DC: Yet another one of these...I don't own any of those cute, delicious, demented, psychotic Gundam Pilots or any of the other demonic and pinkishly evil or justice oriented characters. All the *good*, *wholesome*, *innocent* characters (gag, cough) belong to me. Besides, even if you did sue me, I won't give you a damn penny!! Ha, ha, ha! I have a NICKEL! And a DIME! HA! I have fifteen cents!! Aw, crap...that means you'll sue me for fifteen cents...damn......
Pirate Ship Zenith-(8:12 a.m.)
No, of course she didn't mind having a group of rogue females taking over her ship. She didn't mind that five ex-Gundam pilots were invading every aspect of her ship, snooping and prodding around. She didn't mind that they were practically invading her space as well as her personal treasury. Zero felt a vein pulse at the temple. "Get away from there."
Trowa Barton who had been inspecting a portion of her room, froze from opening a drawer. "Kirin said-"
"I know what she said, but could you possible keep your hands off my feminine possessions?" Zero asked, tersely.
Trowa looked at the drawer. He stepped away and went to a desk. "Is this within your limits?"
"Go ahead, the desk doesn't have anything revealing about me." Zero sat on the bed, watching the tallest of the pilots peer in and out of the dusty, oak desk. Besides legal papers, the only shred of evidence that revealed anything about her was a warrant for her arrest. Not to mention a few wanted posters.
Trowa picked up a few papers and skimmed through them, catching onto bits and pieces of information. Zero was born in Space. An only child, she took to the life of stealing from the rich. That must've meant she lived in the shadows of the plush and prestigious families. Her parents were poor, too poor to take care of her and thus, it explained why she was an orphan. It seemed nowadays that everywhere he went, orphans were in abundance. Did no one want their children anymore?
Trowa placed the papers back on the desk. He turned just to see Quatre coming into the room. "This place is clean, Quatre."
"Heero made a command that every room be searched twice. He explained that no two people could search thoroughly the same way, so to be safe, he wanted everything to be checked by two people and he'd make the third check by himself."
"Jeez, that Heero leaves nothing up to chance, does he?" Zero asked.
Quatre shook his head, locks of blond hair settled over his large blue eyes. "He's very cautious."
"In other words he's a prick." Zero added, leaning back on her bed. She sat up on her elbows and watched Quatre's innocent blue eyes flick from her to Trowa.
"I-I never said that..." Quatre stammered.
"I know you didn't, but it fits him better than 'cautious.'" Zero grinned. She stretched leisurely and sighed as Trowa and Quatre switched tasks; Trowa leaving to check out one of Zero's guests rooms, while Quatre re-tracked Trowa's passing.
"Don't go in my drawer." Zero warned. Being the only female on the ship had its ups. None of the males would dare go in her room, partly in fear of being shot to death by Zero's pistol. Another reason was because she was a female. No one invaded the privacy of a female, lest they be turned into a woman themselves.
Zero watched with a profound eye as Quatre had similarly picked up the papers Trowa had picked up previously, and began to read them, thoroughly. Judging by his demeanor, he was a sheltered child. His parents were possibly rich and he must've had anything he wanted. She could tell all those things about him because she stole valuable and important things from them. She knew the walk and the look in their snobbish eyes as well as the clothes they wore. That was always a big factor.
"Miss Zero-"
"MISS?" Zero repeated. She chuckled to herself. "That doesn't sound right at all. Just call me, Zero."
"Well, uh...Zero. I was just wondering..."
Zero knew where this was headed. She held up a hand to stop him from continuing. "Wait, let me guess... 'Why did you start a life of crime so young? Wasn't there anyway for you to live your life like a normal child?' Was that what you were wondering about?"
Quatre's cheeks filled with a red hue. "I guess a lot of people have asked you that."
"No." Zero shook her head. She caught a lock of black hair and twirled it in her fingers. "It's a sixth sense, I guess. I can tell just by you looking at me like that. Your eyes say it all."
"That's an amazing interpretation of character." He said, noticing she wasn't looking at him anymore.
