Minako watched as Usagi organized her new plates in the very small kitchen. If Minako could have guessed, Usagi had leased the smallest, oldest apartment in Azabu. Nothing like she was used to since being with Kunzite. Usagi even purchased all of her new dishes and kitchen utensils at the 100 yen store. Minako was appalled by Usagi's choice and when she recommended going to Mitsukoshi, Usagi almost had a heart attack. On her teachers pay she could not afford that. Minako even offered to buy them for her but Usagi refused, happy to purchase the cheep pink and Minako's opinion ugly, flowered dish set. Aside from having a small closet as a kitchen, Minako was in agreement that Usagi was lucky to have a separate sleeping space. Minako was hiding out from the girls who called her religiously. She told them she was in Kyoto at the hot spring getting over Kunzites indiscretion. Rei had bitched her out telling her that she had left a huge mess and to stop being so dramatic. Minako faked some sobs and hung up on the fiery Yakuza mistress.
Minako had told Usagi that the girls, who still didn't know she was in town, were in Kyoto having a hot spring vacation. That they all had super rich boyfriends who spoiled them and she was supposed to go but Minako would not go alone.
She had been slumming it sleeping on Usagi's Ikea futon. She missed her own large apartment, which she shared with Kunzite and her large, soft bed. But what she missed the most was going out and having a life. Sure Usagi was hilarious and she loved being with her but Minako was not used to being on lock down. Usagi did not even notice her restlessness and how very board she was be coming.
To make it through the day to day she pretended that she was the warrior Sailor V protecting the Princess of the Moon from the evil prince. Aside from her fantasies she was board. So board. She needed to get out and she didn't mean to the 100 yen store, a place she would never worry about Mamoru-sama ever finding her cousin.
"USAAAAAAA." I am so bored can we please go out tonight?"
Usagi bounded over to the futon and sat down with a scowl on her face.
"What's with that look?" Minako asked even though she already knew what Usagi was going to say.
"Minako, you know I start school next week and I want to be ready, prepared, organized, on top of my game, the best teacher in the universe!" She ended on a loud note.
"Usaaaaaagggggiiiii." She wined. "We have been stuck in the apartment for over a week. Please…. " She coughed…."I'm…. dying…" She grabbed on to Usagi's dressed and faked a coughing fit.
Usagi patted her back…"There, there now Minako. If you die I promise I will not dress you in lime green for your viewing."
Minako sat up giving her best Yakuza stare down. "Usagi, we are going out tonight. Do you understand me? So go get dressed. Now."
Usagi looked dumbfounded in the demanding voice that came from her cousin's mouth. She just nodded dumbly.
"Good!" She bounded upward toward the kitchen. "Go get dressed."
Usagi got up and went to her room siding the shouji screen behind her.
Minako had been looking for two days for a club that neither the Red Rose Clan or the Black Moon Clan owned or controlled, She finally found one in Roppangi that she was sure it held no yakuza control.
Knock Knock Knock
Minako became very aware the moment she heard the banging at the door. Her eyes unmoving from the door walking slowly toward it. She felt for the knife that was attached around her thigh. Looking through the peek hole she noticed a small older woman nosily looking at the door.
Minako cracked the door open. "Can I help you?"
"I'm looking for Sumitsu san?" Minako looked at the women holding the paper with katakana written on it.
"Gomen, but no one li…"
Usagi opened the door quickly behind Minako.
"Arigato Tamada-san." Usagi took the paper and bowed. "Have a great day." And she closed the door ignoring Minako all together.
Usagi placed the mail on the counter not meeting Minako's curious glance.
"Oh… Sumitsu san?" Minako asked eyes raised.
"It's Smith." Usagi responded in perfect English.
"Oh really." She placed her hands on her hips. "Someone has secrets."
Usagi turned her head and looked at Minako with a smirk going back in to her room to get dressed for this evenings outing.
Minako picked up the mail.
Serena Smith. Apartment 2B.
It was a copy of her rental agreement. "Smart Usagi, very smart." Minako whispered to herself. She clearly did not give the girl enough credit and Usagi clearly did not believe that Mamoru did not forget about her or she would have put the apartment in her real name. Since it was Azabu, Minako was sure that if anyone came back in to one of the Rose Clan's prefecture, the name Tsukino Usagi would clearly raise some red flags. Minako shook her head in disbelief that Usagi would think of something so smart and part of her was worried for Usagi. Usagi must know somewhere deep down that messing with the Yakuza was dangerous and that she was a target. She just had no clue how big of a target she was and Minako would try and keep it from her for as long as possible. Or long enough to convince Usagi to go back to wherever she came from.
