Discalimer: Sailor Moon characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi. Everything else belongs to me. Please do not steal!
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31
She walked into the building, and the cool air from the air conditioning system welcomed her in.
It was probably one of the first things Jei had absolutely made sure to put into working again. And she was currently quite grateful for it, as her sun heated body made it through the main area, where Minako, Usagi, Hotaru, Masato and Jei were busy cleaning and moving everything around.
But other than waving her hellos and smiling, she ignored them all for the time being, going straight to the back end of the room and up the stairs.
There was no need for her to ask where the one she was currently looking for was at. She already knew the answer to, since it had been the same ever since Kun gave them all the green light and they had started to work on the place.
While Minako literally went into Sergeant mode, taking over the cleaning process and putting every military officer to shame with her barking orders and strict schedule, Jei had more or less been in charge of calling for expert hands when needed, signing off bills and contracts and papers of all kinds. And the rest had pretty much just followed their orders like obedient little soldiers.
But no one seemed to mind much, excited as they all were with their new headquarters slowly but surely coming along. And though not all of them could be there all the time, having jobs and other responsibilities to take care of, they all made it a point on showing up and helping in which ever way they could, if only for a little while and after hours.
But the one person she was currently seeking out had yet to help on cleaning and moving the heavy looking equipments downstairs. After helping tore down the mirrors and cleaning the place down to the last little detail, Zoe had pretty much been camping out on their soon to be surveillance center.
The blinds covering the ceiling to floor windows was gone now, offering a magnificent view of the indoor swimming pool down below. And to the professionals currently working on it, cleaning the bottom and purifying the water, adding the needed chemicals to make it clear and clean once more, while an always poised Michiru surveyed their work from the stands to the side. The violinist seemed just as eager as she was about being finally able to put that pool to good use.
There was a small kitchenette of sorts to a corner of the once dance studio, with a small cabinet, an electric burning ring, a water cooler dispenser, and, of course, a coffee machine. The rich scent coming from it and the filled pot indicating the coffee had just been recently made.
A rather large table occupied the center of the room, with cables and electrical parts scattered around.
Another table set to the wall once covered in mirrors had now three huge flat screens on it, two keyboards, and more cables on it. And there was one curly blonde head currently under said table, obviously setting up the connection for the screens.
Nat King Cole was singing through the speakers of the laptop resting on a side of the table, momentary forgotten, on what she was soon becoming accustomed to as the blonde's all American, old school, favorite go-to playlist whenever she was working. Something about her father installing in her a deep love for old school music and all the classics, setting the blonde's mind into work mode.
Her heart gave a little jump at the sight, and Ami had to take a breath and remind herself the reason why she was there in the first place.
She was excited to see the blonde, yes. But only because of the news she had to share with her. It had nothing to do with a desire to look into green eyes or being around here at all; this was purely a business meeting.
Nodding to herself once, she cleared her throat, making her presence known to the blonde head under the table.
"Oh, hi!" the other girl greeted her the minute her green eyes looked up at her. "Didn't see you there," she said, moving to get out from under the table and standing tall again, mindlessly shoving blonde curls out of her eyes.
The movement, automatic and natural, made her fingers itch, wondering if those curls felt as silky as they seemed.
And then she blinked, shoving that unwelcomed thought to were it came from, desperately trying to fight the heat that for whatever reasons came rushing to her cheeks.
"So, whatcha got in there?" the blonde asked, shaking her out of her own embarrassing, runaway thoughts and back to the present, and the folder she held in her hands.
"Right," she murmured under her breath, walking up the table on the center and placing her folder there, opening it up. "I was just going through these charts you sent me," she started to explained, showing her the papers.
They hadn't exactly been meeting up to continue their job on the earthy sciences and possible points of reference to build up a system that would alert them of an enemy attack. Between classes, Zoe's work as a dog trainer, and coming in here to set everything up, there hadn't been time for much else.
That, and the blonde seemed to still be avoiding her, for whatever reason.
But they had kept in touch, mainly through texts and an occasional e-mail, keeping track on where the other was at with their research. That was how Ami first got the charts she was now showing to Zoe; after giving a few, specific dates from previous battles Ami considered particularly important for one reason or another, the Shitennou went right ahead, searching for data from all over the world for those specific dates.