"Yeah, well...you have to learn quickly in my business." She looked up at him and wondered why he was staring at her like that. It wasn't like before where he was sizing her up at face value, it was like he was judging her, now. "Listen, uh-"
"Quatre Winner."
"Quatre...you and I come from different sides of the universe. You were sheltered and I was left to die. You were rich while I was poor. It can't be helped. The only thing in common we have is that we're both independent. So, don't worry about it anymore, ok? What's done is done." With that, Zero stood up to leave the room.
"My father disowned me when I came to Earth." Quatre said quietly. "I went against his wishes."
Zero stopped at the doorway, a smile spreading over her lips. "A rebel at heart, eh?"
The red hue returned once again on Quatre's cheeks. "Besides my sisters, I'm the only one that can inherit the family fortune."
This aspect piqued her interest. Why was he telling her of his family and his fortune? Did he need help getting rid of it?
"What are you saying, Quatre?" asked Zero. This was becoming too serious, too fast.
"I know how it is being left alone in the wilderness...Space. At some point in our lives it has happened to the best of us. You're wrong when you think you're alone. We've all been there."
Zero swallowed slowly, letting the words sink in. There was a connection in there, somewhere. A point that was made, but she just couldn't see it. Not quite. She shrugged and let out a sigh. "Thanks for the talk, Quatre."
Quatre just smiled and turned, returning to his inspection. Zero stayed a moment longer at the doorway before stalking towards the bridge where Kirin was ripping her beautiful ship apart. Whatever Quatre meant about being alone...it was true.
As Zero made her way to the bridge, she met several of her unhappy shipmates brooding. Knowing not to ask questions, she walked past them and into the bridge where Kirin was underneath the main computer system with Heero beside her.
"Shido!" Zero called. She stopped far enough to able to kick Kirin and run if needed.
"What is it, Zero?" Kirin asked, obviously knowing this was going to be another one of their patented, pointless arguments. She moved away from under the console and looked at her, oil and grease smudged just under her left eye.
"How long is this whole operation going to take? I only came here to get my payment. You know I'm not allowed to dock here for any longer than four hours." Zero explained.
"I know, I know. As soon as I'm done configuring this computer, we'll take off, float a bit in space then you can drop us off."
"Float a bit?" Zero repeated. "All this so you can 'float a bit'?"
Kirin sat up, faint popping sounds coming from her back. "I can work pretty well from this computer. It won't take me any longer than an hour. You, however, have a job too." Before Zero could protest, Kirin continued. "All you have to do is be a decoy. Bring the attention away from us. You know...taunt Lee."
"This is crazy." Zero mumbled. She crossed her arms and gave an agitated sigh. "Only an hour, right?"
"Right. It won't be so bad. We'll be out of your hair for good and I'll make sure you receive your payment." Kirin replied. She lay back down and went under the console again.
Zero, knowing the conversation was done, looked at Heero. "And you..."
Heero raised an eyebrow as his eyes turned to look at her. "What about me?"
Zero had the need to throw some of her frustration on a male. She was used to it, after all. Her profession and her space-bound home was filled with males. "You don't trust me?"
"What does that have to do with anything?" Heero questioned.
"I mean about the re-checking of all the rooms! After everyone is done, you'll do a personal inspection. You don't think I'm trustworthy enough to reveal all of my secrets to Kirin?" Zero asked hotly.
"I don't trust anybody." Heero countered while at the same time Kirin said, "He doesn't trust anybody."
Zero narrowed her eyes at Heero, a gesture that meant she was annoyed. "That's fine with me. Just as long as you don't hook up any cameras. Me and my crew are camera shy."
Kirin made a noise that caught in the back of her throat. A low sound, more like a chuckle, came from underneath.
"What's so funny, Shido?" Zero asked. She turned to look at Heero who was trying, unsuccessfully, to keep a grin from forming on his mouth. She threw her hands up in defeat. "Just what I need! Video records of me and my crew in everyday life! Then what? If any of the Space Police find out that I've got cameras on board, they'll have enough evidence to put me in jail for years on end!"
Kirin moved from under the console again. "Zero, it's not necessarily cameras. More of...a safety precaution we need to take. We're only going to use it in the halls, the bridge, the docking port, the storage area, and outside. Nothing impending on you and your crew's personal life."
