Chapter Ten: Secrets Unveiled
It turned out Quatre had contracted pneumonia. He was in bed for two weeks. The first few days were horrible. He was feverish, it hurt every time he breathed, he was exhausted, but he couldn't sleep, and two minutes never went by without a cough from him. After a while, it wasn't so bad. By the end of the two weeks, he only coughed rarely, and he was eager to go out.
"Can I get out of bed yet?" he asked Trowa one day. It was a Saturday, December fifteenth. The sun was bright in his window, and a crisp winter breeze gently stirred the leafless branches outside. Quatre longed to leave his room and enjoy the fresh air.
Trowa raised his eyebrows. "Did I just hear you, of all people, whine?"
"Yeah," Quatre admitted. "But you can't exactly blame me. You'd whine, too, if you'd been stuck in bed for two weeks."
Trowa smiled. "You've got a point. And you'll be glad to know, yes, you can get out of bed."
He had barely finished the sentence before Quatre had joyfully leapt to his feet, pushed Trowa out of the room, and shut the door to get dressed. In about three minutes the door opened again. Quatre stood there, fully clothed, and grinning from ear to ear.
"That was quick," Trowa commented. "So, what are you going to do?"
"Anything, as long as it's outdoors," Quatre responded. "Where is everyone?"
"Heero's working in his room, Duo's out somewhere with Mina, Wufei's doing his shift at the arcade, and," he checked his watch, "come to think of it, "I should get going if I don't want to be late for mine."
"I'll go with you," Quatre offered. The two boys took their jackets and headed out the door, into the brisk winter air.
* * *
"Mina?" Duo turned to her. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," she said. "Why?"
"You've been kind of quiet today, that's all," he told her. They'd been walking around the park for about a half hour now, sometimes talking, sometimes just enjoying being together.
In truth, Mina had had something nagging at the back of her mind since the previous day, right after school, when she had heard two girls gossiping as they walked along.
"I feel so bad for Tomoyo, don't you?" one had said.
"I know," the other had agreed. "With that face, do you think she'll ever get a boyfriend?"
"I doubt it," the first had said. "Unless he's blind." They had erupted into giggles after her mean comment.
Mina knew she shouldn't let them get to her; they were just obnoxious airheads. Even so, she couldn't help feeling a little weird. "Duo?" she said suddenly.
"What is it?" he asked.
Mina hesitated, then decided to say her feelings, because she didn't want to have any secrets from Duo, other than her secret identity. "Would you still love me if I were ugly?" There. She'd said it.
Duo looked surprised for a moment. His face then turned serious, a rare event for him. "Mina," he said, trying to find words to explain himself. "I've loved you since that first moment we met, before I saw you, right when we ran into each other. I didn't know it at the time, but looking back, I realized that it was almost like a certain light had drawn me to you. In answer to your question, I would love you if you looked like a dead troll that a witch mutated with a toad."
Mina smiled. "Thanks," she said, feeling reassured. "You're so sweet."
"What about me?" Duo asked, his smile returning. "Would you still love me if I weren't absolutely gorgeous?"
"Of course," Mina replied teasingly. "After all, I love you now, don't I?"
"Hey!" he protested. Mina laughed and kissed him. They leaned closer, and were about to embrace, when a very freaky-looking, very annoyed woman stomped between them. She had skin as white as paper, and black hair, eyes, nails, and clothing.
"What the--?" Duo cried. "Hey! What the heck is your problem?" he demanded angrily.
"Who do you think you are?" Mina said.
The woman glared at them. "Alright. You want the story? All my minions failed, and I've spent the last two weeks raising my power as much as possible. I don't intend to end up like my minions. Now, let's have fun, shall we?"
Mina gasped. This woman was a Daimon! "Duo, get out of here!" she cried frantically. "Run!"
But it was too late. The Daimon had sent out a beam of dark energy at Duo, trapping him against a nearby tree. He cried out in pain.
"First, I think I'll take some of your life force," the monster cackled.
The ring of dark energy around Duo tightened. He could feel the beam burning his skin, and he could feel his life force draining away.
"Duo!" yelled Mina. "Let him go, you ugly hag!"
"Who's going to make me?" the Daimon sneered. "Your Heart Crystal is mine!" The glowing object appeared in front of Duo. He was released from his bonds and slumped to the ground. His breath was shallow and uneven. His face was ghastly pale.
"DUO!" Mina screamed. She forced back the tears threatening to overcome her. "You'll pay for this!" she yelled at the Daimon.
The woman smiled smugly. "Oh, really? What are you going to about it, girlie? How is one pitiful little girl going to stop the great Hadesa?"
"You don't know who you're dealing with," Mina hissed. She held up her transformation wand. "VENUS CRYSTAL POWER... MAKE-UP!"
She was bathed in a familiar yellow-orange glow as her clothes were replaced with her Sailor outfit. She didn't bother with a mask; Duo had already seen her transform.
Duo watched the transformation. His foggy mind recognized the Sailor outfit, and processed one thought before losing consciousness: Mina's one of the Sailor Senshi?
Sailor Venus watched Duo's eyes close. "No!" she cried. "That's it!" she said, turning to face Hadesa. "You mess with someone I love, and you mess with me. I am the soldier of love and beauty, and for hurting my loved ones, this goddess of love will destroy you! I will throw down your punishment of love from heaven!" She thought, I'd better call the others. She started to turn on her communicator.
