(Whoa,
well if this isn't a total blast from my past! I wrote this fic MANY years ago.
My writing style has changed, and I haven't changed the dialogue at all. But I
have formatted it to the format I use for my present fics. I dug this one up
looking through my old school files. Enjoy!)
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You
know the drill. I don't own the characters, Yadda Yadda Yadda, let's read.
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Ch 1
I know you wanna leave me,
But I refuse to let you go…
-Ain't to proud to
beg, the Temptations? (Boy, I'm am REALLY going back for this one.)
Minako smiled. This was going to be
a wonderful day. She could feel it. She smiled at Artemis who was riding on her
shoulder as she walked to school.
"Isn't
it a great day, Artemis?" she asked. Artemis nodded.
"Yes,
it IS a fine day. But it won't be for long if you're late." He told her.
She nodded and walked faster. When she got to school, she smiled wider.
Although she didn't go to the same school as Usagi or Rei, she had her friends
here too. She set Artemis down and hurried inside the school with Artemis
trailing.
"Ohmygosh, I'm so late!!!"
Usagi wailed as she ran onwards towards school. Luna ran beside her.
"Well
maybe if you got up a little earlier, Usagi, you wouldn't have this
problem!" Usagi cried out as she actually tripped over Luna. Then she
picked herself back up and started running again. She got there and was in her
seat just as the bell rang. She let out a breath.
"Good
thing I have my homework with me today.." She looked in her bag and let
out a little wail. "OH NO!! Where is it? It must have fallen out when I
fell!!" She looked around the room and started to cry.
"Your homework fell out?"
Makoto asked in disbelief. Usagi nodded unhappily. Ami smiled.
"Well,
I'll testify that you had it. I helped you with it." Usagi nodded.
"Thanks."
Luna walked up.
"Hello,
girls." she said to Ami and Makoto. They both nodded.
"Nice
day, isn't it?" Luna asked. Makoto smiled and nodded.
Ami
looked at her. "I think she's thinking about meeting with Shin
later....come to think of it, I wouldn't mind seeing Touma again..." Usagi
and Luna laughed.
"I
bet." Usagi told her. I can't wait to see Mamoru again. Usagi thought. She
remembered the last time he had brought her her lunch. She had been elated! But
now, she had her lunch and she began eating it at top speed. Ami developed a
teardrop and stared at Usagi. She'd feel better when she saw Mamoru, she
thought. And Ami herself would feel ALOT better when she was with Touma, she
thought.
Seiji stared at the image of Mia on
his communicator. Could she be serious? She guessed what he was thinking and
shook her head.
"Would
I kid about a thing like this?" She shook his head. Indeed, she wouldn't.
But, oh, the warlords were going to pay the ultimate price for this. Just then,
Rei came up beside the Ronins. She quickly registered the upset expression on
their faces. Seiji quickly tapped the communicator off. Rei looked at all of
them in turn.
"What's
wrong?" she asked.
Ryo
sighed. "The warlords have gone too far, that's what." Rei looked at
him in surprise. Seiji took it up for him.
"You
know the little kid we're taking of? Ule?" Rei nodded. She recalled
meeting Ule, along with Mia. Pretty girl, that Mia, but a little on the
possessive side about Ryo if you asked her. Seiji continued.
"The
warlords seem determined to get at us, so they've taken him." Rei let out
an audible gasp.
"Oh
my god....then.." she turned to Ryo.
"You'll
have to leave...to go after him...?" Ryo nodded.
"Not
until we get ourselves together first and make a plan. Which means we won't be
gone for a couple of days." Rei nodded and hugged Ryo.
"I
wish you weren't." Ryo hugged her back and kissed her softly.
"I
know." he told her. Rei sighed. She didn't know if she could stand it when
Ryo left, but it was necessary.
Ami nearly broke down in tears and
Touma hugged her.
"No,
no, don't do that. Please don't." he begged her.
She
looked up. "Why can't we go with you?" she asked.
He
shook his head. "Too dangerous. If the Warlords got you five, they'd have
us at their mercy."
Ami
nodded. She understood, but it was going to really hard. Minako looked at all
of her friends. She was upset about them going too, but she hadn't made a
connection with any of them. Well, maybe almost a couple of times with Seiji...
She really DID like him, but somehow, it was just way over her head to go out
with him. He looked really upset about leaving, but she didn't know if it was
over leaving or leaving her.
Seiji bit his pen uncertainly, not
sure if this was wanted to say. He looked it over and started writing again.
Shou came up and tried to look over his shoulder.
"What's
that?" he asked, prompting Seiji to hurriedly turn the piece of paper
over.
"Nothing!"
Seiji answered, a little too quickly. Shou laughed.
"Then
why're you hiding it?" he asked.
Seiji
glared at him. "It's private. Okay?" Shou held up his hands.
"Okay,
you win. I'll back off." and true to his word, he backed off. Seiji sighed
and turned the piece of paper back over. He read it over and started to write
again.
Makoto sighed. "What're we
going to do without them?" she asked Ami and Usagi as they walked to
school together. Ami shrugged unhappily.
"I
don't know. I couldn't even study last night for thinking of Touma so much. I
don't want him to leave." Makoto turned hotly on her.
"Oh,
and I'm just BEGGING for Shin to go!!" she practically yelled at her.
Usagi stepped in before things got ugly.