"But that IS our personal life!" Zero protested. "Those are the main areas we go to every day!"
Kirin sat up on her elbows. "If it'll make you feel any better...we'll only use it for this mission and I'll disable it as soon as we're done, ok?"
Zero looked at Heero whose face was now neutral. "All right. And tell your boyfriend I want my weapons back."
Kirin turned to Heero. "You've been carrying those weapons all this time?"
Heero shrugged. "Haven't gotten around to fixing them."
"Fixing them? They're perfectly-"
"You pistol's chamber is jammed. If you tried to use it, you would've had your eye blown off. The blade of your short sword is dulled, you could've given me a bad bruise. You chain whip is rusted and is tangled, it could barely reach three feet. It was pathetic. I'm doing you a favor."
Zero's chest rose in indignation. She let out a breath, barely controlled. Through gritted teeth she replied, "Thank you."
With that aspect of her argument finished, she turned on her heel and made her way to her room. Right now, her temper was getting the best of her and she needed some time alone. With her treasure.
Forgotten Colony-ONI HQ-(8:20 a.m.)
She entered the room, quietly and stiffly, sitting across from him on the comfy, swivel chair. Her eyes wandered the room suspiciously, purely out of habit. Her hair, a healthy strawberry blonde, fell over her shoulders, obscuring some of her face and her wandering blue eyes. She wore a crimson-red shirt with flames decorating the sleeves and hem. She wore a short black skirt that came just above her knees. While she sat, the skirt move higher up her thighs, enough to grab the attention of some men, but not enough to reveal the pistol she had carefully hidden. She crossed her legs at the knee, leaning back into the chair.
"Long time no see, Ayako." Lee said pleasantly.
Ayako blinked blankly at him. Never before, in all seven years of her existence in ONI had she ever been personally summoned by Lee Ikuza. She had been inadvertently praised, subtly congratulated, and even given a small medal of appreciation from him, but never had she sat before him in person. Her reputation as a successful spy had come a long way.
Barely nine when she came to ONI, her frail-like features and innocent gaze fooled even the most toughest of men. At a young age she had learned that deception was the only way to get through life. She learned at that age that the best defense worked well behind a facade. Others like her, those who she knew she would never know the true names to, had taught her how to spin lies, to form a deliberate trap of deception, to become a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Wherever she went, she became another person, someone who was in too deep, and when she was pulled out of cover, she left no trace. Like many before her, they had erased their passing into the lives of others; some peacefully, others in a violent way. In her years of growing up, violence was always the answer. True to her own fiery nature, all that she assumed burned up in the flames of her passing. If not by that, then the bombs she had left behind; all destroyed in a fiery, well choreographed dance of deception and death. And now here she was...before the man who had paid for her education in terrorism and spying.
"Ayako Meguri..." Lee Ikuza read from an on-screen file. He leaned over his desk, blue eyes peering through laced fingers. "I've heard a lot about you. How were you past missions? A success, I hope."
"Certainly." Ayako answered quickly, before he could finish his sentence. She felt so...uncomfortable with Dr. Ikuza.
Lee turned his head slightly to the monitor. "Been in my service for a few good years, haven't you?"
"Yes." she shifted in her seat, catching a glimpse of a family portrait on his desk. Funny, he never seemed to be the family-man type. "I was told I would be given a new mission."
"Right to work as always..." Lee said dryly.
Not really, Ayako thought. I just want to get away from you. Her eyes brushed past another picture frame which featured a young child; large, brown eyes with short, thick black hair.
Lee caught her gaze and reached for the frame. He held it in his arms like a baby, cradling it and even murmuring soothing words to it. His eyes, taking on a deranged light in them, turned to pin Ayako in her seat. "My precious. Do you know who she is? Do you have any idea who this little girl is, Ayako?"
Ayako caught herself before she said something stupid. She was about to say his daughter, but no one, not even his own Elite, had ever seen him with a woman. Some speculated that his interests were men...some said his interests were his niece. Kirin.
