Usagi stopped just out of the sitting room, pausing to smooth out her skirt before greeting her visitor. The initial surprise quickly wore off as she rushed down the stairs. The prim facade required by her father's position now replaced it.

"Gomen, thank you for waiting…" her words fell as she entered the room. "Mamo-Chan!" She called as she rushed towards the tall man. Mamoru lowered his chin as he rose from the sofa, his stern features reinstalling the prim attitude in the young blonde. Closing the distance, she studied him, searching for any indication of his visit. Her father was not keen on social calls, particularly from an older man when they were not legitimately engaged. Yet Mamoru was no stranger to the residence either. Taking her seat on the end of the sofa, she folded her hands in her lap, awaiting whatever he needed.

"It's been a while, Usako," Mamoru remarked, his voice too low and too flat for her liking. She winced at the pang flowing through her, every molecule telling her she would not like what he had to say.

"Yes, it has," she agreed, wearing as simple a smile as she could. "I understand the Chiba family business had kept much of your time. I assume it is flourishing under your watchful eye." But, of course, she could throw the same guilt back at him just as quickly. Mamoru nodded in agreement, his eyes still looking forward.

"I come with some… formal… business," his words struggling to come out. Usagi. She gently ran her fingers along the chain of her necklace, the trinket providing some comfort as she patiently awaited his elaborations. "Could you tell me the last time you saw Tenoh?" His head slightly tilted to the side as he gauged her reaction. Usagi dropped her hand back to her lap under the scrutiny of his gaze.

"It's been a day or two, I am not certain," she answered earnestly. "Did something happen?" She asked with the same genuine concern.

"We had a… disagreement, and I have not heard from her in a few days," Usagi watched the concern grow in his features even though she knew his words were a lie. "I had asked her to check in on you when I could not. But now that she is angry with me, I-" he paused before turning to face the young blonde. "She is dangerous, Usako. I know you may not believe me. But, since I have caused this mess, I wish to fix it." Baby blue eyes look up at his curiously, the faintest hope that he would want to mend their strained friendship. "I would like to provide my personal security detail…."

Usagi violently shook her head, the raven haired man pressing his lips into a thin line as the rejection. Even though she didn't say the words, he knew she was thinking.

"Of course, what was I thinking asking you? I will speak to the Prime Minister about my concerns," he sighed as he stood. "Oh, and Usako. Did Tenoh provide any trinkets to you?"

Usagi froze, her hand almost instinctively going to the necklace. She recovered quickly, using her hand to fidget with the ring on her index finger. Haruka never gave her the chain, but she was incremental on Usagi learning how to use the power. Mamoru must have sensed it.

"Not in recent memory," she shrugged. Mamoru roamed his eyes over her tiny form, seemingly trying to decide whether to believe her or not.

"Usagi, where did you leave the -"Chibiusa called from the hallway before she froze in the opening. Her eyes stared at Mamoru, both expertly shielding their emotions until Mamoru turned away.

"I will leave you to your sister then," he bowed as etiquette demanded, but they could both tell he did not mean it. "Just remember my warning." He nodded to Chibiusa, taking his leave without a response from either. The pink haired girl sat next to her sister, taking her hand from her lap.

"What was that all about?" She snorted as she looked towards the closed door.

"He's looking for Haruka," Usagi sighed, the younger girl joining in as she knew the blonde couldn't tell him where to find the rogue. Everyone, including Mamoru, knew that no one could catch the wind. "She warned me that he would try to use me to find her," the blonde added. Chibiusa tilted her head, giving her sister a knowing side glare.

"What did she tell you to tell him?"

"The truth," Usagi shrugged. The rogue predicted Mamoru's actions and encouraged her to answer him honestly. The short blonde inwardly chuckled as she remembered the rogue's words. It was her job to protect the princess, not the other way around.

She had rolled her eyes at her overprotective friend but listened to her nonetheless. She had told no one about the necklace or any training, not even Chibiusa. Although she suspected the younger girl was curious on her many trips outside the home when she returned exhausted much later. But the blonde trusted Haruka, Rei, and Minako that this was for her and everyone else's safety. They all reassured her it wouldn't be forever, and she'd be able to tell them when the danger passed. She touched her chest where the gem pulsed slightly, adding warmth to her skin and reassuring her that she was on the right path.

"Chibiusa, how long since we have gone shopping together?" She questioned as she looped her arm with the younger girl. As the pink haired girl thought, Usagi giggled, pulling her sister up along with her. "That means it has been too long! Com'on, we should pick some items up."

~*~*~

Haruka paused as she ran her hand through the long, dark strands, yearning to scratch at the base of the wig. She was already uncomfortable wearing a disguise, but in the past few days, Mamoru was pulling all the favors he could to try to locate her. She couldn't delay this meeting either, and sending a letter was so impersonal she had no choice but to agree. But she planned on impaling whoever chose this itchy-ass wig. Taking one last deep breath to will herself to quit messing with it less she roused suspicion, she smoothed her pencil skirt and knocked on the door. Upon hearing the voice inside, she entered, taking the seat offered before crossing her legs and staring expectantly to the garnet eyes across from her. She could feel the questioning gaze roaming over her immediately, but she needed them to figure it out. What would the point of a disguise be if she announced who she was?

