VULCAN'S LAMENT
Chapter 10: "Two Hearts"
A Sailor Moon fanfic
By Bill K.
Artemis scurried as fast as he could to get back to the apartment. He and Luna had gone to plant a device on Ace that would let them know where he was at all times. It even could transmit his conversations to them within a certain range. But they could find no sign of Ace at all. The cats tried everywhere, until Artemis realized they hadn't looked for him in one place: The apartment Minako and Toshihiro shared. While Luna continued their mission, Artemis raced home.
"It would be just like him to show up the moment I left," Artemis thought, racing up the stairs to the fourth floor of the building. His communications device was extended from his collar. "Come on, Mina, pick up! Don't do this to me!"
He slid as he turned on the polished floor of the outer hall and crashed into the wall opposite the door to the stairwell. Flying down the hall, he slid to a stop in front of the apartment, and ducked into the passage he'd secretly installed in the wall to allow him to go in and out. Barreling into the apartment, Artemis came to a stunned stop. Minako was sitting on the sofa. Her coat was draped over the back. Two suitcases sat on the floor near the door. And Minako had a haunted expression.
"Minako?" Artemis asked, softly padding up to her.
"Glad you're back, Buddy. I was waiting for you," Minako said, a smile briefly flashing on her mouth. "We gotta go."
"Go? Go where? Why?"
"Because this was Toshi's apartment before I started living here, so it's only right that I move out," Minako told him. She seemed tired, defeated. "Ace is leasing me an apartment near here."
"Ace?" gasped Artemis. "What happened?"
Minako's eyes went to the floor.
"Congratulations," Minako mumbled numbly. "You win."
"My only sorrow in all of this is the distress I've caused you," Ace answered. "That was Manabe-San?"
"You don't already know?" Minako asked, her anger growing. "Yeah, that was Toshi. He's filing for divorce." She looked at Ace balefully, hating him for what he was as much as she loved him for who he was. "What did you do to get him to change his mind? Threaten him?"
"You're certain he isn't acting out of anger or betrayal?" Ace asked.
Minako just glared.
"Let's just say that he chose to save himself rather than fight for you," Ace replied. "Were the situation reversed, I would have fought for you - - fought to the death."
"Guess I shouldn't be surprised, really. Toshi's not a fighter," Minako told him. She turned away, but Ace could see the disappointment she tried to conceal. "He's never been a fighter. And I probably hurt him real bad. I may not have been worth fighting for."
"You can't be blamed for following your heart," Ace suggested.
"Is that what they call infidelity now?" Minako shot back, bristling. "It's no excuse. Toshi treats the world fairly and expects them to treat him fairly in return. He's not just out for himself, like you. He's noble that way - - a lot more noble than we are."
"You respect him. I understand that," Ace offered. "Perhaps I could as well, were he not my adversary."
"Yeah, I'll bet," Minako frowned. "I wish I could just tell you to go to Hell." She paused a moment to let her mounting emotion pass. "But what's the point? Now that it's over between me and Toshi. No sense putting him through any more of this. I had a good thing and I drove him away - - for you."
"Yes, for me," Ace replied, some emotion seeping into his voice. "I am not a noble man, nor have I ever claimed to be! All I have ever claimed to be was a man who loved you, deeply and eternally!"
Minako stared at him as if looking at him for the first time.
"Whether through nobility or cowardice, he chose to relinquish you. And I will not spit upon my incredible good fortune for the sake of appearances. The battle is partly won, for I again have a chance to see you be mine." Minako looked away. "Come," Ace said, his hand lightly gripping her upper arm. "I doubt you will want to stay in this place with so many memories."
Minako flinched away. "Where am I going to go? Your place?" Minako asked with toneless cynicism.
"I wouldn't object," Ace said, caressing Minako's cheek with his hand. She flinched away again and he grew serious. "But if it's too soon, I can set you up in an apartment of your own, here in Azabu-Juuban, so you can be near your friends and your work."
"Got it all planned out? You set me up in some love nest and we rumple the sheets every night after your 'hard day at the office'?"
"Minako," Ace said, seizing her by the arms and staring directly into her eyes. "I love you! I will make you the happiest woman in the world! That is my mission from this point on!"
"Right up until the moment you leave," Minako added cynically.
"I'm not leaving!" Ace declared. "I have everything I have ever wanted right here! Why would I ever leave?"