Lee hummed loudly, stroking the glass frame as if the picture were a kitten. His face then contorted into anger. He began swearing as his eyes unfocused and stared hard at her. "She's not a little girl anymore. She's all grown up." He lifted the frame to his face. Sadness filled his eyes as he looked into the picture. His lips touched the smudged glass. He cradled it into his arms again, rocking back and forth in his seat. "An angel. She's my angel. My Angel of Chaos. Kirin..."
Ayako's hand clenched. She had been told, before the fateful meeting, that Lee was... 'obsessed' with his niece. Obsessed was too kind of a word. Infatuated, was more like it. Kirin, his niece, was the basis of his research, his anger, sadness, love, hate, sanity, insanity...the reason why he lived and why she should die. If this next mission had anything to do with her...
"Kirin is on Earth." Lee said after a long moment of sobbing. He scrubbed his tears with the sleeve of his jacket and replaced the picture frame onto his desk. "I need someone who will be dedicated in finding out every single little detail about Kirin's operations. I've kept tabs on your progress and I'm sure that you are the right person for this very mission."
Ayako shifted in her seat again. The action usually meant she was nervous. Always before a mission, or in the process of a briefing of a mission, she'd show her nervousness and discomfort by shifting in her seat. "Kirin Ikuza-"
"Kirin Rei Ikuza Shido." Lee said, almost proudly. "I'm not expecting you back here within a few months, Ayako. I want you to get under her skin. I want to know what she does everyday, what she eats, when she sleeps, showers; what clothes she sleeps in, who she sleeps with if it applies, who she talks to, why she talks to them, her hobbies...everything. Stay with her until I call for you again. Become her best friend; like a sister to her."
This would be a fairly easy mission for her. Within days she was already in a circle of trust with her old quarries. If Kirin was like anyone else, this was a piece of cake. She almost smiled when she saw Lee's gaze washing over her.
"There's something else. Yume Okinawa and Shin Kin'Youbi are with her. The Triad. Are you familiar with them?"
"Yes." Ayako replied. The Triad...how she looked up to them in awe and respect as the only group to have such style, finesse, and intelligence between the three. No one dared to cross them. It would be sure suicide. "I know of them."
"Pack light. I'll provide the funds you need for clothes, transportation, food." Lee turned his back to her. "You may go now."
Ayako stood quickly and turned on her heel. She almost ran out, but knew he could still see her. The monitors that decorated the wall behind him viewed every aspect of the Colony. There was even a camera watching her as she moved to the door. She stopped when she heard the chair in which Lee sat, turn to her. She turned, seeing the same deranged look in Lee's eyes.
"Don't cross me, Ayako. Or else I'll make you regret it."
Pirate Ship Zenith[space] (9:15 a.m.)
Kirin Shido zipped the silver suit up to her neck, fastening the button around her throat. She reached down over the makeshift table and pulled on a pair of white gloves. She sat on a chair, pulling up the calf-high white boots. Running gloved hands through her hair, she placed it into a tight ponytail and put on an obscuring cap. She moved to a body mirror and looked herself over.
The plan was simple. While Zenith is orbiting the Forgotten Colony, Kirin would input the codes to intercept the e-mail concerning the Triad's personal information and movements. She'd handle that certain aspect, making sure the traces of the e-mail are disabled form afar, but to make sure nothing would leak out, she'd have to go onto the Colony itself and remove any and all information about herself and her friends. That was where everything got a little tricky.
If she were to go back onto the colony, she'd have to go through an I.D. check, meaning retinal eye scan, thumb print, and tattoo reading. The tattoo, a barcode on the right wrist of all ONI members, would be the final code in getting into the colony. The reading on the tattoo, which is an implanted microchip, is directly linked to the mainframe computer. Since her status is a rogue, the tattoo would reveal her re-entering into the colony, set off the alarms, and due to the microchip in her wrist, it would infuse her with a serum that would paralyze her. Could she risk everything just so she could become a ghost of her former glory or would she rather have her name be remembered throughout ONI history?
Kirin turned and picked up the sterling silver pistol, twice the size of regular automatic weapons. She pulled on a large belt which held several magazines with specialized bullets for that very special gun. She set her right foot on the chair and strapped on a mini-thermal saber. On her left she placed several mini-bombs. Her mind was made up. She'd pay a visit to Lee.
