A.N Finally, a little action. Sorry for the dearth of action - i've really wanted to do a lot of character development, and that's hard to do in the middle of a bar room brawl. At least, it is for me. But I hope this will be a little more exciting. Thanks for reading so far!
- F. F.
Chapter Fourteen
"Guys."
The tone of Usagi's voice alerted Mina and Rei to turn quickly toward the studio door.
"No way."
"I think I'm still asleep."
Rei reached over and gave Mina a solid pinch on the arm.
"Ow!" she shouted, angrily, "Totally unnecessary, Rei!"
"Just trying to help." Rei replied, sweetly.
"My ass," Mina muttered.
But both were again struck dumb by the surprising sight of Ami entering the room with a man in tow. And not just any man: Zoe.
"Where have you been -" Mina began.
"He's not staying, is he?" Rei asked at the same time.
"Wow, Ami, you have a boyfriend!?" Usa exclaimed.
Usa's voice, being the loudest, was the one Ami and Zoe heard. Zoe had the indecency to look moderately pleased by this gross assumption, but Ami was definitely anything but...
"No!" she answered, blushing to the roots of her hair, "Nothing like that at all. He simply wanted to sit in on a session."
"You didn't bother to ask us," Rei pointed out.
"Why are you in such a bad mood?" Mina demanded of her, "Are you PMSing or something?"
Rei gave her a murderous look.
"I had a date last night," she answered, sourly.
"Most people are happy about dates," Mina explained to her, "They have what we like to call 'a good time'."
"You go on a date with Jude, then."
"He's hot, why not?"
Rei suddenly bristled and Mina hid a smirk.
"If you like being interrogated and analyzed within an inch of your life, then by all means -"
"Careful, Rei, that smacks strongly of possessiveness."
"Possessive?" Rei retorted in dignified amazement, "Me? Jealous over that man?"
The way in which she said the words 'that man' only seemed to make Mina's eyes shine brighter.
"I never mentioned jealousy, but now that we come to it -"
"Enough," Rei barked, turning to point a finger at the somewhat intimidated Zoe, "What about him."
"Uh...I can go," Zoe began.
"No," Ami announced primly, to everyone's surprise, including her own:
"Zoe's staying."
They all gave Ami a second glance and she blushed even harder, but remained firm. Finally Rei relented.
"As long as he's quiet," she growled, "And stays out of the way."
"You won't even know I'm here," he promised, meekly.
The women went to their respective instruments and continued to set up for the day's recording. A sudden bang of the door surprised all of them, and made Zoe jump out of his seat.
Mako entered the room in an ominous silence, her usual saunter was a mean-looking lope, and she smelled very faintly of whiskey.
"Whoa, Mako-chan," Mina commented, when she saw the other girl more clearly, "What's with those eyes? Looks like you haven't slept in a week."
"Just a night," Mako replied, her normally low voice was gruffer than usual.
"Hm."
From the way Mako looked, it had apparently not been a very good night. Mako's eyes came to light on Zoe's slight figure and her face became hard and stone-like.
"What's he doing here?" she demanded.
"That's what I'd like to -" Rei began before Mina unceremoniously stepped on her foot. Perhaps it was in light of her own recent romantic break through, but Mina was very intune to the feelings of others at the moment (more so, evidently, than either Mako or Rei) and could see that there was something going on between Ami and Zoe, regardless of whether they had realized it or not. She was, therefore, determined to promote this potential relationship at every opportunity. Or to protect it, if called upon.
"He came to hear us play," she informed the taller girl, "Isn't that nice?"
"Hmph," was all Mako had to say on the subject.
"What is it with everyone?" Mina muttered to herself.
Usa sent her a worried glance, to which she shrugged. She had no idea why Rei and Mako were in such foul moods - but she could take a good guess that the cause was probably a man in both cases.
"Alright, what are we starting with first?" Setsuna asked, over the intercom.