It still surprised her, not only that Zoe had been able to find and obtain such data, or that it all came from well known universities and even some private corporations from around the world, but that she had been able to pull that off quite so fast. By now she was well beyond the point of worrying over the fact that they were stealing such data and information in the first place; Zoe had made a very valid point when pointing out that, one, they didn't really had other means to get such information, and two, they weren't truly doing any harm. Quite the opposite, actually, when considering they were trying to come up with a fastest way to locate their enemies in order to save the world.
When it came down to computers and the internet, and everything and anything that had to do with it, Zoe really did know exactly what she was doing. Even more than Ami herself, and that alone was impressive.
"It's probably nothing for us to truly go on," she explained. "But it's… well, it's odd."
She stretched the papers on the table, pointing at the charts and data from one specific battle against the Death Busters. Focused green eyes following her every move, taking in everything she was telling her.
"It's barely even there," she pointed out. "And from a scientific point, it could easily be read as normal vibrations. It's barely a 1.9 on the Ritcher scale."
"But it's there," Zoe agreed, nodding her head and taking a chart, inspecting it.
"It could be just a normal microeartquake…"
"But you don't think that," the blond guessed, accurately, meeting her blue eyes for a moment before adverting her gaze away and back to the sheet. "Not so close to the Death Buster's lair."
"Exactly," she agreed, nodding her head. "Only the seismographs closest were able to picked on it. And, again, it's low enough to be consider a microeartquake," she continued, taking another set of papers and charts from the folder and placing them on the table for the blonde to take a look at. "But look at this," she pointed out the earthquake readings she had looked up and brought with her. "At first glance, they look normal…"
"These are different," Zoe concluded for her; her voice low and soft, with a studious look upon green eyes as she study the chart. "The waves are different."
Indeed, they were. It had taken Ami a couple of days of intensely studying charts and earthquake waves readings, and hours upon hours of comparing data, but she was sure of it. And she could guess why no one had been able to see it; unless looking for it specifically, at first glance, the readings from the date of a battle were, even to the trained eye, perfectly normal behaving for a small, insignificant earthquake on the Tokyo city area.
Only, they weren't. The waves were wider, they seemed to reach their peek faster for a 2.0 or lower earthquake, and the aftermath of it seemed to last longer. As if earth itself was hurting after an unnatural hit.
"This is great," Zoe finally conceded, blonde eyebrows going up in appreciation.
Her cheeks burned lightly at the compliment. "It's probably just nothing…"
"It's not nothing," the other argued. "You just found a lead, something for us to work on, and you know it," she continued, now looking straight into her eyes and smiling to her.
To some girls, most girls, it would be being complemented on her looks, or her figure, or her pretty face. Maybe her sense of humor. For her though, it was Zoe complementing her effort and her accomplishments, her acknowledging she was as smart as people thought her to be, what truly did it for her.
She was utterly, deeply flattered. And that sided smile, small and genuine and gentle, was only adding to the effect, her heart skipping a beat and her stomach doing a little jump inside her at the sight of it.
It occurred to her only now, as she gazed into green eyes, what an intriguing, captivating person the blonde truly was. How magnetic…
.-.
She was drowning.
Her breathing was normal. The air was reaching and filling her lungs in a perfectly normal rate. Her heartbeat was normal, albeit a bit accelerated, but that was normal too nowadays -or at least it was normal, whenever the bluenette was around. Hell, everything about her was, at the moment, perfectly normal.
And yet, she was drowning.
Everything about those big blue eyes were drowning her, drawing her in, and there was nothing she could do but stare right back at them. And then, on their own accord, her eyes traveled down to cherry blossom lips, naturally colored and devilishly tempting.
Can't help falling in love came through the speakers, and Elvis' baritone seemed to mock her.
'Oh, hell, Calhoun!", she cursed inwardly. 'What the fuck are you doing!'
An almost imperceptible gasp reached her ears, a more definite tint of red coming to Ami's cheeks, and she knew the movement had been noticed.
'Jesus fucking Christ!'
In a desperate attempt to clear the air and get back from whatever spell those eyes just casted on her, she cleared her throat, shutting Elvis off mid-song and turning away from the girl. Not entirely, not enough to be impolite, but just enough to break the awkward moment those stupid, treacherous feelings of hers had just created.
"I um…" she heard the girl mumbling, and she saw her from the corner of her eyes as she shook her head slightly. "I just wanted to let you know what I've found."
Gathering the papers she had previously scattered around the table and neatly putting them back on their folder, Ami seemed to be making a point not to look her in the eyes.