"And you believed that?" Artemis asked.
"Why would he lie?" Minako asked. "He does have everything he wants."
"Including you?"
"I got to go somewhere. I can't stay here." Minako looked at the white cat. "Time to face facts, Fuzzy. I can't resist him. He makes me feel too good. I actually do love him." She thought for a moment. "I mean I'm not going to jump in the sack with him tonight. It is too soon. And I owe that, at least, to Toshi. But it's like Mom said: The choice is easy once you decide what you want. Toshi just made that decision for me."
"Ace forced him!" Artemis argued.
"He probably gave him the final push," Minako said distantly. "But you didn't hear Toshi on the phone. It's just the last straw. He's been through too much. I'm not worth fighting for - - not to him."
"You're not going to contest the divorce?"
"No. I've hurt him enough. As long as he doesn't try to take me for everything I've got, I'll give him his divorce. Maybe he can find somebody worthy of him." She got up. "Come on. I packed everything but your litter box."
"I've got to live with 'him'?" scowled the cat. Minako looked pained.
"He's not going to live there. He'll probably just 'visit' from time to time." She looked away. "If you don't want to, I'll understand," Minako said. "This will give you the chance to cuddle up to Luna."
"No," Artemis shook his head. "We're a team. I won't run out on you now."
Minako almost burst out crying. Instead, she donned her jacket. Artemis leaped up onto the sofa, then up onto Minako's shoulder, draping himself on his familiar spot. Minako picked up her bags, and locked the door behind her.
"She what?" gasped Usagi.
"She's moved out," Luna repeated. "Apparently, Manabe-San has filed for divorce. Minako and Artemis have moved out and into an apartment just about a half mile from here actually." Luna sniffed haughtily, "Apparently it was a 'gift' from Ace."
"You're sure?" Usagi demanded.
"Artemis wouldn't fabricate such a thing!" fumed Luna. That was all the confirmation Usagi needed. She was up and away from the table, her dinner hardly touched. Luna and Mamoru could hear her pecking frantically at the phone in the living room.
"This is certainly unexpected," Mamoru commented. "Why would Minako cheat on a nice guy like Toshihiro? And with a criminal, yet?"
"One can never predict the workings of the human heart," Luna replied. "None of us expected Minako to take up with a person like Manabe-San in the first place. Why should we be surprised that she's finally fallen for Kaitou Ace? But she claims he's committed to reforming." She smiled. "In a way, I'm reminded of the conversations I used to have with Queen Serenity back in the Crystal Kingdom."
"Minako was choosing inappropriate beaus even then?" Mamoru asked.
Luna coughed. "Actually, the conversations were about you," she admitted. Mamoru gave her a surprised look. "Queen Serenity, rest her soul, was not impressed with you at all. She thought of you as a ruffian, quite low-bred, and not at all appropriate for her daughter. And she was aware of how Beryl looked upon you, and didn't want that affecting her daughter, either."
"But you took my side, of course," smiled Mamoru. Luna coughed again.
"Well, to be perfectly frank," Luna confessed, "I rather disliked your habit of flaunting rules and convention. You were a bit of a rebel in those days, and your rebellious nature rubbed off on the Princess. Oh, the Queen was fit to be tied when she found out that you and Usagi were seeing each other on the sly. It was only really when the Dark Kingdom attacked and she saw how valiantly you fought to defend Usagi that the Queen warmed up to you." Luna sighed. "Ah, I do get nostalgic for those days."
"So there's hope for Minako and Ace?" Mamoru asked.
"The Queen often said 'love is transformative'. Perhaps Minako can find happiness with Ace." Then Luna shot Mamoru a cynical look. "But I don't intend to wager anything valuable on it."
Usagi appeared in the doorway. "I can't get an answer from Mina-Chan's phone. Mamo-Chan, I have to go check on her. Maybe if I talk to her, I can find a way to stop this. And even if I can't, she'll need me. Can you drive me - - please?" She had the most forlorn look on her face, with huge pleading eyes. Mamoru sighed.
"How do you turn that down?" he asked Luna as he got up from his mostly finished meal.
"In my experience, saying 'no' generally suffices," Luna muttered to herself. As the door closed, she got up and wandered over to Usagi's meal. "Well, waste not, want not."