"Erm...I think Moonlight." Mina answered, strumming the chords experimentally.
"Alright, they're ready when you are - "
Mina nodded to the others and Zoe went to sit in the booth with Setsuna, giving Ami a little wave as he disappeared.
Mina smiled to herself as she began the song.
In the booth, Setsuna gave Zoe a pair of headphones and leaned against the wall beside his chair. He listened to the opening and found the music surprisingly catchy. He was caught up in watching Ami play when he felt someone tap his shoulder.
As he looked up, Setsuna caught his eye and smiled.
"Do you like this song?" she asked, bending down closer to his ear.
"Yeah," he nodded, "It's got a really nice tune. Mina's a great singer."
"I think so too," she said, "What do you think about the lyrics? Ami and Mina wrote them together."
"Ami wrote this song?" he asked, excitedly.
Setsuna nodded.
"Yes, it's the first one she collaborated on with Mina. Usually Mina writes most of ths songs, and Rei and Mako sometimes add their own, or help her with them."
"What is it called?" he asked, trying to pay more attention to the lyrics now.
"Moonlight."
"Oh."
Zoe listened for a moment, catching the gist of the song.
"What is it about?" he asked, "It sounds like she's telling a story."
"She is," Setsuna answered, with a rather pleased expression.
"It's about a young man and woman. It's their last meeting with each other before they're forced to part ways."
"But it doesn't sound sad," he argued, "I mean the tune is really light."
"Yes, well, I don't think they meant it to be sad, even though the subject is a sad one."
"How strange," he murmured, getting lost in the music.
"Take a look at the lyrics," Setsuna suggested. She pulled out a jacket cover and flipped it to the page with the song.
Zoe read along as Mina sang.
The world's turned to roses, since I came here.
The night's always filled with stars.
I can't find the darkness, though I know it's near,
There's moonlight wherever you are.
Rei joined Mina in a harmony on the chorus.
I know that the sun's gonna break through too soon,
And all of my wishes are spent -
But if, in the end, it's just me and the moon,
I'll keep dreaming, til I see you again.
"Yes, if, in the end, it's just me and the moon," Mina finished, softly:
"I'll dream, til I see you again..."
Ami finished off the last staggered chords.
Zoe sat in silence for some moments, unaware that Setsuna watched him with great interest. In his mind, the lyrics from the song were stirring up something ancient and buried, and utterly beyond his grasp. He had a feeling that whatever it was - he wasn't meant to remember it - but that it seemed to somehow make a few things clear to him. He felt, oddly, both saddened and encouraged.
"You know, this may sound ridiculous," he said, at last, "But we have a song called Heavenly -"
"Yes, I've heard it," Setsuna replied with a wry smile.
"Oh, well, it's...very similar to this one. I mean," he added, quickly, "Not like it's a copy or anything, it's just some of the words or feelings, I guess, are the same - or at least - similar."
"I noticed that," she answered.
"It makes you think..."he began, staring at Ami through the glass, "Sort of about...connections between people..."
Suddenly he realized what he was saying and seemed to snap out of his ponderous mood.
"I mean," he laughed, "it's funny. That's all."
"Oh, I know what you mean," Setsuna informed him, calmly.
Zoe gave an embarrassed little laugh and turned back to listen to the next song.
"So we're finally going to lay this turkey to rest, huh?" Jude asked, sourly.
"Yeah," Mamoru said, stretching his fingers as he stood at the microphone.
"It's about time."
Nolan said nothing. He simply stood with his guitar in hand and waited, like a statue.
Jude eyed him for the hundredth time since they'd started their recording that day. There was something definitely off about Nolan - almost as if he were in shell-shock.
"So, let's go," Mamoru said, beginning to count off - it was his first time recording this song -
"One, two -"
Jude started the slow drum into, and breathed a sigh of relief when Nolan entered on time. He stole a look at Nolan and noted that the other man wasn't looking at his fingers or his band-mates - he seemed to be staring at nothing at all.
