Haunted Part 1
Discovery
by
Sailor Janus
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters unless they are original. Everything else is property of their creators/companies.
*~*~*~*
The year is AC 200. The Earth Sphere as well as the colonies, are still at peace, constantly being monitored by the Preventers, a group of various people specializing in investigation, and undercover work, constantly on alert for any possible threat to peace.
*~*~*~*
'Faster! I...have...to run....faster!' the girl's head practically screamed as she frantically raced down a dark alley. White tennis shoes pounded heavily on the cold, hard cement with each step. Escape was the only thought on her mind. Escape from something or someone that sought to do her harm.
Quickly, she sharply turned at a corner of a tall moldy building, before pressing her back against the harsh surface. Laboriously the teenager panted, trying earnestly to catch her breath, bowing her head with her frightened eyes shut tightly. To the dark-haired girl's horror, upon opening her violet eyes she discovered the once crisp, white shirt was now splattered with a dark substance. Blood.
Gasping, at the sight, she glanced up only to witness tall shadows appear menacingly on the adjacent building.
With a silent scream, the dark-haired teen took off in the opposite direction, tripping once over her feet, but managed to continue running.
"We will find you!" a sinister voice yelled, echoing off the buildings and in the panicked girl's head as she looked back, only to crash into another person, both tumbled roughly to the ground.
Groaning softly, the teenager picked her head up to see who she had collided into. Instead the girl covered her mouth in terror as her violet eyes grew as large as saucers at the sight of the broken and mutilated body of herself. Hair began falling in clumps to the ground, as blood seeped from various wounds to the doppelganger's body and face. Dead eyes stared back, as the girl reached out her broken hand with several bones protruding through the damaged skin.
Fearfully, the other girl began backing up, practically crab walking, as she shook her head trying to avoid the other's touch. "No... please.... I can't go back....Not now."
*~*~*~*
Dully, a dark-haired girl opened her eyes, glancing curiously around her surroundings as if expecting something to happen.
Once again, the nineteen year old had fallen asleep on the park bench. It was not really a concern to her. Wasn't like she actually had a place to go. A common street urchin, no better than most vermin which thrived in the alleyways of even the most violent streets. Hotaru however did not care. No one even dared to try to take her on, and even if they did, she made sure they would be sorry.
Tiresomely, she brought her knees up to her chest, soiled jeans, were now on display before her. The once white tennis shoes were now a dingy gray to almost a brown shade. Her torn black zip-up sweatshirt was her only warmth, over a well worn gray T-shirt, both salvaged from a dumpster.
It had been two years since the violet-eyed teenager found herself on the streets. Casually she ran a hand through her long hair. What was once shoulder length, now fell heavily past her waist, often tied back in a pony tail but today she left it down, partly shrouding her face like an ebony curtain.
No money, no possessions, no cares, or what she once thought. Suddenly, Hotaru had an uneasy feeling rushing through her bones, filling her body with pain. It hurt so bad to exist anymore. For two years she lived in a void, and suddenly it had been lifted by the reoccurrence of some very disturbing dreams. This unfortunately left the fatigued girl with only one desire, death. She knew deep down that the nightmares were more than that. There was something very familiar about each situation that made Hotaru want to end everything. Even though dreams may not be real did not mean that perhaps the situations or plots were not.
Calmly, Hotaru climbed to her feet and stalked off, to the local bakery, her only source for food. Luckily, the woman who owned it took pity upon the girl, and would give the teenager whatever she had leftover from the previous day. Some days, there was a lot, and others there was nothing. Either way, she didn't care, Hotaru had gone for almost a week without eating a single meal.
This morning, all the violet-eyed girl received was two hard sourdough rolls, half a baguette, and a small pastry.
At least Hotaru wouldn't go hungry today. She would have to conceal the rest of the food carefully. Luckily, her hooded sweatshirt had pockets. The teenager would literally smash down the bread if she had to. No one could steal from her if they even tried.
Quietly, the she thanked the woman before retreating back to the streets.
