Twisted Fate: Chapter 4 Kunzite's Mistake
If you recognize it then I don't own it, unless of course you are psychic and then that's just not fair is it? I do however own a black belt in potty training.
Minako, Rei, and Makoto sat on one of Mamoru's couches, facing Kunzite, Nephrite, and Zoicite. The two groups faced each other, their eyes lock and serious. Neither team moved. Makoto flexed her hand, a muscle in Kunzites face twitched. Zoicite shifted slightly in his seat. Across the room Usagi watched the six with growing feelings of unease, Ami sat on the floor not even looking at the group, too focused on her book, Wuthering Heights.
Finally Minako jumps up and poses; her famous V and mega watt smile flash as she slams five playing cards down on the table. "I am the Goddess of Poker and you can't defeat me! Read them and weep boys I have a full house!" She laughs evilly before sitting back down to collect her chips. As she reaches out her hand another one lands on top if it.
"Not so fast, Goddess of Poker, but I have four of a kind and I am pretty sure that beats a full house, if I understood the rules right." Kunzite smiled briefly at the stunned face of the blonde before removing her hand and pulling the chips over to his side of the coffee table.
"What? How? We just taught you this game, how are you so good at it already?" Makoto glanced between the three men suspiciously.
Zoicite smiled brightly, "Mamoru has a book. We all read it."
Rei snorted in an unlady like manner, "Yet somehow Zoicite-chan, you seem to have lost every game so far."
Zoicite smiled widely, "Yeah, I couldn't take money from three beautiful young ladies like you!"
The guys have been there five weeks already, and have only left the house for the length of time it takes to go grocery shopping or run back and forth between senshi houses. Mamoru didn't have enough room to hold all three of them so Zoicite moved to Makotos two bedroom apartment and Nephrite stayed at Mamoru's house. Kunzite drew the short straw in the deal and had to move to the shrine with Rei.
Out of the three men, Zoicite got along the best with all of the senshi. He was fun loving, and a generally goofy guy. He was a typical ladies man, even if he didn't know it. His charm was contagious and out of the previous couples of the past only him and Ami even spoke to each other when they weren't forced to communicate as a group. Zoicite found this to be positive.
Nephrite was the quite one out of the group, he went about his day reading up on modern times and history. He was very interested in Astrology and how space programs work. The girls are generally warm towards him. He didn't throw out his opinion and thoughts often but the group soon realized that when he does it is worth listening to.
Kunzite was the hardest to crack; he talked often and had no problem expressing his opinion. And though he was highly intelligent, he seemed to talk before he thought; which was an exact opposite of how anyone remembered him, from either lifetime. At other times he was solemn and quite, a varying contradiction in character. NO one was sure what to think about him.
The game continued on, the varying people at the small coffee table taking turns collecting chips from the table, all except Zoicite, who didn't seem to get the point of the game. This was how the group usually spent the days, varying participants ranging depending on the daily schedules. Today Mamoru was spending some quite time in the university library trying to study for an upcoming exam. It was his last year of medical school and he was working his way into his internship.
Usagi was delighted at how fast the group seemed to become a unit. There weren't any budding romances, as was Usagi's deepest but unspoken wish, (she wasn't a fool) but there was a quite contentment.
Usagi jumped when the door bell rang. They were all waiting on Haruka and Michiru who thought they could get the Shittenou new identities. "Oh it might be them! Be right back." She ran out of the room and down the hall. Opening the door she was greeted with an irritated Haruka and a smiling Michiru. "Er, hi guys. Glad you could make it, what's going on?"
"Nothing sweetie, but we have some good news, come on Haruka and don't bite." Michiru shuffled past Usagi with a bright smile. Haruka stalked in barely inclining her head.
The game had stopped when the new arrivals entered the room. This is what everyone was waiting on. Haruka slumped down into one of the unused arm chairs and Michiru eloquently lowered herself into a nearby chair.
There was a silent pause as the entire group shifted their eyes back and forth between the two women. The silence was only broken by the ringing of the door bell again. Ami jumped up and ran from the room, eager to get away from the palpable tension that seemed to dominate the small space so fast. She opened the door to find Hotaru, dressed, not in her usual school uniform, but in western style slacks and a light purple t-shirt. "Oh hi Taru-chan I was wondering why you didn't come with your parents."
Hotaru smiled as she entered into the uptown apartment. "Oh Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama are fighting again, so I volunteered to run back to the house and get the folder with the guys stuff in it."