She knew Lee was in ONI for the reason that Mike had mentioned it the day before. She, Relena Peacecraft, was contacted by Lee Ikuza. And if there was anyone that was linked to Lee it was Mike and his crew of Elite. When she had been in ONI, she and Mike were both vying for the position after the previous General had been killed in action. She had made a vital decision that had upped her reputation and made her the legendary General. Mike had gone to second place and became the leader of Lee's Elite, his favorite among ONI. So her gut feeling was true after all. Lee had been in ONI as long as she and she didn't even know it before it was too late. Now was the time for confrontation.
She emerged from one of the guest rooms on Zenith and stormed down the long, winding hallway. Her feet resounded throughout the ship, making the pirates and the guests emerging from the woodworks. No one could see the seriousness in Kirin's face, only the sound of her angry footsteps and the feeling that this wasn't just another day.
Heero Yuy emerged from the room, hearing the footsteps resounding like gunshots through the hall. He planted himself in the center of the hallway just as he caught a glimpse of silver. He crossed his arms and waited for an explanation from Kirin.
"Out of the way, Yuy." Kirin said harshly, trying to step past him. Her eyes narrowed to slits when he continued staring at her. "I've no time for this!"
"Where are you going?" Heero asked finally, taking in the elaborate clothes and the dangerous feeling he was getting from her.
"That is none of your business." Kirin said coldly.
"Everything is my business." Heero replied. "You are my business. Where are you going?"
Kirin's hands clenched hard into fists. Her jaw tightened as she fought over two states of mind. Her gaze faltered and she unclenched her fists. She gave a long, steady sigh. "Heero, I'm going to make sure that all the information on me and the Triad are erased. From here, I can only make sure that the e-mail cannot be sent with its information. I'll have to go onto the Colony itself and manually erase all traces of our past."
"And you think I'd let you go alone?" Heero asked, feeling somewhat betrayed. She was going to get herself into big trouble without him. It was only right that he go with her to make sure she'd come out all right...and alive.
"Heero, this is my business-"
"We're back to that, again." Heero said quietly. "When will you trust me and include me into your business?"
Kirin ran a gloved hand through her hair. "I do trust you, Heero. This is my past that I must deal with on my own. You know if it was anything else-"
"Your future is with me." said Heero, his arms dropping to his sides. "If you can't accept that...you don't trust me like you say you do. Everything that's happened between us has gone in vain."
Kirin felt her throat dry up like a cotton ball. "Why must you make everything so difficult?"
"I never said I was going to make anything easy."
"Neither did I." Kirin retorted. She gave Heero a critical look then stepped forward to lean on him. She traced his collarbone up his neck and brushed her finger up to his nose. She laughed slightly when she heard the faint growl of annoyance. "You're not thinking of wearing this are you? We're going on a mission and this is unacceptable."
"Give me five minutes." Heero said monotonously. He moved away, leaving Kirin to stagger to get her balance back. She turned down the hall and swore she saw several heads looking at her. She tipped her head to the side and heard the silent click of doors closing. She shook her head and made her way to the bridge. Now the hard part was telling the others.
Kirin took cautious steps that lead to the bridge. She stopped every so often, listening to the faint click of the doors. She knew that one of the doors was a recreation room specially made for the guests. Opposite that door was the bathroom and a storage closet; one of many. She bunched up relaxed muscles and sprinted forward, immediately hearing doors open right behind her. She passed through the automatic sliding doors that would have split anyone in half if they were only three seconds slower.
Kirin moved up onto the main deck and sat down at Zero's chair. She pulled herself up to the console and began typing in a series of codes. She didn't bother to look up as the automatic doors opened revealing who Heero stood behind her, watching with a silent intensity. She glanced at him once, just to see his clothes and found it very difficult to look away.
Though the entire outfit was black, fitting like another layer of skin. His muscles could be visibly seen underneath, tight and tense. He stood erect, his breathing barely audible. His fists were clenched over his arms, causing his muscles to seem larger than they actually were. His eyes had grown cold, a dull blue, with locks of his dark brown hair covering his face slightly. He didn't stare back at Kirin, his eyes were on the computer screen in front of her. "When are we leaving?"
