. "Dad?" The voice came from the couch. Kaji turned around quickly. He still wasn't used to the title. And he knew he didn't deserve it. He hadn't been a father to this boy. "Good morning Akira." She'd named him light. Kaji smiled at the irony in that. Akira Aino, light of love. Kaji's face turned into a frown. He'd see to changing the boy's name and guardianship today. The boy tumbled off the couch onto the floor. Kaji crossed his arms, suppressing laughter. Akira stood, dusted himself up, and then picked up the covers and threw them back on the couch. His face was solemn, serious. "Good morning, Dad. Do I get to go home today?" Akira looked his father straight in the eye, not flinching at the scowl that appeared on Kaji's face. "You are home." Kaji turned and headed for the kitchen. Akira's voice followed. "No place is home without Mom." The tone was forceful, direct. Kaji felt a surge of pride roll through him. The boy was every inch the child of Kaji Hikaru. The voice, the hair, the mannerisms. He even had the same scowl. Kaji turned around. "Then we'll have to bring her here, won't we?" The tone was light, but Akira could feel the steel behind the words. "I suppose we will. I'm starving. What's for breakfast?" Kaji felt his lips twitching. The boy did have some of his mother. The quick change of subject, the bright smile and light tone. And the eyes, he had his mother's eyes. Kaji tore his gaze away from the boy, unable to meet the innocent blue gaze. "What do you normally have?" Akira raced to a stool and climbed up, his legs swinging. "I normally have cereal. Mom cant' cook. Don't ever let her try. The last time she did she almost burned down the apartment. Yaten disconnected the stove after that." Akira rested his elbows on the table, his face alive with laughter. Kaji felt jealousy pool in his gut. "Sounds like she's close to this Yaten." Akira watched Kaji chopping vegetables. "Lots of people think he's my dad. We have the same hair and he's serious too. I wouldn't mind if Yaten married mom. They date off and on." The boy shrugged, his eyes still glued to the knife flashing on the counter. Kaji turned around, forcing the anger from his face and voice. "Does you mom have lots of boyfriends?" His tone was still gentle. He grabbed a skillet and some eggs. "Not a lot. Just Yaten and Ace. But I don't like Ace, he's slippery." Akira leaned forward a bit. "What are you cooking?" "An omelet. Arashi taught me how to make them. They're good for breakfast." Kaji smashed the eggs in his bare hands, careful to keep any shell from dropping in the pan. He imagined the shells were Ace's smirking face. "I think Ace is slippery too. You're a good judge of people." Akira giggled. "Seiya says that too. He's great. Like having a big brother." Kaji felt another burst of jealousy. He carefully stirred in the vegetables. "You don't have to be jealous of Seiya. He's like an uncle, or a big brother. He and mom are just friends." Kaji jerked at the boy's words, burning himself on the edge of the pan. "What?" Akira looked at his father's startled face. "I see your dreams." The boy's eyes took on a glazed look. "Your feelings resonate, I can see them too." Then Akira shook his head. "Is the omelet done? I'm starving." Kaji turned back to the food and swore. The bottom would be a bit burnt, but it would be edible. He'd have to talk to Mamoru about his son's words. If the boy had inherited some kind of power, then maybe they could harness it, or at least control it. Kaji split the omelet in two and slapped it onto plates. It was getting late, and he had to get to work. "We'll talk later. Let's get you ready." ____________________________________________________________________ Mina glanced around the room one more time. "You're sure that's where he is?" She hefted the tote bag over her shoulder, leaning a bit under the weight. "That's where Mr. Chiba said he was taking the boy." The words from Mina's mouth made Gekko's ears twitch. "Really, Mina. Such language." "Why didn't you stop him?" Her tone was almost whining. Gekko leaped down from his perch on the bed. "What was I supposed to do? Claw him to death? Or maybe talk him out of it? Or turn into a human and make Usagi go nuts?" Mina reached a hand up to her bow, making sure it was in place. "I'm sorry Gekko. Things have just been a little nuts." Mina glanced toward the bathroom. "Are you done yet Mako?" "In a minute. Man, is this the longest skirt you own?" Mina resisted the urge to giggle. Makoto was a lot taller, and had a bigger bust. At