They played about twenty-seconds more of music before Mamoru leaned in to begin the song.
"Heavenly," he sang, "That's what I thought."
"The first time I saw you...that's what I thought."
"If the moon could come down - out of the sky,
- if 'Angels and Heaven' wasn't a lie,
- and even when I knew that you'd make me cry -
I said..."
"She's Heaven." He and Jude sang.
Mamoru stepped back for a few measures of guitar work only.
Kip watched them from behind the glass. His eyes were heavily circled from lack of sleep - since he couldn't sleep when he was worried about Zoe. It helped that things between himself and Mina were finally starting to become resolved (and in an entirely satisfying manner) but he knew he could never be happy even with that, unless he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Zoe was happy as well.
He listened to the song - hated by all, especially Zoe - and smiled to himself. He didn't know why, but whenever he heard them play it he was almost instantly reminded of Mina. And of the first time he'd met her. Though of course, he would never have volunteered this information to her or anyone else.
He glanced at Nolan, and frowned. Nolan had come in like a zombie, and hadn't shown signs of improvement. Over the years, Kip had seen Nolan drunk, enraged, drunk and enraged, drunk and sad, and simply miserable. But he had never seen Nolan act the way he was acting today. Neither, from his apparent worried glances, had Jude.
As they finished up the last notes of the song, Kip called in to tell them to take a break.
Mamoru walked out without a word to the rest, still as distant and aloof as ever, but with more goodwill in his manner than before. Jude went to make a phone call, and Nolan simply sat down on a speaker and looked at the floor.
Kip stood in front of him for some time watching, and it was only after he'd called Nolan's name three times, that Nolan finally looked up out of his morose reverie.
"Is something wrong?"
Nolan looked away for a moment, as if he didn't know where he was, then seemed to remember something and turned back to Kip. Looking up at him with round, empty eyes, he took a deep breath and said:
"Mako broke up with me."
"Time to take a break," Setsuna announced.
"Rei, you have a phone call," she added.
Rei rolled her eyes.
She went to the phone and answered, as Mina and Usa pretended to adjust their instruments while listening intently.
"So, it's you," Rei answered, her tone decidedly icy.
"I was wondering when you'd call."
Rei listened for a moment, and her face grew even colder.
"Oh, is that so? I've already given you my answer on that subject."
There was a rather long reply on the other end.
Rei's eyes darkened.
"Fine," she sighed, "Do what you want. But don't expect me to change my mind."
She hung up the phone without another word.
Mina and Usa quickly looked back at their instruments as Rei turned to walk back to hers. After she passed them, Mina looked at Usa and realized they were thinking the same thing: things looked bad for Rei's second potential relationship.
Mina was about to shrug Rei off as a hopeless cause and begin eavesdropping on Ami and Zoe when Setsuna stuck her head back into the studio.
"Rei, another call," she announced.
Rei made a grumbling noise and almost threw her pick onto the ground, but managed to control this unlady-like urge. She stalked to the phone yet again and picked up the receiver.
"What is it!?" she demanded, harshly. Suddenly, to Mina and Usa's complete surprise, her face utterly changed. The angry wrinkles on her forehead smoothed themselves, the irate tone became merely sardonic, and the pinched mouth relaxed into the faintest beginning of a smile - all of which Rei was totally unaware.
"Oh, it's you," she said, flipping her hair over one shoulder, "I didn't think you'd be up for round two."
Usa and Mina shared an excited glance.
"Uh-huh," Rei answered, "Well, I guess I can't object to that."
There was a short reply on the other end.
"Hah!" Rei actually guffawed, "Alright, I'll do it. But it better be better than last time. Or else."
The other person made some sort of witty quip and Rei chuckled lightly.
"You're such an idiot," she said, with almost a beginning of affectionate disdain, "I'll be there. Early this time. I promise."
She hung up this time with a considerably lesser degree of pent up anger and frustration.