Startled, Kirin turned back to the computer. "Uh, I've asked Quatre to delete the e-mail for me. I'm leaving directions for him to follow. We should be orbiting the Forgotten Colony in about fifteen minutes."
"And how are you planning to get in there?" demanded two angry voices.
Kirin and Heero both turned and faced two angry young female's. Shin Kin'Youbi and Yume Okinawa. She shook her head. "I've got it covered. Quatre will be running a virus through the computer while we sneak in. Heero and I will move to the computer rooms and delete our incriminating files."
"I want to come." said Yume. "I want to wreak some havoc, too! Those bastards are going to regret messing with us!"
"All right. Get dressed. You have fifteen minutes. Shin-" Kirin turned and was met with angry green/violet eyes as Yume padded out of the bridge. "...What?"
"You were going to go back onto the Colony." she said evenly. Her cheeks turned red with anger. "For what?!"
Kirin made a mental note. Shin didn't have enough temperament of anger to rival her. When Shin was mad, it was usually for a few minutes, when Kirin was mad, she scared the shit out of everyone. There was a small difference, but a difference nonetheless. She remained neutral. "I'm going to erase our pasts on that Colony, Shin. Do you know what it means? Clean slate for all of us!"
Heero gave a indifferent snort as he turned away from Kirin and Shin. A clean slate? Was she planning on not coming back to him? A clean slate would mean her getting rid of all traces of her existence. As long as he lived, she existed.
Kirin heard the slight annoyance from the sound Heero had just made. "Ok, not exactly a clean slate, but a life we can resume without something from our past coming back to haunt us. It's a safety precaution."
"I've been hearing that a lot lately..." said a voice, full with dry humor. "Another safety precaution that I shouldn't be worried about?"
"Zero, this is something completely different." Kirin said. She glanced at the Pirate Captain then at her friend. "Understand, Shin, I'm doing this for us and if you don't appreciate it-"
"I never said I didn't. But you weren't going to tell us. Me." Shin argued feebly.
"I was. Probably...after you guys woke up." Kirin said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Woke up?" came two voices. "What do you mean?"
Kirin knew Heero was probably glaring a hole through her head. He was...more attuned to her nature than Zero or Shin. He knew that Kirin had been planning to set up everything by a timer. The e-mail interception would be manual, the codes to break into ONI would be automatic, as well as her escape. And while everything was happening...the entire crew would be asleep, due to the fact that Kirin was rigging the ventilation shafts with a sleeping concoction.
"...I...was going to do it at night when you were all asleep." she lied. She saw Heero's reflection in the computer screen. He shook his head, a slight motion since he had entered the bridge. "Even though it would have been later...by morning we could have been back home already."
Zero seemed to accept it as Shin did. That seemed explanation enough. Heero mumbled under his breath about how some people were too shallow to see that Kirin was clearly lying...and not doing a very good job of it...even if there was a half truth.
"We have to get ready." Kirin said, eyeing the clock. "Less then twelve minutes to the orbit of the colony."
"Run this through me one more time...HOW I'm suppose to decoy for you?"
Kirin tapped her foot impatiently. "If any of Lee's forces come within a fifty meter radius, just turn the other way. A cat and mouse game, I know you've played those well."
Zero tilted her chin up as if with regality. She had dodged space police and hid out in every corner of the galaxy. "They haven't caught me yet. So all I do is run around. What about this whole thing about getting onto the colony?"
Kirin's eyes glittered. "Well...I suppose we can take make our own way out."
"You are a devious little thing, aren't you?" Zero said wryly. She looked at the computer clock. "Ten minutes. I'll go get my crew ready."
"You do that." Kirin replied. She remained quiet until Zero had left the premises, in search of her crew. She turned to Heero and returned his deadly glare. "You certainly know how to leave me high and dry."
"You said this was your business." he replied solemnly.
"Yes but-" her eyes narrowed. She clenched her fists and mentally counted to ten. She released her fists and gave a loud sigh. "Has anyone ever told you, you can be a real ass sometimes?"