"Damn, damn damn!" Minako yelled as she and Usagi cowered under one umbrella as it poured down outside. She hailed a cab and Usagi got in first. Minako's six inch black pump went right in to a puddle of water before she got in to the cab.
"Oh great!"
"Hurry Minako!" Usagi said.
Minako felt water drip in to her done up hair as she struggled closing the umbrella to get in to the cab.
Across the street a man stood behind a light post, umbrella up and he tucked binoculars into his bag. He picked up a cell phone.
"Found her… 106-0032… yeah some girl couldn't make her out… on it." He tucked the cell phone in to his pocket and got in to a waiting car.
Kunzite sat back in his plush desk chair. "Minako what are you up to." He wondered aloud. A few moments later he received a text with an address.
Club Muse, Nishido Tokyo
Humm. Club Muse, little Minako could not stay away from the nightlife and she is going to a club that the yakuza didn't control. He had searched all of Kyoto and when he came up empty he knew she was hiding right in view. Very smart of her. Interesting… she is hiding something and he would just have to go see what. Standing up he took a look in the mirror and smiled. He always looked good and he was sure that today he would make that little minx wish she had never left. A week with out her was driving him mad. Part of him wondered if this is how Mamoru felt all the time?
"Kunzite." A stern voice asked as his office door opened.
Mamoru walked in with that same business look on his face. The same look for the last three years.
"Yes, sir."
Mamoru slumped in to a chair. "Don't call me sir. It's insulting."
"Yes, sir." Kunzite smirked as he said it again and a small twitch of a smile hinted at the corner of Mamoru's mouth.
"Did we confirm the employer of Beryl."
"Yes. Correct as always Mamoru." He pulled a file out of the desk drawer and dropped it on the desk. It contained pictures of Beryl with Diamond.
Mamoru picked them up, leaning back in the chair and sorting through them.
"Hum… these are lovely. My girlfriend is a cheating skank just as I thought. I love being right."
"Yes, all you have to do is keep working her to tell you what Diamonds big secret is and then we can take that weaseling piece of shit down." Kunzite fixed his tie in the mirror.
"Going somewhere?" Mamoru asked surprised, the night was still young, but he knew that going out with all this stuff going on with Minako would not make good news.
"Actually yes. I found Minako a few minutes ago."
"Really?" Mamoru's eyebrow raised.
"Yes. She is at Club Muse. I think I will drop in on her. See what she is up to." He emphasized.
"Yes, I think you should. She has caused some trouble you know…" Kunzite smiled at Mamoru's suggestive tone.
"She will be dealt with. Don't worry."
"Need help?" Mamoru was always looking for a fight. A reason to kick someone's ass for no reason, it is what they did when one of the girls misbehaved. Picked on some random unsuspecting person and beat them to a pulp since they would never hit their woman. They did it right in front of them, knowing that they were helpless. His constant need to fight was the only thing that Mamoru couldn't control since the loss of Usagi. It was also the only thing that his Uncle constantly chided him on.
"No. I'll be fine."
With that Mamoru got up and took his leave.
The music was loud and the atmosphere was perfect. Usagi could not quite keep up with Minako but she had fun trying to. This was the first time in years she felt so free. And hot, she really needed a drink.
"Minako!" She yelled over the music. "I need some water!"
Minako continued to dance and waved her hand to tell Usagi she had heard her.
Usagi stumbled though the mass mob of people toward the bar. Excuse me! She yelled to the bartender and with one look at her he hurried over.
"Can I get a water?" She asked pulling out her wallet.
"And a vodka cranberry for her and Johnny Walker Blue on the rocks for me." A seductive voice behind her purred throwing down a wad of cash on the bar.
Usagi rolled her eyes and turned to look at the man who purchased her drink. Her eyes fluttered as she made eye contact with him and her breath caught. His silver grey eyes stared at her like a piece of meat, his hair so blond almost white… no silver. It was cut short was shaggy around his face. He wore a black suit with a silver skinny tie. He smiled and Usagi's stomach turned reading the thoughts in his mind. He would have been extremely good looking, but something about the look in this man's eye turned her off.
"Um thanks, but no thanks. I don't drink." She gave an apologetic smile.