"Who was that?" Mina asked casually.
"That man." Rei answered in a clipped tone. But Usa and Mina saw the little smirk on her face.
This time they shared a silent high-five across the room when Rei's back was turned.
"Did he ask you out for your next not-a-date?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact. And it's a group invitation."
"Oh, really?" Usa exclaimed, "That sounds like fun!"
"Where are we going?" Mina asked.
"Some place called Ares Vallis," she replied, "I think it's a club."
"Fun!" Mina crowed, overjoyed. This was just the opportunity she had been longing for - a chance for her to finally have Kip to herself, and for her to keep tabs on everyone else's business at the same time.
It was too perfect.
Mako seemed to disagree.
"I'm not going." she said, dismally.
"Why on Earth not?" Mina demanded, "You love clubs."
"I don't feel like it."
"Why not?"
"I just don't, damn it."
Mina backed off, and even Rei seemed sobered by Mako's mood.
"Did something happen, Mako-chan?" Usa asked, timidly.
Mako scowled at the floor, opened her mouth, then shut it.
"No."
The three shared a distinct and communicative glance.
"You know, Mako," Mina said, "You might feel better going to a club with us...I mean if anything were to be wrong, you wouldn't have to dance or anything - you could just sit at the bar..."
"I'm too young to drink," she reminded them.
"They wouldn't have to know that," Mina sang. Rei gave her a disapproving look, but even she seemed to feel sympathetic as she looked at Mako's miserable form.
"We'd be with her," Mina mouthed at Rei, over Mako's head.
"Fine," Rei mouthed back. Her look seemed to add that should anything go wrong, Mina would be taking all the blame. Mina shrugged in acceptance.
"Well," Mako said, after some consideration, "I guess...if you promise I don't have to dance."
"Mako, I don't think there's a man alive who could make you do anything you didn't want to do."
Mako's glare made Mina wish she could take those words back. Before Mako could rescind her former acquiescence, however, Rei stepped in to divert her.
"I will personally stay and drink with you, Mako," she promised, "Gods know I don't want to dance with that fool."
Mako seemed slightly mollified and nodded her grudging agreement.
"Great! Me too." Usa cheered, "We're going to have so much fun, Mako!"
She slapped the other girl on the back and was rewarded with a very tiny smile.
"Are we planning something?" Ami asked, having just walked over from where she'd been conversing with Zoe.
"Rei and Jude have invited us to accompany them on their date -" Mina began.
"We are planning to go to a club tonight," Rei interrupted, "Would you like to come?"
"Zoe too, of course," Usa added.
"We'll come!" Zoe announced, quickly, as he appeared at Ami's side.
"That is, if you want to," he added, looking down at Ami. She seemed a little apprehensive but gave a short nod.
"Great," he said, almost relieved, "Where are we going, and when should I be there?"
"Ares Vallis," Mina said, "And your brother will be there too...you might want to let him know that you're alright, by the way. He's very worried about you."
"He is?" Zoe asked, exasperated, "I told him not to do that. He never listens to me."
"He listens to everything, you punk," Mina retorted, a bit miffed, "You could at least have the decency to let him know where you've been for the past three days."
"Why don't you tell him for me?" Zoe suggested, wickedly.
Mina suddenly blushed and sucked in a breath. Rei and Usa turned to look at her, a sudden suspicion blooming in both their minds.
"I don't have the least idea what you are talking about," Mina informed him, "Anyway that's neither here nor there. The question is where have you been?"
Zoe chuckled at her reaction but merely replied:
"With Ami."
All four women gasped as one and turned shocked faces to Ami, who found herself blushing unaccountably.
"Ami-chan?" Rei asked, in a strangeled voice.
"He needed a place to stay," Ami stammered, "We are friends, after all."
Again the women were flabbergasted.
"Friends?" Mina asked, in a small voice.
"Yes," Ami replied, primly.
"So you let him stay with you?" she continued.