Toshihiro Manabe arrived in the lobby of his apartment building dreading going up to his apartment. It wasn't because he expected to find Minako there. She had sent him a text saying she had moved out and would pick up the bulk of her belongings on the weekend. That was the evidence he'd needed to make him believe that this split was final. No miracles for him.
Not that he was looking for miracles. Saijou Takeda may have had the subtlety of a gangster, but he was right about one thing: What hope did Toshihiro have of keeping someone like Minako? Yeah, she liked him, but not the way she liked Takeda. The passion between the two, both positive and negative, was something he could never hope to equal. He was a comfortable old shoe and Takeda was a two hundred dollar pair of glittered fire-engine red spike-heel pumps. Toshihiro had always felt she was bound to find someone more her speed than him. The years he'd had with Minako were more than he should have expected.
At least she had the decency to apologize. But the thought of her in the arms of Takeda still burned in his brain. And the memory of sitting across his desk from Takeda, knowing Takeda held all of the cards burned, too. It was just too many humiliations he'd had to swallow and he didn't want to deal with it anymore. He just wanted to bury himself in his work and try to forget.
So caught up in his sorrow was he that Toshihiro didn't notice the person approaching him in the lobby until he felt a hand on his arm. He looked up and found Minako standing there.
"Hi," Minako whispered timidly. It was amazing. It wasn't that long ago that they had been in bed together. Now there was a gulf between them the size of the Pacific Ocean.
Toshihiro scowled. He turned and started to walk away. Minako's hand shot out and stopped him, grasping his arm. When he remained, she released him.
"Look," Minako began. Her arms folded over her chest and she looked down. "Maybe I don't have a right to ask this anymore. But I don't want you to do this if you're doing this because Ace threatened you. I mean, the senshi and I will protect you. We don't need 'probable cause' to zap Ace between the eyes."
"Do you honestly think you could hurt Takeda-San?" Toshihiro sighed.
"If I had to," she replied. She was serious, in the way she always got when she meant something as deeply as anything she could mean. Minako had a flighty side, and this was the furthest from that. Then her gaze dipped. "Of course, if you're doing this because of what happened - - what I did . . ."
"Maybe it's better this way," Toshihiro mumbled. Minako felt a twinge in her heart. Even now he was avoiding a confrontation.
"Ace has no right bullying you," Minako told him.
"I don't approve of his methods," Toshihiro continued. "But we have to face it, Mina. He's right. You love him and he loves you. You proved that - - and in spite of his demeanor, I can see how deeply he desires you." Now Toshihiro averted his gaze. "And I guess I can't be your doormat."
"My what?"
"Ask Artemis some time."
Minako sighed in frustration. "I hate this! I stabbed you in the back! I should be the one suffering!" She turned away to hide her emotions. "I should totally trash Ace for this!"
"Mina."
"He's stomping all over you and I'm helping him!"
"Mina, don't," Toshihiro interrupted. "What's done is done. I wish it had never happened. I wish there was a way we could still be together. But Ace is always going to be between us. He's always been between us. We just didn't realize it until now. And I can't live with him between us."
"But the good guys are always supposed to win!" Minako maintained. Toshihiro grinned sadly.
"You never did watch those French films I recommended to you, did you?" he said.
"Well they're in French. You know I hate subtitles," Minako grumbled.
"And they didn't have enough explosions," Toshihiro smirked. He shook his head. "It's over, Mina. What we had was great, but it's gone and we can't get it back. Let's just appreciate what we had and not hurt each other anymore."
Minako stared at him in frustration.
"I'll keep your secret," Toshihiro continued. "All of your secrets are safe with me. The senshi are much more important than any hurt feelings I might have."
"And I'll keep yours," Minako sighed. "And I swear I'll never dress up as Princess Mononoke for anyone else."
She wanted to say more. She wanted to come up with some magic piece of glib dialogue that would turn this into a happy ending. But nothing came to her. Forlornly Toshihiro turned and headed for the elevator. Minako watched him walk away, then turned and headed for the exit.
"Do you believe it?" muttered Makoto.
She, Rei and Ami were walking down the hall to Minako's new apartment. Usagi was already at Minako's. The entire trip, Makoto had been silent and surly.
"Given it's Minako?" Rei replied, for these were the first words Makoto had uttered beyond a grunt since they'd met up. "She stopped surprising me a long time ago."
"But to take up with Ace, of all people?" Makoto demanded.