"You shouldn't lie to me you know." He smirked and looked at the water in her hand.
"I don't drink alcohol. Thanks for the water, excuse me." As she turned to leave he grabbed her upper arm and turned her back toward him.
"Where do you think you are going?" He hissed.
"Away!" She tried to pull her arm back.
Diamond looked at her closely… "I know you…"
Then some one ripped her from the silver haired mans grasp.
"Don't you dare touch my woman!" Someone growled.
Kunzite had walked in to Club Muse with two yakuza lackeys at his side. He scanned the room and quickly spotted Minako at the bar speaking to Diamond. Kunzite growled, watching as she blew him off, but the moment he grabbed herb by the arm he moved like lighting to her side.
Minako was parched and waiting as she floundered around trying to dance alone and not with the men who kept trying to get on her. None of them were anywhere near as good looking as Kunzite and it was depressing. She looked around for Usa and her heart stopped beating. The man that was talking to Usagi.. "Oh no!"
She tried to get through the swarms of gyrating bodies and over to her cousin. This was supposed to be a nice night out and now it's a disaster. If Diamond found out who she was… "Excuse me… Excuse me… MOVE! JUST MOVE!" She began to shove. She watched as Usagi turned to leave. She watched as Diamond put his filthy hand on her. "MOVE!" She yelled again.
Minako's breath caught as she saw Kunzite rip Usagi from Diamonds hands. "Oh great. DAMN! DAMN! DAMN!" She yelled and stomped her foot.
Usagi felt herself being put behind the man's back.
"Diamond, you filthy scum. What are you doing here?" The man asked in an authoritative tone.
"Diamond… Diamond… Where had she…" Usagi felt sick to her stomach again as déjà vous hit her. This was the man that Mamoru was against. This is the man who tried to take her from Mamoru three years ago.
"Kunzite. What a pleasure to see you here?" Diamond faked a smile, sarcasm heavy in his tone.
"Cut the crap."
"So you have already moved on." Diamond chuckled. "I've heard of your indiscretion so you have moved on to a girl that looks somewhat like your dear Minako."
Kunzite stared him down refusing to listen to the words he said.
"Ahhh, but that girl. Much prettier. Much more innocent. I didn't think that those types of girls were your type… much more like… well you know whose type."
Kunzite didn't let Diamonds chiding bother him. He stayed stealth never taking his eyes from the Black Moons Clans leader's face.
"Fine. I'll leave. But there is nothing in this world that I can't have… and I'll have her." He turned and snapped his fingers. Eight men came out of the club and surrounded him.
Usagi could hear the long silver blond haired man sigh and then he turned around to her.
At the same time they both sucked in a deep breath.
"YOU!" They pointed to one another. Usagi recognized this man the moment she lay eyes on him. This was one of them… always in the Crown, running behind her as she fled. She had focused in on all of there faces though her memories for the last three years. And he knew her, boy did he know her, she wanted to spit.
"Great! Lovely! I see you too met… surprise!" Minako appeared suddenly. Her cheeks red and flushed.
"Minako." Kunzite growel was angry but he seemed to be happy to see her.
"Well. This has been fun. Usagi… lets go." She grabbed Usagi's hand and started to lead her away. The two lackeys stood in their path. Usagi looked at them, then at Minako and then at Kunzite. Her eyes turned to slits. She had been lied to.
"Kunzite…" Minako turned to the large silver haired man, fluttered her big blue eyes. "Funny story…"
"I bet." He didn't bite at her moment to try and be cute.
"Look! You remember Usagi. My cousin… my only cousin. Well guess what?" She acted all excited.
He raised a brow.
Usagi took this moment to try and back away. "Well this reunion is great and all but I think I am juts going to…" One of the lackeys grabbed her arm. "Ow!"
"Minako… I am not going to guess what. How could you?" He now grabbed Mianko's arm.
"Let me go!" Usagi kneed the man in the nuts and he went down. Kunzite grabbed a hold of Usagi, now holding both girls with his hands.
"Get up! We are causing a scene." He yelled to the man on the ground holding his privates.
Pulling both girl's in an iron vice grip he made his way toward the front. It was the closest way to exit and he had a lot of his mind.
He whispered to Minako. "What the fuck were you thinking? You have put me in a very bad spot Mina."
"I had to. She's family and well I promised." Minako hissed back.
"The picture?" he asked for the first time looking down at her.
"I'm good at photoshop." She shrugged. A look of apology in her eye.