"Yes."
"In your hotel room?"
"Yes."
"For three days?"
"Well," Ami considered, "Only two days and one night, so far."
"So far," Rei repeated.
"And," Mina said, trying to regain her composure, "This - this person -" here she looked with great disfavor upon Zoe who grinned at her with a wolfish glint in his eye - knowing exactly where her thoughts tended -
"This person has behaved himself?"
"Yes, of course," Ami seemed startled at the idea that Zoe would have been anything but well-behaved. When she did look up at him, his face beamed only innocence and virtue. Mina put a hand on Ami's shoulder and drew her a little closer to herself and a little farther from Zoe, which made Zoe look a little peeved.
"Ami, remind me to have a talk with you later..." Mina continued, "I'm very glad to hear that Zoe is such a gentleman - of course I wouldn't have expected anything less of him."
Her eyes, as they grabbed Zoe's, promised death if anything were to occur outside of her recently professed expectations. Zoe paled slightly and a bit sullenly.
"Well," Rei rejoined, "I'm sure Ami knows what's best for her." She smiled at her friend, and Ami, feeling uncommonly encouraged, smiled back. Ami didn't notice Rei's slight frown of apprehension as she watched Zoe's face.
"Wow." - was all that Usa had to say.
"Are you sure we should have brought him tonight?" Kip murmured in a low voice to Jude.
The music in the club was louder on the dance floor than it was where they were standing near the bar and tables, which meant that Kip didn't have to yell to make himself heard.
"It's better if he's here where I can watch him than at home moping...or worse," Jude answered, never taking his eyes from Nolan's numb face.
Jude adjusted the collar of his striped, light grey dress shirt, and slipped the keys to the Aston Marten into the pockets of his dark blue jeans. Shifting his gaze, he tried to pick out Rei's silky, raven's wing head from all the people already assembled in the club - but it was too difficult.
He looked instead at Kip and Nolan, both standing as still as blocks of wood - Kip standing out moderately in his very pale coral shirt and grey slacks and managing to look as though he was on his way to a casual business meeting rather than a social event, and yet still turning admiring eyes - and Nolan, hunched in a corner, looking like a wounded and dying bear (something of the Lord Byron look of danger and agony etched on his brow) appearing in a deep crimson shirt and jeans, his long hair hanging free. Those women who weren't looking at Kip were definitely staring at Nolan. He didn't seem to notice them, or anything else.
He saw a black, open collared dress shirt and black pants, and new without sighting the face that it was Mamoru. Did the man wear nothing but black?
A flash of white and then someone was tapping him on the shoulder. He looked down to find Rei in a slim white dress with a tempting off the shoulder dip and only one sleeve. It managed to make her look incredibly sexy and extremely elegant at the same time. Her hair was left hanging down, shining black against the dress.
"I told you I'd be early."
She was fairly grinning with satisfaction at his floored expression.
"Wonderful," he gulped.
"I brought everyone, just like you said," she went on and waited as he spotted each of them.
Behind her came Mina and Usa - Mina wearing a lacey pink dress that was both innocent and aluring, and Usa in a playful rusty red top and jacket, and jeans - looking very cute. Both their heels were rather tall, thin and deadly looking.
And then, behind all of them, Mako appeared - garnering eyes as she went. She had made the mistake of agreeing to let Mina dress her for the occassion, and Mina had outdone herself - which was to say - Mako didn't realize how appealing she looked at the moment, and if she had, she would probably have left the club.
In a dark, very short gold dress that looked more like a man's shirt, Mako's tall frame, made even taller by dusky gold heels which made her legs seem to go on forever, swayed through the room, the loose threads on the dress swinging gently as she walked. Her long hair was only partially up, most of it hung in an abundance of curls down her rather exposed back. The dress had a wide neck so that both of her shoulders were bare, which set off her tanned skin very well.
But unlike every other man in the room who was looking at Mako, Jude looked distressed to see her.