least Mina had a suit that fit. "Come on, we're going to be late. We have to pick up Ami." Makoto stuck her head out of the door. "I'm not going anywhere in this." She stepped slowly out of the bathroom, a scowl on her face. Mina took a deep breath. The suit was tight, but it looked great on Mako. "Look at this! My hair is being absolutely stupid." Gekko moved forward, his kitten mouth opened wide. "No one is going to be looking at your hair." His voice was full of admiration. Mina giggled. "Just leave it down, it looks fine. The curls are nice." Mako sighed. "It's a good thing you have this suit." Mina shoved another object into her already overflowing bag. "It belonged to a former roommate." She winked at Gekko, letting her compact peek out. Gekko sighed. Mina had been tinkering with her powers again. "You two better get going, if you're going to get Akira yet this morning." Mina glanced at the cat. "You know, I just realized something. I have no idea where he lives. I'm going to have to confront him at work. Dammit, I got up early for nothing." Mako laughed. "I'm never going to get used to hearing a cat order people around." She walked forward, pulling the jacket of the suit on as she walked. "How do you two know the Sailor Senshi anyway?" Mina cleared her throat, Gekko merely shrugged. Mako waited patiently for an answer. Mina looked down at her watch. "Oh shoot, come on, we have to leave now." She grabbed onto Mako's arm. "Come on, you can meet Ami. I think you two will get along great. Bye Gekko." The cat watched Mina pull the taller girl out the door, laughing at the whirlwind that was Minako. ____________________________________________________________________ Rei sucked on the tips of Ikusa's fingers. She knew she was pushing her luck, but getting fed in bed was the most erotic thing she'd ever experienced. Ikusa's eyes stared into hers. She felt like she was drowning in a blue sea. "You have beautiful eyes." Ikusa smiled at the comment. He popped the last grape into Rei's mouth, stifling laughter at her surprised expression. He moved the tray onto the floor. Rei sank back into the covers a bit, obviously embarrassed. "You, firebrand, are the one with the beautiful eyes. Like the violet that paints the sky at sunset." Rei smiled shyly. Ikusa moved closer to her. "And your hair, when the light catches it, it shines red like flames." He grabbed a handful and let it slip through his fingers. Rei swallowed. He moved the hand behind her neck, drawing her forward. "Why do you call me that?" Rei whispered the words. Ikusa stopped for a moment. "I don't know. You just remind me of living fire." Then his mouth descended over hers, his tongue forcing it's way between her lips. His hands gripped her hips tightly, making the bruises from the night before ache. He yanked her down and pressed his body tightly against hers. "Do you have any idea what you do to me, Rei?" His voice shook a little. One hand moved upwards, cupping one breast. Rei took a shaky breath. "No, I don't." His finger moved over her nipple lightly. Rei felt her body arch against his touch. "Oh kami. Don't stop." Ikusa laughed softly. "I have no intention of stopping." He moved his head over the other breast, circling the nipple with his tongue and then drawing it into his mouth. Rei dug her hands into the sheets. Then he moved his mouth lower. "What are you doing?" Rei squeaked the words. "Stop it." She moved her hips, attempting to keep him away. Ikusa took his hands from her breasts and gripped her hips, holding her in place. "You'll like this, relax." Then his warm mouth kissed her lightly. Rei felt like screaming in pleasure. Her hands moved to his head, burying themselves in his thick, soft hair. "Ikusa." The word came out as both prayer and plea. Ikusa kissed a path back to her mouth, capturing her mouth with his own. Then he slid inside her. Rei flinched, still a bit sore. His hands grabbed onto her breasts tightly, and he increased his power and speed. Rei felt tears forming in her eyes. Then the pleasure equaled the pain, and she was screaming into his kiss. ____________________________________________________________________ Mamoru watched Usagi sleep. She looked like an angel. Her silver hair was spread over the pillows. It glowed against the black satin. The sheets were wrapped around her body, caressing her creamy skin. Mamoru resisted the urge to crawl in bed with her. He needed to get to work. "Usagi." She was in a dream, a sinfully erotic dream. She was wearing a red velvet dress and a