He held back a laugh. She was so much trouble and yet what a sly, clever fox.
"We are in so much trouble." Kunzite nodded toward the other blond in his grip.
"I know." Minako sighed. "I was working it out."
"That went over well." He said with sarcasm and she stuck out her tongue at them. As they continued to walk surrounded by members of the Red Rose Clan Usagi held back tears.
"Look." Usagi mumbled tears in her eyes. "I can see that you two have some issues to sort out. And well I just don't want to be involved in this… I just can't."
"Too late. I'll have to figure this out later, right now we just have to get out of this dump." Kunzite retorted.
They were almost to the door and women started to scream like they were at a pop show. The swarmed the door and the men working the door held back the onslaughts of oncoming women with their short dresses and high heels. Usagi rolled her eyes. "What next" she thought.
"Fuck." She heard her captor say under his breath and Minako had a look of panic in here eyes.
"Good. Maybe they will get what is coming to them." Usagi thought again still pissed that her cousin was a yakuza groupie. Sure it was just so sweet, bite me, that Minako dumped them for her, but she warned her. These were the monsters that killed her parents.
The hoards of groupies moved away from her captor and the lackeys just like when Moses parted the Red Sea. Then she saw him. Black silky hair, penetrating navy blue eyes and a skanky pale red head on his arm. Usagi turned her head and looked away, hoping that he would not see her. She felt sick, like she was in a bad dream. This was just supposed to be one night out.
"Ah, Kunzite!." She heard his perfect voice over the loud music.
"Mamoru Sama." Kunzite said.
"I see that you found what you were looking for." He looked at Minako.
"Mamoru Sama." Minako said quietly.
Usagi still looked away hoping that she would not be noticed. Maybe hauling away girls was normal for the Yakuza and his majesty, Mamoru Sama ,would pay her no attention.
"Look Kunzite got himself two bitches." The red head stated and followed it with an obnoxious laugh.
"Ah, I see." Mamoru said not really interested.
Minako looked away and Kunzite looked over at Usagi noticing that she was not paying any attention to Mamoru and Beryl. That she was looking the other way, her hair hiding the profile of her face.
Mamoru noticed that the other girl was ignoring him ,which was rather uncommon for him. Normally women swarmed him. Then he noticed that Kunzite had a tight grip on her upper arm, a lackey at her right.
"Kunzite, this looks like a good story follow me to the lounge." Mamoru and Beryl walked by Minako, Usagi and Kunzite. "Yes, sir." Kunzite said, sighing deeply when he walked by.
They took up the rear and Minako hissed, "We should just go out the back door."
"Won't work." He growled at her.
"Then just let Usa go, he will never know. He didn't even get a good look at her."
"With the threat from Diamond? Are you stupid Minako he could be waiting for her."
"I can handle myself." Usagi sniffed at the suggestion that she was helpless.
"Not likely." Kunzite said as he led them up a set of stairs to the VIP lounge.
"Why is he even here?" Minako whispered again.
"I told him I was coming to get you. Your always causing trouble, Mina."
"Humph." She stuck her nose in the air.
Mamoru and Beryl took a seat on the black velvet furniture; the private bartender making them drinks. Mamoru took a sip, his arm around Beryl's back.
"Kunzite, I am sure Minako will stay put, along with this girl. You can release your grip now." Mamoru stated. Kunzite let them go and Minako rubbed her arm. Usagi didn't move, head down scared to reveal herself.
"So, tell me a good story, Minako." Mamoru took another sip. Usagi wanted to vomit, looking at her Mamo chan through her hair acting like a Yakuza boss. It disgusted her.
"Really, nothing to tell." Minako fluttered her eyelashes. "Just wanted a fun night out."
"Really? You know you caused a lot of trouble."
"Moi!" She pointed at herself, eyes big in surprise.
"Your boyfriend here messed up the club, and I understand, but we spent a lot of man power looking for you. Where have you been?"
"You tell me."
Mamoru laughed at her. She was good, one of the best. She was family. "Mina sit down and have a drink."
Minako didn't move. Her eyes went to Usagi who looked like she was starting to shake. Mamoru's eyes followed Minako's line of sight and for the first time he really looked at the girl on the other side of Kunzite. She was wearing a short black dress and black stiletto booties. Her hair was silvery blond and it went down to her mid back. From what he could tell she was a real beauty.
"Kunzite… who is this?" Mamoru asked, curiosity in his tone.