"I forgot," he whispered.
"What?" Rei asked, frowning.
"Nolan - he - and Mako - and -" he stumbled on as Rei began to wonder if he really was an idiot.
"They broke up," he hissed in her ear, at last.
"So that's why she's been in a pissy mood," she murmured, "Is Nolan here?"
Jude nodded, unhappily.
"Well, I guess there's nothing we can do now," she reflected.
"That's true. Maybe they won't -"
"Oh, look, Mako!" he heard Mina cry, "It's Nolan!"
As people watching a train wreck, Jude and Rei watched Mako turn slowly to see Nolan standing across the room, just ten short feet away. Nolan saw her too and started out of his gloom to blink at her.
Mako scowled, and then turned her back on him, walking to the bar. Nolan watched her go and seemed to be struggling with himself before Kip slipped over to him and began talking to him. He seemed to calm down somewhat, but his eyes continued to follow Mako through the room. Jude thought he caught Nolan snarling and wondered for a moment if he was really that angry with Mako - until he saw Nolan staring darkly at a young man who was looking a little too appreciatively at Mako's legs.
"Mina really needs to tone it down sometimes," Rei muttered as she watched Mako sit at the bar.
"I promised I'd drink with her," she said to Jude, "I hope you don't mind. You weren't planning on dancing, were you?"
She looked with dry asperity at the dance floor where about fifty or so people were attempting to dance with each other in what they all mistakenly thought was an attractive manner.
"I don't really dance like that," Jude answered.
Rei's brow shot up and she gave him a measuring glance.
"What kind of dancing do you do?"
Jude smiled mysteriously.
"Are you asking me to dance with you?"
Rei smirked.
"Don't get ahead of yourself," she said and turned to find Mako, leaving Jude to follow her.
Mamoru sipped his drink and was slightly startled to feel someone bump his shoulder.
He turned to apologize as did the other person.
They both stopped, open mouthed.
"Uh...sorry," Usa said at last.
Mamoru nodded.
"I didn't see you," he said, "Even though your style is so obviously eye-catching."
Damn it, he cursed himself, say 'cute'.
Usa frowned but didn't offer any further retaliation. Instead she said:
"You look very nice."
Mamoru winced.
"Thank you."
"Um...I'm sorry about...last time," she began, awkwardly, "Sometimes, I say things I don't really mean -"
"No," he interjected, quickly, "No, let me apologize."
Usa stared at him, unabashedly shocked.
"I...shouldn't have said what I did - especially about your fiance."
He watched in horror as Usa almost teared up.
"Thank you," she said, overcome, "You really aren't a bad person."
She gasped.
"I didn't mean - I meant -"
Mamoru couldn't help himself - he burst into laughter.
Usa timidly grinned.
"Can I buy you a drink?" he asked, when he had stopped.
"Sure." then -
"What?" she asked, as soon as her brain caught up.
"A drink - they have non-alcoholic ones - let's see - you like...strawberry?"
Usa's eyes opened wide.
"Yeah."
He motioned for her to proceed him and followed her to the bar. He watched her bunned head turn this way and that as she was distracted by the lights and color of the club and he found himself smiling.
"Definitely cute," he murmured.
"Is this really necessary?" Kip whispered in Mina's ear as they hid behind a convenient column. With her nose an inch from his it wasn't difficult to hear each other, though it made breathing difficult.
"Yes," she hissed, "I don't want them to know about us yet."
"Alright," Kip agreed, philosophically, "But do you mind if I ask why?"
"Not," he added, mildly, "That I doubt that you have a perfectly good reason."
"Listen," she tried to point her finger at him but there wasn't enough room. She settled for a penetrating stare.
"Last time we took everything at my pace - and we landed in a mess. This time I want to take things slowly - at your pace. No mistakes."
"Hm," Kip leaned in an inch and kissed her nose.
"But I think my pace has sped up considerably over the years." he suggested.