Heero's blue eyes seemed to widen and bulge out from his sockets. "What. Did. You. Say?"
Kirin almost laughed but the hurt and bewildered look in his eyes made her apologize quickly. "I was just kidding, Heero! Don't look like that!" She threw her arms around him. "I was trying to lighten up the mood!"
With Kirin's arms around his neck, the insult was promptly forgotten. He pulled her away far enough so he could see her face. "What about the sleeping gas?"
Kirin raised a finely arched eyebrow. She smiled sweetly. "What sleeping gas?"
"I'm not stupid, Kirin. I can smell the powder. Once it hits open air it turns into a gas. Added to the ventilation system it will spread in under five minutes and dissipate within an hour." His hands wound into her hair, locking her head into place. "You're still going to use the gas?"
"Of course not!" Kirin snapped, realizing she was in a very questionable position with Heero. His hands held her hair and head, her arms were wrapped around his neck, and both seemed to be leaning on the computer console. "I'll disable it before we leave."
"And when are we leaving?" Heero asked, his face seemingly coming closer to her face, as if he were going to literally bite her face off. "At the earliest possible convenience or when you feel like it?"
Kirin's eyes searched the bridge, trying to think of something nasty to say without hurting Heero's...feelings. Instead, she went with the most obvious choice. She pulled up and kissed Heero on the lips, savoring one of the rare moments where he was possibly at his most vulnerable moment. Being affectionate with her.
The kiss lasted for a few seconds, it could have gone longer but both had to remember they were human- as far as they knew, and they needed to breathe. If that wasn't a factor, they would have stayed in the embrace a few seconds longer.
Just as second kiss for the day was about to take place, Yume entered the bridge wearing a black and violet jumpsuit. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she even equipped herself with a metallic-purple yo-yo. If she had noticed what had just happened between Kirin and Heero, she didn't show it. She proceeded to go to the console and bring up a holographic map of ONI. "I have the feeling we forgot someone."
"Like who? Everyone is here and accounted for." Kirin said, straitening her suit. She eyed Heero who's cheeks were still slightly blushed. One arm was crossed over his chest as his other gingerly touched his lips. She smiled and put a hand on Yume's shoulder. "Shin isn't coming with us."
"Oh, I know that. I've been doing some detective work and she and Duo are beginning to see a possible relationship between them." Yume gazed at Heero who, by that time, had regained his perfect composure. "So it's just us, three?"
Kirin nodded. "Five minutes. Get into the hanger and put on a space suit-"
Wufei entered the bridge, carrying a struggling bundle in his arms. "I thought you'd like to know, Shido, that we've neglected a very important guest of ours."
"Now is not the time, Wufei." Kirin sighed. All these interruptions were going to drive her over the edge of sanity!
"I think it is. You may want to see her."
Kirin felt like a cat, arching her back in a menacing way, her fingers contorting into claws as if ready to strike. She slowly turned and pinned Wufei in his place. The form in his arms fell to the floor with a thud with a long wail of complaint. Her eyes cast over the dirty-brown bundle and watched with barely concealed ferocity that she almost went over to shred the female within the constraints of the sack.
The first glimpse of similar brown hair made Kirin glance at Heero and Yume. Both had dark brown hair, hyper-intense blue eyes, muscular build- as much as she loved Yume as a friend, and thought she had her own set of impressive muscles, Heero's body had more of the mysterious sex appeal Kirin found intriguing; and possibly the same 'Omae o Korosu' attitude. She looked over the long brown hair of the enemy female which was mussed to the point of no return. Her clothes were battered from the constant struggling in the pilot's safe house closet and she looked emaciated and pale. "I don't think we've had the pleasure of knowing one another."
Melinda's blue eyes widened, realizing that the Chinese pilot was stepping away slowly as was Yume and that Heero Yuy. She had seen first-hand what Kirin had done to her teammates...was she going to finish her off? "What are you going to do with me?"
Kirin's tongue slid across her teeth in a devious manner. The bright sparkle in her eyes made the Chinese pilot shiver visibly beside Melinda. "Oh...you'll see. I haven't forgotten about you. "