*~*~*~*
Heero Yuy, coolly monitored the abandoned alley behind a large corporation building. There were reports of possible terrorist actions thriving from inside the organization.
Cautiously, he strolled up to the dumpster, and peered inside. 'Hn, shredded papers. I think I may need these,' he thought, reaching in and grabbing the black garbage bag filled with scraps of paper.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of someone approaching. Quickly, the Perfect Soldier spun around, pulling his gun out of the back of his jeans, concealed by a thin jean jacket as he came face to face with a dark-haired girl around his age. "Who are you?"
"Why should it matter? Kill me. I don't care anymore. Put me out of my endless nightmare before I take that gun from you and do it myself," Hotaru simply said, causing Heero to blink in surprise. It wasn't everyday that someone out right told the Perfect Soldier to kill them without him threatening their demise before hand. "Do it!"
"Why do you desire death?" the young man with messy brown hair questioned the girl as she shrugged her shoulders.
Quietly Hotaru answered with dead violet eyes staring at the gun, "Because I have nothing to exist for which would be to my own benefit." Slightly faltering, she added to her disbelief. "Someone wants me dead."
"Who wants you dead?"
The young woman frowned as she glared at the Prussian blue-eyed man in front of her, "I don't know. Everyone? I just- it doesn't matter. Kill me now!"
Heero focused his eyes on the girl's face. There was something uncannily familiar about her but he couldn't remember what. "Who is everyone?"
Hotaru was growing agitated with the guy's constant questioning. "People! Damn you are annoying."
"Is this where you live?" the ex-pilot asked, indicating the isolated alley. Silently, the girl nodded hoping that was the end of the endless questions. She was wrong.
"What is your name?"
"Why should that matter?" the violet-eyed teen muttered rolling her eyes at the gun carrier.
"Name," Heero more ordered than asked, his gun still trained on the dark-haired girl standing with her arms crossed before him. 'You look too familiar.'
Running a hand through her hair the street urchin glanced up at the sky as she replied, "Only if you agree to kill me." After receiving a nod from the man she simply said, "Hotaru Tomoe."
Oddly, Heero blinked as if the name had actually surprised him. 'Hotaru Tomoe? It can't be. She died two years ago during-' Shaking himself out of his stupor, the blue-eyed man glanced at the girl, his gun still trained on her. "Hotaru Tomoe? You are listed as deceased."
"How would you know?" the girl challenged him, as she narrowed her gaze defiantly.
"Because my team and I were appointed to guard you."
"You did a great job. I've been living here on the streets for two years," Hotaru quietly said as she spun around, turning her back to the Perfect Soldier.
Lowering his weapon Heero softly said, "You practically disappeared."
"I preferred it that way."
Nodding the dark-haired man added, "Well guess what? I can't kill you after all," he said in his usual monotone.
"What if I did it myself?" Hotaru inquired, keeping her back turned to the ex-gundam pilot who shook his head.
"Can't let you do that either."
Abruptly, the violet-eyed young woman whipped her head around, "Why not? I am listed as deceased. Might as well make the records true so some poor fool doesn't have change everything."
"What happened to you?" Heero found himself saying as he thought, 'Why is Firefly acting so different?'
"Society did," Hotaru practically whispered, focusing her amethyst gaze on the man in front of her. 'Damn it. He has a gun. Why the hell won't he shoot me?! I guess I'll just have to take it from him.'
"You were never this cold."
"Survival skill," she simply said. 'How does he know me?'
Mutely Heero nodded his head. 'I'm going to have to get her out of here and then Lady Une can figure out what to do with her,' he decided, "You need to come with me, Hotaru."
"Why should I and why do you act as if you know me?" the girl practically growled.
"You don't remember anything do you?"
"I'm sorry if my damn memory is failing. Just kill me already or I'll just search through the dumpsters, find a broken bottle, slit my wrists and be done with it," Hotaru dryly said with venom in her voice. She was completely dead set on dying.