'Great. You just made her uncomfortable with you idiocy, you moron,' she scolded herself.
"I'll let you get back to work now."
And with that, the petite bluenette all but hurried out the door, gently but surely shutting it down after her.
Taking a deep breath, the blonde ran her hands through her hair; her breath coming back out in a shuddering groan.
She was in so, so much trouble…
.-.
She arrived with the pizza.
A rather welcome coincidence, she thought to herself, considering the growl her stomach gave out at the enchanting smell coming from those cardboard boxes the delivery guy was just hanging out to Mamoru. One blonde little Moon rabbit hopping excitedly right behind him as he carried the boxes back inside.
"Glad you could make it," he said to her in greeting, smiling warmly.
"Of course," she said, returning the smile. "Wouldn't want to miss it."
She hadn't originally been planning on coming back here today. After helping replace the mat all morning, she had all but ran out, first to take her grandfather to his doctor appointment, and then to her chores back at the Temple.
But if a text from Minako wasn't reason enough to change her plans -which it wasn't; the blonde did have a tendency on texting her the most random of things at times…-, then surely, the impromptu get together was.
It wasn't often that they all got enough of a free time to hang out together. All fourteen of them.
The coming together of their new and still quite in progress headquarters had managed to do exactly that. And, well, she couldn't exactly miss out on it-, she truly did care about her friends, after all, and wanted to see them. Even if it meant having a certain blonde man around as well…
Making herself comfortable on the soft mat, she took her place next to Zoe, too engrossed on not one but two cellphones she had in her hands to offer more than a smile.
Setsuna came to sit to her other side, just as everyone began gathering around the mat they had just put up this morning. But since the designated meeting room was still in the making, its hard wood floors being refinish and its walls still bare and naked and in deep need of a paint coat, the mat on the body combat area seemed like the better option at the moment.
Unsurprisingly, Ami and Michiru appeared from behind the double doors leading to the pool. Haruka tailing right behind her, a lazy smirk dancing on her face and hands deep into her jean pockets as both Michiru and Ami glared back at her. She had probably just played a joke on both water Senshi, judging by their slightly offended expressions, and they way Haruka just laughed at them, head tilting back and all.
"Yo, Mouse!" Masato called out. "Get over here, already!"
"Yes, come!" Usagi agreed, nodding excitedly. "We're hungry!"
"You mean, you are hungry," Rei corrected her.
A long, slender arm came around Ami's shoulders, protectively. "Mouse?" Haruka repeated, arching a questioning eyebrow towards one chestnut haired Shitennou.
Michiru rolled her eyes, Masato gulped, and Ami giggled.
"It's alright," she said, gently tapping the racer's hand over her shoulder. "He calls me that sometimes."
The entire scene seemed to finally pull one blonde Shitennou away from whatever she was doing with those cellphones. Curious green eyes going from Ami to Masoto to Haruka, and then back again. Lingering a little longer than strictly necessary on Ami's smiling face, Rei noted.
Again, the racer just stared at the Shitennou, either if it was in warning, or just for the heck of messing with the guy, no one could really tell for sure. And again, Ami gently and patiently tapped the blonde's hand.
"It's just a nickname," she assured her.
"Yeah, it's cute," Makoto put in.
"You like cute, don't you, Haruka?" Michiru teased.
The blonde just mumbled something under hear breath, making her way to the mat they were all occupying. Chivalrously helping Michiru sit down, she sent one last glare Masoto's way.
"Watch it," she warned, one long, slender finger pointing at him before she sat down herself.
"Is she always like that?" Zoe asked in a hushed whisper.
Amethyst eyes drifted to her briefly, before going back to the other, taller blonde. "You mean overprotective?" she asked back, also in a whisper. "Yeah, she does that a lot."
This time she was sure, the racer was pulling Masoto's leg. Anyone who knew Haruka well enough could see that; that glint in her green eyes and the trademark smirk were a dead giveaway. And the guy usually made it so easy for her, too.
The fact that, this time, Haruka had made a show of her overprotective tendencies over one bluenette, specifically, which in turn had prompted Zoe's question, didn't escape her. But because they hadn't ever talked about such matters, and since that was more of Minako's area of expertise, she chose to ignore that little fact.
For now.
"Don't worry," she assured her friend. "She's the best. Trust me, you'll love her just as much as the rest of us," she said, confidently. "In time," she then added, if only for the blonde Shitennou's benefit and peace of mind.