"He's just paying for the apartment, Makoto," Ami cautioned. "There's no evidence that they're romantically involved - - well, beyond yesterday afternoon."
"It's not right! And with the ink not even dry on the divorce papers yet!"
"Divorce petition," Ami corrected her. "Legally, Minako and Toshihiro are still married until a judge grants the decree."
"That's even worse!"
"I agree that it's nothing I would have done," Ami answered. "But we've known for a long time how Minako feels about Ace. She's been unwilling in the past to commit to him, due to his ambiguous morals and his transient nature. But she's always been deeply attracted to him."
"So what changed?" Makoto argued.
"Supposedly he did," Ami shrugged. Makoto made a rude noise. "Well isn't that the entire raison d'etre of the 'bad boy-outlaw' romance novel situation that you and Minako and Usagi claim to enjoy so much? 'The rogue is transformed by the love of the good woman'?"
"That sort of thing doesn't happen in real life, Ami," Rei commented.
"You say that so adamantly."
"I thought you were the one who didn't believe in it," Rei came back.
"When you're dealing with human psychology, there is never an absolute rule governing behavior. There are likely tendencies, based on social enculturation and life experiences, but there is always the case that breaks the rule."
"So you're saying that maybe Ace has reformed?" Makoto questioned her.
"In some ways," Ami explained. "He's still cunning, manipulative and morally ambiguous, from what I've gathered. He's just used those skills within the law to amass fortune and power, where before he worked outside the law."
"Yeah, right," Makoto grunted.
The trio arrived at the door to Minako's new apartment and pushed the buzzer. The door opened after a few moments and Minako peeked out.
"Oh. Hi," she smiled timidly. They could see Usagi sitting on the sofa inside the apartment. "Come to hold my hand? Well come on in. You can check out the new place."
They entered and were instantly amazed. Rei marveled at the space, for the apartment was twice the size of the one Minako had shared with Toshihiro. Ami gazed at the furnishings and apportionments and immediately realized that Ace had spent a sizeable amount of money. Everything was modern, leather and chrome, with modern art and modern appliances and electronics.
Makoto, however, just glanced around and found the trappings of a gilded cage.
"This place," gasped Rei. "I've been in homes that weren't this big!"
"Ace never scrimped when he was trying to impress," Minako replied without enthusiasm.
"Is the rental agreement in Ace's name?" Ami inquired. Minako shrugged. Artemis perked up from the corner. "Just a word of advice: You might consider having it put in your name and take over the payments if you intend to stay here. That way Ace can't use it as leverage against you."
"Yeah, I'll talk to Dad about it. He handles that stuff now," Minako mumbled. Then she glanced at Makoto. "All right, Makoto. Stop stewing. Out with it."
"Blondie, are you nuts?" demanded Makoto.
"I'm beginning to wonder," Minako replied.
"I'm beginning to wonder, too! You had it all! And you threw it away, and for what? For a pretty face?"
"Makoto," sighed Minako, "you ever love somebody so bad that you hurt?"
"Yeah, about once a month when I was a teenager! And a couple of times after. But they never last! They never add up to what I've got now with San-San! And I could never in my life ever conceive of loving anyone as much as I love him!"
"Well congratulations," Minako scowled. "I feel the same way! Only I feel it about Ace and not Toshi. And I had to learn it the hard way."
"Mako-Chan," Usagi tried to intercede.
"Blondie, how can you be in love with a guy like Ace?" Makoto demanded.
"I DON'T KNOW!" Minako bellowed. Tears started streaming down her face. "I've only been asking myself that question for the last FIFTEEN YEARS!"
With that, Ami and Rei interceded and forced the two women apart. Minako turned away in a vain effort to hide her tears. Makoto's anger softened when she realized what she'd done.
"Blondie, I," Makoto started. "I didn't mean to tear into you like that. It's just - - this whole situation is so nuts."
"How do you think I feel?" Minako asked. "I don't want to love him - - but every moment I'm away from him, it feels like I've died and they forgot to bury me."
"This is all his fault," Makoto declared, her rage welling again. "I warned him."
With that, she shoved out of Rei's grasp and stormed toward the door.
"Makoto, stop!" Rei shouted after her.
"Makoto, please!" Ami cried as Rei surged after her. "Don't do anything rash!" Usagi seemed about ready to go to pieces.
But Makoto was already out the door.
Continued in Chapter 11