"Oh were you able to get them some identities? That would be great, I know they want to get out of the house more. " Ami asked as they pushed their way into the living room to find Haruka and Michiru admits an argument.
"I don't understand why I can't go off and race in the European circuit. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. They don't just let any girl race and I know I can win." Haruka standing at attention beside her chair half shouted.
Michiru, who was still calmly seated in her seat sighed deeply. "I didn't say you couldn't go Haruka, I said that Hotaru and I will not be going with you. Our princess is here and there is obviously something happening soon and I want to be close to her when it does. It is our duty to protect Usagi and nothing, and I mean nothing can come in between that."
Haruka huffed, "Are you trying to say I am not doing my duty? Because I live for my duty, and that's not fair."
Usagi jumped up from her seat, "Oh no don't fight because of me. I will be fine, go to Europe and race. I think that will be exciting. And we aren't doing anything here anyways. There's nothing to do until Setsuna finds Jadeite. We can always call you back Haruka if we need you. I don't people to put their lives on hold for me Michiru." Usagi turned towards the young Aquamarine haired woman and knelt beside her. "If you don't have something worth holding on to, if you can't live your life to its fullest then you won't remember why we are fighting. We are fighting to keep a world we love safe and intact; not for me or for destiny but so we can keep doing the things we love without the fear of tyrant rule or injustice act. I can't let any of you forget that. I am not worth loosing life over but this planet and all the people on it are. I want Haruka to go, I need her to go and if you want to go, then I want you to go. You have to do the things that make you happy."
Michiru watched her princess intently during her speech, "You will be such a good queen Usa-chan. And Haruka, I understand you wanting to go and I think you should but I can't go right now. I want to stay, but I will be here waiting for you when you get back."
Haruka huffed as she sat down in the chair she had previously vacated. "That's all I ask Michiru, for you to always be there."
"Where else would I go? I love you." Michiru reached out her hand and clasped Haruka's tightly.
"Awe that's just too cute! As the Goddess of Love I can tell that they are soul mates! Everything will be fine in the end." Minako shouted from her seat on one of the couches.
Zoicite leaned over Nephrite to stage whisper to Kunzite, "Hopefully her Goddess of love powers are better than her Goddess of Poker Powers." Minako face vaulted and the rest of the room laughed, easing the tension completely out of the air.
"You really didn't change their names?" Makoto asked as she looked down at the I.D. cards she held in her hand. The group, which Mamoru had joined a little while ago, all are complied in the living around the coffee table looking over the I.D. papers and backgrounds the outer senshi had brought over for the Shittenou. "They aren't very common names, won't people wonder about them."
"We thought about calling them Kevin, Zach, Nevel, and when Jadeite joins us, Jason but we thought those obscure western names would call for more confusion then unique names that people here in Japan know. People name their kids all sort of weird names. We can get away with it, I would think." Michiru added.
"What I want to know is when they go out to get jobs will these identities hold up to back ground checks and any digging if need be?" Rei asked flipping her hair over her shoulders and leveling Haruka with a glance.
"They are 100% legit I.D.'s. Setsuna did some minor time obscuring, and fixed everything. You guys have really existed here for the last 20 something years. There is an orphanage in a small village in southern Japan that has records of the four of you living there after your parent died in an industrial accident. There are people who actively remember you from your high school and your universities. Nephrite like we discussed when talking about your job opportunities. We made it so you can be an astrologist. There is an opening in a planetarium near Tokyo U. You have an interview tomorrow, and all your references are completely foolproof. You have been working as director at a planetarium in the U.S. for the last five years and recently decided you wanted to live back in your home country to be near your family. Zoicite, I'm sorry but we decided to go against letting you be a clown as you asked but you are a D.J. You have been a popular D.J. in Kyoto for three years on the main stage at various large clubs, before that it was underground parties. You too, decided to move back to Tokyo to be with your brothers. You have to get your own gigs but word is out that you are in the area and clubs should be calling you. You will find that when you go to do your thing you have all the information and previous skill you need to be great." Haruka paused to drink from her pop can and Michiru picked up where she left off.