Heero tried to retain his usual emotionless state but this once quiet, clever, teenaged girl had completely changed. Never would he have envisioned her to turn out like this. It was too disturbing. "You were training to be one of us. A Preventer. Your father suggested it for your own protection."
'Father?' Only then did a spark of fear fill Hotaru Tomoe's cold violet eyes as she completely froze where she stood, staring at nothing but at the same time seeing everything as if remembering something. Unknown to Heero, brief flashes of blood and other substances clouded the girl's sight. "Well, it didn't do any good," she mumbled, eyes still focused on whatever she was remembering.
Silently, Heero reached into his pocket a pulled out what appeared to be a clean handkerchief, but was secretly doused with chloroform, taking advantage of the girl's stupor. With lightning speed, he grabbed Hotaru from behind and placed the cloth over her nose and mouth. A few seconds of struggling later, she had passed out.
Stationing one arm to hold the girl up, the Perfect Soldier dug in his jacket pocket for his cell phone. Pressing a single button he held it against his ear, "Trowa, I need you and the others to meet me in on the corner of 5th and 12th. You won't guess what I found."
After replacing the phone in his pocket, Heero picked up the lower half of the girl and waited.
*~*~*~*
Groggily Hotaru opened her eyes. Frowning, she discovered that nothing looked familiar. Instead of lying on a park bench, she was on a soft bed, in a large beautifully decorated room. "What the hell?! Where am I?!"
"Hey, She's awake!" a chestnut brown-haired man with a long braid chirped as he peered into the room.
Soon four other men and a woman entered the room. Only one, the Perfect Soldier, the dark-haired girl actually recognized, greeting him with deadly glare.
"You kidnapped me," she snarled, sitting up on the bed, focusing her eyes on the Perfect Soldier who said nothing in return.
"We brought you some place safe," The blonde meekly said, holding out a clean T-shirt and a pair of jeans to the girl who glared coldly in return.
"I do not need safety, I need to be dead," Hotaru said through clenched teeth.
Quietly, the woman took a step forward, "Hotaru, I do not know if you remember me, but I am Lady Une. I was your advisor for the Preventers two years ago."
Nodding the violet-eyed girl said, "You're right. I do not remember you," as she tensely crossed her arms.
"Um, Miss Tomoe, I believe introductions would be best since you seem to have amnesia or something similar. I am Quatre Raberba Winner, The tall man near the door is Trowa Barton, the one with the braid is Duo Maxwell, Wufei Chang is standing by the window and you have already met Heero Yuy," the blonde politely said as he gestured to each person.
"Quatre is it? Why do you need such a long-ass name? Does it make you more important or something?" Hotaru bluntly said, stunning everyone else in the room with the single question which seemed to qualify more as an insult.
Blinking, the kind-hearted man was speechless. He couldn't even recall such coldness from Dorothy Catalonia. Finally, Quatre managed to snap out of his stupor. "I-I am a heir," he mostly whispered. This girl was in no way the same Hotaru Tomoe he had met two years ago. It was heart breaking that she had become this bitter young woman sitting before him. "Um, I think I left the tea kettle on. I'll be right back."
Quietly, the blonde retreated out the room. It was not necessarily the question that upset him, but the girl who said it. "What happened to her?"
Blinking, Heero narrowed his gaze at the violet-eyed girl who glared back. "What was that for? He was trying to be nice."
"That does not mean I have to. You brought me here against my will," Hotaru simply said switching her gaze to Duo who was gaping at the teenager. "And you need either a hair cut or a push up bra."
The braided-haired man was speechless as he dropped his jaw. Hotaru would never insult him and here she just firmly stated that he looked like a girl. 'What the hell happened to her in two years?!' Duo thought as he crossed the room, heading out the door. "I-I think I'll help Quatre with the tea," the chestnut brown-haired ex-pilot threw over his shoulder.
Wufei normally would have chuckled if the girl was merely teasing the cobalt blue-eyed man, but she wasn't. Hotaru's tone was icy almost dagger-like hitting her target effectively. 'That was wrong,' he thought, monitoring the scene carefully. "Stupid weak girl has to use words as weapons rather than strength."