man with sapphire eyes was rubbing her body. "Usagi, wake up." The dream shattered like a bubble. Usagi sat up quickly, smacking her head into Mamoru's. She sunk back onto the sheets, groaning in pain. "That hurt." Mamoru rubbed his own head. "Remind me not to get so close when I wake you up." Usagi sat up again, slower this time. "Good morning?" She moved her legs slowly to the side of the bed, still feeling a bit woozy. "Breakfast. I need breakfast." Mamoru glanced over at her, and then wished he hadn't. She was standing in the sunlight, completely naked. His eyes traveled over her curves. Usagi was oblivious, however. She took two steps forward and tripped over the robe she had been wearing the night before. "Dammit...hate morning." She pushed herself up onto her elbows and knees and tried to shake the hair out of her face. Mamoru took pity on the girl and helped her to her feet. Then he pointed her in the direction of the bathroom. Usagi somehow managed to get in the shower. Mamoru laughed at the number of items he heard drop. "Need some help?" He finished putting on his tie and headed into the bathroom. Usagi was drying off, her eyes much brighter and more alert. "I'm fine now. I don't wake up well." Mamoru smiled at the statement. "We need to leave in ten minutes, hurry up. There's a suit in the other room." Usagi turned her wide eyes. "Ten minutes? Whaaaaaa? Why didn't you wake me earlier?" Suddenly Usagi was a flash of motion. Mamoru backed out of the bathroom quickly, suddenly afraid of the hurricane. "I'll wait downstairs." Mamoru picked up his suit coat on the way out of the bedroom. He was faintly surprised to hear himself whistling. ____________________________________________________________________ Endymion was sitting quietly in the kitchen, nibbling on a piece of toast. "Where did Rika go?" Mamoru sat down beside the boy. "To pick up Akira." Endymion took a drink of his chocolate milk. Mamoru laughed at the milk mustache it left. "Where's your sister?" Endy smirked. "She never gets up before ten." Mamoru raised a single eyebrow. "Your mom's awake now." Endymion nodded. "I know." He turned back to his meal. "She's dangerous in the morning." Mamoru rubbed the tender spot on his forehead. "I noticed." The boy nibbled on his toast a bit more. Mamoru grabbed some milk and a cookie from the fridge. The two sat side by side in silence. Endy stared straight ahead, his mind obviously elsewhere. "What are you thinking about?" Mamoru turned to face the boy. "I was wondering why you seem to be so troubled." The boy's voice was flat, as though his brain was still far away. "I'm troubled?" Mamoru almost laughed at the thought. Endy turned to face his father. The boy's eyes were glazed over and had darkened until they were almost black. "You're searching to find yourself, to take back what belongs to you, yet you still feel unfulfilled." Mamoru simply stared at the boy. "Reach out and take what you desire." Endymion turned his head back towards the tall glass of chocolate milk. Mamoru stood, the air very strange in the kitchen. He grabbed a banana from a basket on the counter. "What do you mean by that Endy?" The boy turned his face back towards Mamoru, but his eyes were their original brilliant blue. "Mean by what? I didn't say anything." Mamoru shook his head and peeled the banana. "Nothing." Usagi raced into the room, slipped on the tile floor, and careened into Mamoru. He caught her against him in one arm. His back rammed into the edge of the counter painfully. "Oh kami, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to." Usagi pulled away quickly, apologizing profusely. "Maybe I should get a new assistant. Whenever I'm around you I end up in pain." Usagi dropped her head. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be a klutz. I just seem to have such bad luck." Her voice trailed off. "We're going to be late, let's go. Good bye Endymion, we'll see you tonight." Mamoru grabbed Usagi's arm and dragged her off through the door. "But I didn't get any breakfast!" Usagi tried to pull away. "Then get up earlier." "But you were the one who woke me up." "I'm not your mother, set the alarm." "But I didn't even see you had an alarm." "Shut up. If you want breakfast, get yourself up and stop making excuses." The words came out at a yell. Endymion cringed in the kitchen. "Bye Momma, bye Dad." He whispered the words as he stared into his glass of milk. ____________________________________________________________________ AN: All right Mako fans, she's in the mix now.