"Kunzite it was a little hard to infiltrate you into the military here, especially since you would need to be here in Tokyo when it was time to help Jadeite. So we collectively decided to put you into business, You work for a worldwide electronics company and have moved from their French office to Tokyo so you can help in the search of your missing brother, you start Monday. That is why you are all moving back to Tokyo, your brother went missing four months ago on a cross country backpacking trip. He was last seen in Tokyo at a small Hostel in the North side and had made reservations at another hostel in town for the next night but never checked in. You all want to be close to the area when he is discovered and actively help in the search. As Setsuna made it so you really existed you will have all the memories you need when you call on them, because they really happened. "
"I have one question." Zoicite stated from his position next to Nephrite. Everyone turned their heads in his general direction. "How come you got Kunzite his job and Nephrite and I have to interview and find our own?" The group groaned, "What? What'd I say?"
"I think we may have an actual problem." Ami interjected and the group turned to listen to her, her being the smartest one in the group. "Wouldn't it cause concern if Kunzite and Zoicite are brothers, if they pick back up their previous relationship? It doesn't do well to have brothers as lovers."
"SHUT UP!" both men yelled as the jumped even farther apart from each other. The group laughed heartily and both men blushed, it was of course a manly blush. The topic of their previous relationship was often a jesting point from the remaining group. The jokes were good natured and often taken lightly.
Nephrite got the job at the planetarium and was amazed at how easily he could recall things from his 'past' and Kunzite went to work at the electronic company, working with what was apparently his mentor when first starting the company. He felt a fatherly connection with the sweet old man who was so happy to see him on his first day into work. Zoicite had two gigs lined up that weekend. He was surprised the way music would fill him and make him happy. The woman had given them credit cards and bank cards with accounts to a major bank. The first thing Zoicite did was buy mixing equipment. It was driving Makoto crazy when he practiced. He used his head phones as much as possible but sometimes he needed to hear it out loud. It was time the men found an apartment of their own.
So today Kunzite, Nephrite, and Zoicite, accompanied by Mamoru, are going to go apartment shopping. There was an open three bedroom loft open in Mamoru's building and they were hoping for a one stop shop deal. None of them were looking forward to a day out in the hot sun hunting down apartments big enough for them to fit in. The group forwent the elevator and took the stairs up the three flights to the empty apartment. The building manager was meeting them there to let me look around. When they reached the floor, with a lot of complaining from Zoicite, the men found an attractive thirty something brunette in a sensible slate gray suit. She flicked her eyes over the group, her gaze lingering longer over Nephrite before smiling.
"Hi, I am Honda, Taru and I will be showing you the apartment. I am the building manager and can help you with the application process if you decide you want this place." She unlocked the door and led the group into the loft. The floor plan was basically open. You walked into the living area, with an open walk into the kitchen and dining nook. There were four doors that lead off the main area. The first door to the left was a half bath. The next door was the master suite that held a full bath. Off of the other wall were the other two doors. Each held a bedroom and there was a bath that connected the two rooms.
Kunzite grinned widely, "Hot damn this place is perfect. It is the exact opposite of your apartment Mamoru. Yours is all doors and halls. I like that its open."
"So I take it you like it then? Would you like to put in the application?" Taru Honda looked back in forth between the men, who seemed to be communicating silently. At last Nephrite nodded.
"Yes Honda-san we would like to put in an application. What do we need to do?"
Two and a half hours later the men marched out of the apartment complex in possession of the key.
"We are meeting everyone at the shrine at 4, its only 1:30 now, should we grab something to eat before hand?" Nephrite asked, his stomach growling.
Mamoru laughed, "Yeah there's this arcade that has a pretty good diner attached. My friend Andrew is the manager lets go there."
The group of attractive men, often jesting with each other entered into the arcade laughing at Nephrite's obvious obviousness to Taru Honda hitting on him during the application process.
"Hey guys, what's so funny?" The group looked up to see Minako sitting at the counter sipping on a chocolate milkshake talking to a very good looking blonde man. Kunzite narrowed his eyes slightly and then turned his face into a neutral look.
"Hey Minako-san I thought you had a Saturday class this afternoon." Mamoru asked as the group sat on either side of her pulling menus out of their holders.
"I did but we had a pop quiz and got to leave when we were done. So I decided to come and visit Andrew before I went to Rei's. How did the apartment hunting go?"
Kunzite turned a glare in her general direction, then back to Andrew. Completely ignoring the question he shot his own at Andrew, "How do you know Minako-san? Aren't you a little old to be flirting with her?" The other men stared at him, surprised; he hadn't so much as mentioned Minako's name outside of senshi talk since the men had returned. Why the sudden surge in jealous?