Unfortunately, the Chinese man said his own insult loud enough for the already enraged girl to hear.
"What did you say?" the girl snarled, sliding out of bed and bolting towards Wufei before anyone could even attempt to stop her. "You think I'm weak, huh?" Her deep violet eyes shone darkly as she approached him. Suddenly before the ex-pilot knew what hit him, Hotaru slammed him against the wall, gripping his throat tightly. "Now how weak do I seem to you?! Will I not be so weak if I kill you right now?!"
Quickly, Heero and Trowa grabbed the girl from behind, prying her hands off of the Chinese Preventer's neck who began coughing after being nearly choked to death.
Hotaru relentlessly struggled against the two men who had a good grip on her arms and around her waist as she growled through gritted teeth, "Let me go!"
"What the hell are you doing?" the Perfect Soldier tensely said in her ear as he and the circus performer put the girl on the ground, forcing her to her knees.
"Trying to prove a point."
Lady Une finally spoke up, having been silenced by the startling change in the young woman who was once her favorite pupil. "Wufei, Trowa, would you please come with me? I'm sure Heero probably already knows what I'm about to say to you five so I'll have him remain here to watch over Hotaru."
With a still look on the Chinese ex-pilot's face, he stepped forward, feeling slightly wary of the girl who was still sitting on the ground, not even speaking a single word.
Cautiously, the tall green-eyed man stood up and turned to the dark-haired man. "Heero. I should probably take your gun for safety measures," he quietly said, holding out his hand which the Perfect Soldier placed his black semi-automatic handgun in.
"I'll send them back up here to fill you in, Heero, " Lady Une softly said as she left with the other two Preventers leaving Heero and Hotaru alone.
"I don't need a babysitter," the girl said as she stood up and stomped over to the window.
"I believe Lady Une would disagree."
After throwing a glare, Hotaru pushed open the window and almost stepped out, plunging 25 feet to her death before Heero grabbed her from behind, pulling the suicidal girl back inside.
"Put. Me. Down," the teenager coldly spoke through gritted teeth as she fought against the ex-pilot who kept firm grip on Hotaru.
"Why are you so insistent on dying?" the man emotionlessly said dumping the young woman off on the bed before pulling up a chair from the desk. 'I am going to have to be extremely alert around her. One false move and she'll be dead.'
"Why do you insist on stopping me?" Hotaru questioned Heero, bringing her knees up to her chest as she stared coldly into the ex-pilot's blue eyes.
"Because that is my job," the dark-haired man simply said.
The violet-eyed young woman frowned, "What if I do not want to be your job anymore?"
Shaking his head Heero pronounced, "It is not your decision."
With a frustrated sigh, Hotaru crossed her arms and sulked. 'Why the hell is this happening to me? Can't they see I'm dead anyway?'
*~*~*~*
"You want us to try to help Hotaru recover? Why? She's insane!" Duo exclaimed from his place at the table, sitting with his arms folding frowning. "I think a mental institution would be more appropriate for that nut case!"
"For once, I agree with Maxwell," Wufei stated, absentmindedly rubbing his neck.
Nodding, Quatre quietly said over a cup of tea, "Hotaru is very difficult. I don't believe we are qualified enough."
"I understand, but we need to keep Hotaru Tomoe safe and alive. Her father's death was very intentional and I have a feeling that the assassins would execute her the same if they discovered she was still breathing. You five are our only hope. I entrust you with that young woman's life," Lady Une said, firmly stating that the girl was once again their responsibility. Standing up she announced, "I must go. I'll be expecting Mariemaia to arrive home in a half hour."
With those last words, the head of the Preventers, found her own way out of the mansion as the four ex-pilots exchanged glances, wondering exactly what they have gotten themselves into?
*~*~*~*
Author's Notes: I hope you like what I have so far. This is probably going to be more of a psychological thriller than anything. I'll warn you right now that it's going to get darker and more suspenseful as time goes on. If you think Hotaru is at her worst now, you have seen nothing yet. For every action there is a reason.