"Hisho, please hold my calls. And can you page Agent Kaioh to my office?" The green haired chief removed her finger from the intercom and smirked at the stranger. Haruka couldn't take it before she released a low growl and relaxed slightly. "You didn't hold that facade long," Setsuna smiled.

"I am not sure what you're referring to, Chief Meioh," the rogue smiled, her voice softer than usual. "I am simply here to file a report for missing jewelry."

"Is that so?" The chief didn't retort, simply pulling the form from her desk to make a report, entertained with whatever charade the rogue was playing. "Can you describe the jewelry?"

"Hai, they were treasured family heirlooms, all dark, chocolate, you could say in color. Each the size of a coin," she held her hand up, pinching her thumb and forefinger together to demonstrate. The green haired woman nodded, slightly amused. "Strangely enough, I received a packed of them delivered here," she explained as she searched for a picture of the package. "Do these look familiar?" She asked, handing the image to the other woman.

"I'm not sure, but the color is about right. It is hard to tell the size from this picture," the rouge feigned ignorance as she handed the picture back.

"I am afraid I couldn't show you. These were placed in evidence as we were unsure why they were arriving at the police station. Do you have any idea why that is?" She pressed the disguised woman, a single green brow raising.

"Oh, I haven't the slightest," she chuckled. "Maybe the burglar was trying to confess," she shrugged.

A knock sounded at the door and the chief answered without excusing herself, a clear signal to the rogue that she was onto the charade. A moment later, the teal haired argent entered the office, taking the other spare seat. Michiru looked curiously from the raven haired woman and back to the chief. She smirked at Setsuna's apologetic smile as she introduced the two.

"This is one of my best agents, Michiru Kaioh," Setsuna formally introduced as the aquanette bowed.

"It is a pleasure… Ms…" Michiru smiled as the smirk fell from the rogue's face.

"Forgive my manners," Setsuna cut in. "Shiranaihito-san was informing me of her missing valuables. They may be a match for the gemstones we received here." Michiru nodded, smiling at the name.

"Are there more?" She questioned.

"Hai, they were many in my family," the rogue nodded, her arms expanding wide in exaggeration.

"Agent Kaioh can assist in determining if there were any other packages received within the predominate community members. I fear that if any were sent to working-class citizens, they would not be reported." Haruka bowed in gratitude, following Michiru from the room.

She felt the sapphire eyes roaming over her as the aquanette glanced back from time to time. Finally, reaching the exit, Michiru faced the woman, her grin holding a hint of playfulness.

"I will follow some leads on your missing items. Is there a good number to follow up with you?"

"I am afraid I do not have a cell phone," the raven haired woman shrugged. "I do not understand such technology, and my staff usually takes messages for me. But, I'll tell you what, since this is important, I will stop back in a day or two for a copy of the report. For insurance purposes, of course."

"Of course," Michiru smiled before the rogue turned to leave.

Her strides were not as long as she would have liked with the skirt fitted around her knees, taking seemingly forever to reach the waiting car. She ducked in, immediately ripping off the wig and throwing it in the backseat. She ran her hands through her wild blonde locks, matted with the disguise as she tried to fluff them to their original glory. She heard a deep chuckle beside her, her eyes narrowing dangerously at the detective.

"Nani?"

"Nothing…." He smirked as he put the car in drive. "It's just that watching you in the dress and heels. It was like slow motion out of a movie. Then you climb in my car and shake your hair out like you were a real wild woman. It was like straight out of a rock music video."

"Laugh all you want, but we got what we needed," she sneered as she crossed her arms.

"So Chief Meioh really is involved?"

"Deep enough that she gave me Michiru to help," Haruka nodded. She was torn with the idea that the person feeding her information could be under Wiseman's control, but it made too much sense to assume otherwise.

"So what's next?"

"We get the police report to see who's in and out and then give them what they want."

"You still think this a good idea to use them like bait like that?"

"What choice do we have?" Haruka shrugged as the detective nodded, silently agreeing to keep to the plan.

~*~*~

Akihiko watched the monitors closely, studying the image on the screen. The woman was wearing a disguise but was clearly Haruka. The outfit and the hair did nothing to hide her sharp features. Leaning back in his chair, he folded his arms behind his head as he considered how to address this when the rogue arrived back at the base. She didn't want anyone to know she was there, including him, piquing his interest in what she had planned.

When he heard the door lock activating, he clicked the monitors off before closing the cabinet doors. Then, he turned to the workbench with a circuit in his hands just as Haruka and Seiya entered the lab.

"Welcoming back, you two," he smiled as he set the electronics on the tabletop. Seiya glanced at the blonde before she raised a finger to silence him. "While you were out on your date," he paused with the words, taking in the rouge's attire. She had changed from the outfit he saw on the monitor, still had traces of the makeup and top she wore. Smirking as he decided to use this to underline his point.