"How dare you talk to him that way? You have no right, no right at all. Who do you think you are? He wasn't flirting with me you big ape first off. And second off even if he was you have no right to say anything. There isn't any more difference in our age than Mamoru's and Usagi's. Are you going to tell me Mamoru is a perverted guy for dating Usagi?" She slammed her drink down and jumped up from her seat and stormed down to the other end of the bar and sat herself back down.
Andrew completely lost for words, nervously glanced back and forth between the groups before shrugging his shoulders at Mamoru, picking up Minako's shake and walking it down the bar to her.
"Hey Mina-chan what's up? I know that guy was a little rude but you usually don't get so upset over it. Anyone could get jealous over you, I mean look at you!" Minako smiled slightly.
"He has no right to get jealous after everything's he's done. He is lucky I talk to him without bodily harm befalling him, he doesn't have a right to anything else. He doesn't have the right to be upset."
Andrew furrowed his brow, slightly confused. "After everything he's done? I thought you all just meet about two months ago, what has he had time to do already? Unless he hurt you, did he force himself on you Minako, its ok to tell me. I will take care of it for you. I will tear him apart." Andrew made to turn back towards the other group but Minako shot her arm out and grabbed his.
"No no its nothing like that. He hasn't done anything. He looks just like an old boyfriend Ace who cheated and I just project all of my hate and rage onto him without thinking. Yeah that's it. Oh look at the time, I gggggot to run, promised to meet Rei before everyone shows up. Thanks for the shake and the pep talk. See ya later!" Minako dropped five dollars on the counter before jumping up and rushing out of the busy establishment.
The men turned their heads and watched her leave. "Smooth move Kunzite, you made good headway there. Nothing like a good shouting match to get the juices going." Zoicite commented.
"You don't think she overacted just a bit. I mean I just wanted to know what his deal was. He was looking at her all shady-like."
Nephrite laughed deeply, "Dude over react? I think, all things considered she under reacted."
"Yeah seriously though man, you are wrong about Andrew. He is a great guy and if he decided to make a play for Minako he would have my full blessing. She isn't the same person she was when you were together on the moon. And besides, you have killed her, twice; she has the right to be pissed at you."
Kunzite sighed, "I am going to have to apologize aren't I? To both of them." Mamoru nodded yes and then jerked his head towards the soda fountain where Andrew was filling the area with napkins and straws. Kunzite squared his shoulders and marched up to the blonde.
"Hey man, I just want to say sorry for that. It wasn't fair to you and I over reacted." Andrew set the box he was holding down on the counter and leaned on his hip.
"Yeah Mina-chan said you reminded her of her ex boyfriend Ace and she takes her anger out on you. It's a tough break considering you are in love with her."
Kunzite scoffed, "I am not in love with her." Andrew raised his eye brows," That much anyways. Oh man I am such a jackass."
Andrew laughed deeply before throwing his arm around Kunzites shoulder and leading him back to the diner counter. "Don't worry about it. Minako is a great girl and she will realize that you are not the jerk that did the horrible things she remembers and she will come around. I would hate to be that guy!" Kunzite looked abashed before sitting down.
After the guys finally finished eating and arrived at Rei's, Kunzite searched out Minako and pulled her into the fire room.
"Listen Minako, I am sorry for the way I behaved. It was out of line and won't happen again." Minako watched him closely for a few seconds before shrugging nonchalantly.
"No big deal, its over and done with, let's just concentrate on the meeting." She went to sweep past him out the door but he grabbed her hand.
"I think we need to talk about what has happened." His stone gray eyes bore into her directly and she shook her head vigorously.
"No. I think we need to go and meet with the others like we are supposed to do. I don't want to talk about anything." She slipped her hand from his and silently left the room. He watched her go, the heat of the eternal fire behind him and his own shame heating him, leaving him uncomfortable and lonely.
Ok that's it for this chapter folks. I know it's been awhile since I updated but I have made a new march (as the year has already begun) resolution and decided I can't go to bed and or out Saturday night if I have not updated that week. Right now I have three toddlers (that's right three, God help me) and its hard to find time to shower and eat every day, let alone anything else. But in April my sister returned from Korea (she is in the US Army and is stationed in an un-family friendly camp) and gets her two kids back that I have had guardianship over for the last two years. I will then only have my daughter and will have lots more time to write. YAY
The Next chapter will have some Ami/Zoicite and some Rei thoughts. I hope you liked it!
Anyone want to Beta read my story? Please?
And finally: Is life in a yellow submarine really all fun and games?