"Sir, I didn't have anything to do with this." Kunzite replied.
"You are not answering my question."
Usagi took the moment to ask from behind the curtain of hair. "Can I just leave? I did nothing wrong."
"How dare you speak with out being spoken to!" Beryl's high pitch voice shrilled.
Mamoru stood up, anger in his eyes. Beryl had a smirk on her face. Mamoru was always looking for a fight and he was easily angered.
"So you want to leave?" Mamoru said with sarcasm in his voice.
"Hai." Usagi answered quietly.
"My men just don't grab people with no intention and you shouldn't speak without permission." He hissed as he took a few more steps toward her. Usagi was coming unhinged. She started to shake a bit more, but her past fighting ways with Mamoru didn't shut her up.
"Could have fooled me. You are Yakuza scum." She retorted.
Minako was panicking. You didn't argue with Mamoru Sama. Beryl was grinning, this was getting good.
"KUNZITE!" He yelled. "SHUT THIS BITCH UP!"
Now Minako really panicked, they may not hit their own women, but they would hit another and if Kunzite hit Usagi, Mamoru would not forgive him.
"Mamoru Sama I think that she has had too much to drink." Minako hedged.
Usagi shook at his voice and tone. Her world crumbled again and for all the times that she had hung on to the old memories of him they were slowly fading away.
Mamoru watched at Kunzite flinched at his order, something that he had never done before. If he ordered him to shut someone up in the past Kunzite did it without hesitation.
Beryl and the other yakuza members in the room's mouths dropped at Kunzites lack to follow orders.
"KUNZITE." Mamoru growled and came closer to them. Usagi took a step back.
"Maybe he doesn't hit women like a coward." Usagi retorted at Mamoru's anger.
Mamoru nodded to the closest man and he stuck Usagi so hard she fell to the ground.
"NO!" Kunzite yelled to the man too late.
"USAGI!" Minako yelled running over to her cousin.
"Usagi?" Mamoru said not truly realizing the words that were spoken.
Mina hovered over the girl, pulling back the hair some her face, revealing Usagi for the first time. Blood trickled from her lip, a bruise already forming on her beautiful face.
"Usa, are you okay? I'm so sorry. I am so very sorry!" Minako held Usagi to her.
Shock crossed Mamoru's face, he looked down at the girl, the girl he vowed never to hurt, and here she was bleeding on the floor.
"I'm fine, Minako."
Usagi stood up, wobbly, and wiped the blood from her lip. Minako's arms around her holding her up.
Mamoru didn't move. He paled, like he was seeing a ghost.
"Usako." He breathed
"Don't call me that Chiba Baka. Or should I call you Mamoru Sama and bow to you for having someone hit me."
"Usako." He went toward her looking at her face, every inch of her that he had been looking for three years.
"Don't you come near me you liar." She hissed, venom in her voice.
He looked at the blood on her face and his face wrenched in pain. One arm went out and Usagi flinched but he hit the yakuza lackey who struck her. The man went down and didn't come up. Usagi screamed.
Beryl stood up and walked over to Mamoru. She placed her hand on his shoulder.
Usagi laughed. She was really really loosing it now. "I guess you found yourself a yakuza princess. You too look good together. May I leave now?"
Mamoru still didn't come out of his stupor. He just stared at Usagi wanting to touch her but scared she would disappear.
"No you can't leave now." Kunzite replied. "The friend that you made earlier is still watching.
"Friend?" Mamoru asked now out of his daze, his eyes on Kunzite.
"It's none of your Business Chiba! Glad we had this reunion it was very enlightening. Now I am going to go ice my face, forget about all of you and pretend this never happened. Thanks for the slap, maybe you should learn to control your damn temper." Usagi turned to head toward the stairs. A hand grabbed hers. It was Minako.
"I am so sorry, Usa."
Usagi put her hand up. "Save it. Take your stuff from my house. I don't ever want to see any of you ever again."
She shook off Minako's hand and continued to walk. She didn't bother to see the tears in Minako's eyes.
"Follow her." Mamoru said when she was out of range. "I want at least a dozen men on her at all times."
"Yes, Sir." Kunzite replied bowing.
"and deal with Minako will you."
"Yes, sir."
"And stop calling me fucking sir."
"Yes, Mamoru."
"Mamoru, honey, sit down and have a drink…" Beryl purred.
"Shutup, I need some air." And he left.