Mina muffled a sigh as his breath touched her neck.
"That's not the point," she argued, "I am as happy as you are - probably more -"
"Impossible," he murmured.
"- But that's just why I'm afraid -" she continued, "And if you leave again -"
He put a finger to her lips.
"That won't happen," he said, quietly. His green eyes held hers securely.
"It took all of my resolve to leave the first time," he went on, tracing her cheek, "And now that I don't have to -"
"Just a little bit longer," Mina insisted, desperately. She was trying very hard to ignore his eyes and his finger on her chin.
"Because," she said, "I don't think either of us can be ready until we're sure about Zoe."
As if it was a magic charm, Zoe's name caused Kip to straighten up. His look cooled and he let his hand slip from her face. Mina tried not to sigh in relief.
"If I knew that Zoe was really alright with us," he admitted, " and not just trying to help me..."
"Me too."
She looked up at him with a very honest gaze, and he smiled and kissed her forehead.
"Alright. I promise to behave myself until then."
"Good -"
"But I don't make any promises after that." He warned.
"Speaking of Zoe," she exclaimed, "He and Ami were supposed to be here by now."
"Zoe is with Miss Mizuno?"
He and Mina stared at each other with identical looks - about a thousand terrible scenarios rushing through their brains.
"We have to find them now," they both said, an rushed out from behind the column.
"I won't ask what you two were doing back there," a voice drawled, "but I'm sure it was interesting."
Mina ignored Zoe's sly poke with relief as she discovered he and Ami had just entered the club. Zoe was his usual resplendent self in a sea-turquoise shirt and jeans; standing beside him, Ami appeared more muted in a navy gamine dress and heels.
She had only a moment to take in these details before Kip launched himself from her side and embraced his brother. The gesture plainly startled both Mina and Zoe, the latter belatedly hugged his brother back.
They parted quickly and awkwardly, but Mina thought they both looked relieved and happy.
"I understand you've been staying with Miss Mizuno," Kip began.
"Please call me Ami," she said, "I've been happy to have him there."
"Really?" Kip asked, before he could stop himself.
"Oh, yes. He's very helpful - he can reach a lot of things, and he's quite good with his hands."
Zoe smothered a laugh into a cough as he caught his brother's displeased eye.
Kip gave Zoe a look that plainly bespoke shock followed by impending death, until Mina intervened.
"He helps with your experiments, right?" she asked, patting Kip's arm soothingly.
"Oh, is that it?" Kip asked, smiling tightly.
"Yes," Ami answered, confused that her meaning could have possibly been misunderstood.
"I'm glad you've been useful then."
"I try." Zoe couldn't restrain a smirk.
"Yes, I think we should have a talk," Kip suggested, gripping Zoe's arm in an unbreakable grip and steering him toward a booth.
"And there's something I want to talk to Ami about too," Mina said, and began to lead Ami away.
"You've got a nice ensemble going on there, you know," Zoe called to her as he was led away against his will.
"Both wearing pink, I mean," he grinned, "Almost like you planned it."
Mina gave him a look that told him where he could shove it.
"What did he say?" Ami asked.
"Nothing important."
Mako sat at the bar, not really paying attention to Rei's attempts to draw her into conversation. Eventually Rei and Jude began to banter back and forth with each other and let her down her whiskey shots in peace.
As she emptied her sixth shot and plopped the glass down for another a deep voice said:
"You shouldn't be drinking this."
A hand shot out to take the glass from her, but Mako, who's reflexes were very sharp, twisted the glass away and rapped the offender instead.
"Are you my mother?" she asked, flatly.
"No," Nolan answered, "But I know it's illegal for minors to drink alcohol."
The bartender began to look very nervous.
"Um...can I see your I.D.?" he asked, belatedly.
Mako sighed, closing her eyes as she heard Nolan sit down beside her.
"She'll have a coke, with lemon."