"Stop
it, you two!! You're beginning to sound like-like me an' Rei!!" They
stopped at this. That was one thing they DEFINATELY did not want. Makoto
sighed.
"I'm
sorry, Ami. I'm upset about it too." Ami nodded then looked at Usagi.
"You're
taking the news well, Usagi." Usagi nodded.
"Why
shouldn't I? MY boyfriend isn't one of the Ronins." Ami and Makoto stopped
dead in their tracks.
"Are
you saying there's something wrong with having a Ronin as a boyfriend?"
Ami asked. Usagi flustered.
"Well,
I ah..." Makoto dropped her bag and chased after Usagi for the remaining
three blocks to their school. Ami sighed, picked up Makoto's bag and walked on.
Bertie glared at this helpless
little kid they had tied up on the couch. HE was their ticket to destroying the
Ronins and nobody was going to stop them. Not even the Senshi. They knew the
Ronins wouldn't allow them to come. Rajura stepped up beside her.
"Puny
little guy, isn't he?" Ule tried to speak in reply, but he had a gag over
his mouth. Bertie laughed.
"Do
you really think they'll come to get him?" Rajura nodded.
"Definitely.
They seem to care about him." Rubbeus appeared.
"I've
got to hand it to you this time, Rajura. It looks as if you've got this one set
up just right. Now let's see you execute it without a glitch." he said
coldly to Rajura. Rajura ignored him and reached over to pull off Ule's gag.
The moment it was off Ule started talking nonstop about how the Ronins were
going to free him and how they were going to kick their butts. Anubis, who was
shining his sword, laughed.
"They'll
be lucky if they make it into the castle!" he told Ule. Ule couldn't think
of anything to say to this, so he shut up. Rajura grinned. This was the perfect
setup. Then, once the Ronins were out of the way, they could take Chibiusa,
turn her over to the Wiseman, and still kill the Senshi. He sat in the easy
chair happily. He LOVED his job.
Touma stared out of his window. He
was riding to pick up the girls from school. One of the last times he would be
able to do so. He remembered when he and Ami had had that huge fight. He was
pretty mad with her then. But they'd made up, and they were closer than ever
now. But how would they maintain their relationship through THIS? he thought to
himself. Seiji was busy scribbling something onto a piece of paper that was
clipped to a clipboard. Shou tried to peek every now and then, but Seiji would
always be on the lookout and he'd cover the paper in time. Shin was driving. He
knew how it was tearing him apart to leave Makoto. Hell, it had even taken it's
toll on Ryo. He himself, he was a nervous wreck. He needed Ami. It was that
simple. He could barely go a day without her. And now he was going to leave her
to go fight??? It was crazy!! But it was something he had to do. Something that
just had to be done. He didn't like it and he was going to make sure that the
warlords were going to pay for making him leave Ami. Shin pulled up in front of
the school as it let out. They still had one more stop to make, and the girls
knew this, so they came out right away. Shin kissed Makoto through his window,
and as soon as everyone was inside, he sped off towards another school not far
from Usagi's. When he got there, he picked up Minako. Seiji hurriedly stuffed
the paper into his pocket before Minako could get a look at it.
"What
is that, Seiji?" she asked. Seiji shook his head.
"Nothing!!"
he said. Shou laughed.
"You
won't get anymore out of him, believe me. I know. I've tried." Minako
shrugged and smiled. She didn't know what this paper was all about, but she had
a feeling she'd find out if she had to. Shin pulled up to the temple and
everyone got out. Makoto smiled.
"We're
studying American marriage customs in school." Shin looked nervous.
"And?"
he asked. Makoto shrugged.
"It's
custom to carry the girl over the threshold." Shin paled.
"If
ye think I'm carrying ye up all those steps, I'm afraid ye're mistaken."
Makoto looked hurt and Shin sighed.
"C'mon." Makoto smiled as Shin
picked her up and staggered up the temple steps with her. Ami smiled.
"Touma?"
Touma had already started up the steps.
"Forget
it." he told her. She huffed and started up the steps, passing him. When
Touma had almost reached the top, Ami threatened to knock him back down and
nearly succeeded, but Seiji was behind him, and was able to steady him. Ami
grinned and walked away. Shin had put Makoto down and was hugging her from
behind. They were talking softly, about what, nobody knew. Ryo looked around
for Rei when Chad of all people popped up.
"I,
ah, hear you're going away???" Ryo nodded. "Uh, well, I..ah..just
wanted to say good luck, wherever you're going."
Ryo
nearly laughed out loud. He could see the greedy expression in Chad's eyes. He
wanted Rei to himself and he knew it. Now that his competition was going, he'd
be free to hit on Rei all he wanted. Ryo nodded and extended his hand.
"Cool,
man. Shake?" Chad developed a teardrop.
"Well,
actually, I've got to go clean the main shrine. See you later!" he said
and he sped off. Ryo DID laugh out loud. Seiji looked at him, sighed and
whipped out that piece of paper again. He looked it over, glanced at Minako,
and stuffed it back into his jacket again. Rei walked up, looking grim. Ryo
took her and kissed her softly on the cheek.
"We'll
be alright. Don't worry." she nodded, but she still looked upset. She
sighed.
"I
guess maybe we should help you with your plan?" Touma smiled despite
himself.
"Would be nice." he said. Rei nodded and
herded everyone into her room.