"Please, Haruka. It does not matter to me what you do in your free time. However, I would hate for distractions to keep you when you are so close to our goal." Seiya clenched his fist, clearly knowing which words were thrown his way before Haruka took the closed hand in hers.

"I'm glad we're not here to discuss my personal life, so I assume you made some progress on where the gemstone originated from?"

"Yes, of course," he smiled as he pugged another wire into the device he held. He clicked the machine on, blue light coming from the top. They stepped back as the light grew, and an object became visible in the light. Haruka recognized it as the Malefic Black Crystal she saw in the remains of Prince Demands's manor.

"Do you know what this is?" Akihiko asked, his menacing smile barely concealed.

"It looks like a larger version of the gems we collected. Do they come bigger?" Seiya questioned. He shrugged when Akihiko glanced at him, running his hand nervously through his hair.

"It is a malefic crystal, a parent to them all," Akihiko explained, his eyes fixed on the detective as he spoke.

"Is that why we found so many of them?" Haruka pondered aloud, ignorant of the staring contest between the other two. "So whoever controls the malefic crystal can control the smaller ones.?"

"That is my hypothesis," Ahikiho shrugged as he turned the projector off.

"So placing them in the counterfeit art allowed them to be placed in certain homes, I assume," Seiya added. Akihiko had to hold back a laugh at the comment.

So he tried to get the rogue to focus on that one aspect, but I would not let him. The accusations began forming in his mind as he turned to face the detective.

"It was an excellent rouse. Almost as good as the one they kept us from looking into who was in charge of the counterfeit art ring," Akihiko sneered. Haruka could only look at her mentor despondently as his gaze narrowed in on the detective. "The story I heard was that we recovered the art and turned it over to the state police. Did you ever find out what arrest was made in that investigation?"

The blonde considered for a moment that they never followed up on the outcome of that report. In the back of her mind remembered they had removed the stones so that the police may have never found them, dismissing a need to get the report. It was clear to her that it was lead by Saphir with direction from Wiseman.

"It was awfully convenient that the Kou boy here wouldn't recognize the same distribution style that he busted his Aunt Kakyuu with on their music tour. It was the same used in the art heist." Both sets of blue eyes doubled in size at the older man's accusations.

"Akihiko, how do you know of this?"

"When you brought the Kou boy around," taking a deep breath as he studied the detective. "I had hope that you made the right choice. But as your protector, I needed to be certain."

"You have been spying on me this whole time?" Seiya couldn't resist any longer, his voice screeching, no matter how much Haruka reached to console him.

"You're just disappointed that you could not hide your deception, Kakyuu's deception, from me," Akihiko smiled victoriously. "That's not the only thing," he continued, his smile growing as he looked at the blonde's sullen face. "He saved Prince Demand that night. He is alive and Kou has been hiding him from you this whole time."

"Nani?? You helped me that night!" Seiya charged at the older man. He was tired of his words, no matter how much truth was in them. He gripped the man's robe tightly, glaring at him as he readied to deliver the punch he had been waiting for since he met the man.

A strong hand stopped his angry fist. Seiya blinked, wondering how the older man had that much strength. Then, following his arm, he saw it was not held by Akihiko but by Haruka.

"Go!" She yelled as she pushed him off of the white haired man.

"Haruka! Wait!" Seiya tried to explain. He glanced towards the older man pushing himself off the table, a sinister smirk on his face.

"How could you? All this time!" She yelled again, her voice cracking at the intensity neither man had heard in her tenor voice. "Just leave!"

"You don't understand, Haruka!" He pleaded with her. The tears in her eyes, making her eyes appear clear in color, were enough to break him.

"Just leave and don't come back. If we cross paths again, I may be forced to kill you," she growled as she turned away from him. Seiya glanced towards Akihiko as the older man still watched as he turned towards the door.

~*~*~

Seiya looked up at the window where the light shone out, rehearsing the words he wanted to say in his mind. He raised his hand to know before the confidence left him, pausing as he heard the occupants click the latch on the door. A sigh of relief escaped his lips when the lock clicked open.

"Seiya! What a surprise, particularly at this time of night," Taiki calmly remarked. Seiya opened his mouth to question if that was sarcasm from his brother, but he quickly closed it as the taller man ushered in the door.

"I know it is late, but I wasn't sure where else to go." Seiya's disappointment was evident to Taiki as he took in his brother's languished form. Things must be more dire than usual if the detective felt he had to come to the family home for help.

"Come Seiya, sit, and I will get some tea. Then you can tell me what this is all about," Taiki gestured to the kitchen expecting the raven haired man to follow.

"She left me and betrayed me," Seiya choked out. Taiki turned to see his brother still in the entry, tears streaming down his face. "But that's not even why I am here," a sad chuckle escaped him as he wiped the liquid on his sleeve. "I can deal with the heartbreak if I must. She traded my love for a shot at Kakyuu. I need your help to get to a witness before she does, or she will destroy the whole Kou family."

~*~*~

(A/N) Shiranaihito mean stranger.

Thanks for all those following the story, and checking durning the delay in update. Went on vacation, got stuck in a few hurricanes... you know, the usual.