"Alright, pizza time!" Usagi exclaimed, clapping her hands. "Hand it over!"
Boxes were opened, slices going in all directions, and plastic cups made it around as they talked and laughed and joked.
"Give me your phone," Zoe suddenly demand, hitting the man next to her, who just happened to be Kun, with the back of her hand, but not really looking up from the two little screens resting on the floor in front of her.
"What are you doing with those?" Jei wanted to know, curiously.
Green eyes looked up at him. "You said I could go nuts," she answered. "This is me going nuts."
"With three cells?" Minako asked, frowning, and looking every bit as lost as the rest of them.
"Yup," the Shitennou answered, standing up now and handing one of the phones back to Mamoru. "You," she said, pointing at Jei, "go outside and act like you're trying to break in."
"What?" the blonde man asked, blinking up at her.
"Just do it," she ordered, getting back to her spot and handing the third phone back to its rightful owner. "Lock the door on your way out."
The rest of him followed one blonde man with their eyes as he made it all the way across the room and out the door. The sound of the door being locked loud and clear on the reigning silence, they all turned back to look at Zoe, as the blonde's intense gaze kept glued to her phone.
All three cell phones went off at the exact same time. A red sign reading 'Intruder alert' in bold white letters now flashing on all three phones. And when Zoe tapped on the screen, Kun and Mamoru following her example, they could all see Jei standing there, hands in his pockets and looking everything but pleased of being out there.
"Ah!" Zoe exclaimed, triumphant. "Say hi, everyone," she said, turning to look up at one of the security cameras on a corner, waving her hand.
With a swap of her fingers, the screen on her phone changed, now showing an image of all of them, sitting there on the mat and looking up at the camera.
Jei came strolling back, hands still on his pockets, and took a good look around. "So, what did I miss?"
"You wanted a security system that would alert us instead of the police," Zoe explained, waving her phone around. "You've got it. I just tweaked the original app a little."
"Atta girl," Jei said proudly and in impeccably colloquial English, just for Zoe's delight.
The girl brighten up in her spot, smiling proudly.
A succession of phones going from hand to hand to finally reach Zoe followed, and the girl took on the task of installing the security app in every single one of the devices. Conversation and easy banter going around along with the pizza and the drinks now.
That was, until one tall blonde woman cleared her throat, and all eyes turn to her.
"So," she began, leisurely folding her napkin. "Are we going to address the white elephant in the room," she asked, raising her green eyes and looking straight into the Prince's blue eyes, "or are we still ignoring it?"
Mamoru blinked, a confused frown coming to his handsome features, just as four pairs of eyes turned to him. Matching frowns, going from confusion to wariness, decorating the Shitennous' faces.
A complete and absolute silence fell upon them then, and Rei was sure, she'd be able to hear a pin hit the floor if someone were to drop one.
"Haruka," Michiru called, a clear warning tone to her voice.
"Oh, please," the blonde said, arching an eyebrow in challenge as she looked at the violinist. "As if you don't want to know as well."
Michiru glared at her, soon rolling her eyes and waving a hand around in a 'why do I bother' gesture.
"What do you mean?" Mamoru asked, unsure.
"You said you wanted to wait until all your buddy buddies were here," the blonde stated, gesturing with her hand to the group, though clearly talking about four in particular. "I count four. Now, unless there's more of you I don't know about…"
"There's not," Kun said, his voice firm and steady, though the wariness in his eyes was hard to miss.
Haruka nodded, satisfied with the answer as she turn back to the Prince once more. "Alright then. My question stands," she said, with a firm nod of the head, as green eyes narrowed at him. "We've all waited long enough. Are you gonna marry her or what?" she asked, pointing to Usagi with a shake of her head.
A series of surprised gasps followed, and good amount of relieved and humor filled the room.
"Because if you don't, I'm going to have to kick your ass."
"I'll second that," Jei put in, earning himself one of Minako's not so gentle slaps in the back of his head and a good round of chuckles and smiles.
All voices raised at once then, giving their two scents on the matter. Everyone having enough material on them, both from milenia ago, and from the past seven years, to tease the royal couple to no ends.
Friendly banter and jokes filled the room, and Rei couldn't help the smile that came to her lips as she looked first at Zoe, and then at Jei. Both of them laughing along with the group.
This was nice. It definitively felt good to let bygones be bygones, and just enjoy the time they had.
Yes, it was nice. Better. Everything was better among friends.
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A.N.: any thoughts?