As soon as the coke appeared Mako opened her eyes, picked it up and unceremoniously threw it in Nolan's face.
Rei and Jude stopped arguing to stare at Nolan's dripping face. The bartender handed him a towel and retreated to the other end of the bar.
"Uh-oh," Jude murmured, noting the look in Nolan's eyes. He knew that look well. He usually hid in another building when he saw it.
"Who said you could order for me?" Mako demanded.
"You didn't mind it when I ordered for you at Valentino's," Nolan growled.
"No," she retorted, "And you didn't mind it when about a million girls followed you from the restaurant, asking for autographs."
"They're fans," he snapped, "I can't do anything about that."
"Yes, you can, Nolan, but you won't - and that's your problem in a nutshell."
"My problem!?" He leaped up from the seat to face Mako who was already standing with her hands on her hips.
"What about you," he countered, "You are so damned determined to be independent - you won't even let me by you a drink."
"I don't want a coke!"
"Fine!"
They were both breathing very heavily at this point and looking very much like two bulls facing off.
"Uh, guys," Jude began.
"Would it kill you to tell them to leave you alone?" Mako demanded, "To say "I have a girlfriend"?"
"Well, acording to you I don't have one," he countered, darkly.
"And it's not surprising," she said, hotly, "When you act like a - a - a playboy!"
"Playboy!?" Nolan thundered, "What about you in the restaurant, you were practically trying to seduce me in public."
Mako's mouth dropped open. Her hair had come completely undone and her fists were clenching.
"I was trying to show them that you're mine!"
"Some method you picked!"
"Well, what choice did you give me, you big idiot!?"
"Mako-chan!" Nolan rumbled angrily, "I did not flirt with those girls."
"You don't have to," Mako snarled, "They're all over you anyway."
"What about you - half the guys in this place have been checking you out - don't think I haven't noticed!"
"This is getting out of hand," Jude whispered to Rei.
"I'll just -" Rei began, starting to stand up.
Mako slammed her fist onto the bar top, causing several glasses to fall off and shatter.
"Hey!" A man who's glass had fallen called angrily.
"Shut up!" Mako commanded.
The man blinked at her in fear.
"Or maybe not," Rei finished.
"What do you want from me, Mako?" Nolan demanded, almost desperately.
Mako took a few sharp breaths in like a fighter getting ready for the first punch.
"Alright, here's what I want," she said, slowly, "I want you to tell every other girl in the world that you're mine and they can't touch you."
She stared at him, expectantly. Half the people in the bar also watched, spell-bound.
Nolan blinked.
"That's impossible," he began, actually in earnest. Mako didn't let him get any further.
"Then just give them this - from me," she said and gave Nolan the smoothest round-house punch Jude had ever seen. Nolan went down like a sack of potatoes.
"Wow," Jude breathed.
Mako stared down at Nolan for a moment and then, clearly upset, threw a twenty-dollar bill on the bar top and ran off before either Rei or Jude could move.
"I'll go get her," Rei started.
"Wait," Jude cautioned. He crouched beside Nolan and helped him sit up. Nolan was rubbing his eye and blinking away stars.
"She punched me," he stated, incredulously.
"Yep," Jude answered.
"You remember when I said you needed the bravest girl in the world?" he went on.
Nolan nodded.
"Well, she just ran out the door. I think you'd better start running if you want to catch her."
Nolan grasped awkwardly for Jude's hand and pulled himself to his feet. He was only slightly wobbly.
"Go get her, Tiger." Jude patted his best friend on the back and tried to steady him immediately thereafter.
"Maybe he should rest," Rei suggested, eying Nolan's unsteady gait toward the door.
"Naw," Jude waved a hand, "Nolan's tough. He used to kick-box; - head injuries are old hat."
"Speaking of boxing - Mako-"
"Is an ex-professional boxer." Rei finished.
Jude laughed.
"Perfect. Clearly a match made in heaven."
"Or somewhere." Rei muttered.