Hadesa's eyes narrowed. "So you're one of the Sailor nitwits, huh?" Without warning, she lunged at Venus, snatched the communicator from her wrist, and smashed it into tiny fragments on the ground. "Hah!" she cried triumphantly. "Not so sure of yourself now that you can't call your little friends, are you? Face it. You're worthless without your whole team. Besides, I've already stolen most of your boyfriend's energy. Without his Heart Crystal, he'll be dead in minutes."
Mina tried to stand firm and not let the fear that clutched at her heart show on her face. Don't panic, she ordered herself. Stay calm. She went into her attack. "VENUS LOVE AND BEAUTY SHOCK!" Her deadly golden beam raced at Hadesa. The Daimon merely smiled and blocked it with one hand.
"Now it's my turn!" Hadesa crowed. "DARK ARROW STRIKE!" A bolt of electricity shot out at Venus. She moved quickly enough to avoid getting the full blast, but it caught her side, causing her to give a cry of pain.
I can't do this! she thought frantically. I can't destroy her alone! Desperately, she wished for Amy's brains, or Lita's fighting skills, or Raye's instincts, or Serena's and the Outer Senshi's powers. Any of them would be a major help right now. But you can't have them, she told herself sternly. You'll just have to fight without them. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Duo lying by the tree, each breath shallower than the last. Think of Duo. You have to save him!
Sailor Venus raised her chin defiantly. "I will destroy you!" she yelled, ignoring the pain in her side. The gem in her tiara started to glow. "VENUS CRYSTAL POWER!" She could sense her power growing.
"What is this?" Hadesa cried bewilderedly. She started to go into her attack, ready to finish Venus off. "DARK ARROW--"
Venus knew that her power was at its peak. Using all of her strength, she threw her attack at the Daimon. "VENUS LOVE AND BEAUTY SHOCK!" The attack collided with Hadesa head-on, and the last Daimon screamed and writhed, then disintegrated, going out like a candle's flame.
Sailor Venus resisted the urge to collapse to her knees. Instead, she ran to Duo. She could no longer see the steady rise and fall of his chest. She gently took his Heart Crystal out of the air where it floated, and replaced it in his chest.
Nothing happened. Venus watched anxiously. Could it be too late? "No," she whispered. "It can't be too late!" She felt a tear slide gently down her cheek, followed by another, then two more. Soon, the tears were like a flood on her cheeks. "Please, no,"" she sobbed. "Please, no."
Suddenly, she thought she saw movement; Duo's eyelids had twitched. Was there still hope? She held her breath.
A few tense, suspenseful moments passed. Venus again feared the worst. Then, she heard a groan come from Duo's throat. His eyelids slowly parted, revealing the clear blue beneath. He struggled to sit up, and leaned against the tree. "Mina?" he said hoarsely.
"Oh, Duo!" Venus cried, bursting into tears once more. She flung her arms around him. "I'm so glad you're alive! I thought...I thought that you..." A new wave of sobs overtook her.
"Oh, God, Mina," Duo said. "Please don't cry. It's okay. Why are you crying?"
Venus calmed down. "I was so afraid I'd never see you again," she said. "I'm just so relieved that you're safe." She stood up and offered her hand. He took it, and she pulled him to his feet.
Duo rubbed his head. "What's going on? I mean, you, and the Sailor Senshi, and those monsters..." He tried to piece together what had just happened.
"I guess I should explain some things, huh?" Mina said. She walked to a nearby bench and de-transformed. "Let's sit down," se said, following her own advice.
Once Duo had sat down next to her, she sighed. "Where should I begin?" she wondered. Deciding to start at the very beginning, she very briefly outlined the story of the Silver Millennium and the Sailor Senshi. When she was finished, she said, "Well, that's the truth, as crazy as it seems. Please don't be mad that I didn't tell you. I couldn't, you see? If people knew who we were, they could be used by our enemies." A look of sadness crossed her face. "That happened to a friend of mine in England, and I don't want it to happen to anyone else ever again. You understand, right?" She looked at him anxiously.
Duo nodded. "Yeah, I understand." He sighed. "I know a lot about keeping secrets. Mina, there's something I have to tell you."
"What is it?" she asked, full of concern.
He took a deep breath. "Mina...I'm from the future." He waited to hear her shocked response.
None came. Instead, she just laughed. "Oh, is that all?" she said breezily.
Duo was a bit taken aback. "You mean you're not shocked?"
"Of course not," she said. "Surprised, sure, but not shocked. That's not a big deal at all. I was worried you were going to say something really bad, but being from the future? Let me guess. Setsuna sent you, right?"
Duo could only nod.
"Thought so," Mina remarked. "Chibi-Usa's from the future, too, you know."
"Serena's little cousin?" he remembered.
"Actually, she's Serena's and Darien's daughter from the future," Mina said. "Serena's going to become Neo-Queen Serenity, and Darien will become King Endymion. Together, they'll rule the world from Crystal Tokyo.
Duo blinked in confusion. This was certainly a surprise.
"So, what are you doing here in the past, anyway?" she asked.
"Well," he started slowly, "Sailor Pluto wanted us to come back here to find the Sailor Senshi, er, you guys, and take you back to our time. Apparently, Crystal Tokyo had been overthrown long before our time. Some people are trying to start a new war between the Colonies and the Earth, and you need to travel to our time, free your future selves, and stop them."
Mina looked puzzled. "What do you mean by 'a new war?' What are the Colonies?"
Duo remembered that he was basically in a completely different world from his own. He quickly explained about the Colonies and the Gundam War in A. C. 195, and about the roles he and his friends had played as Gundam pilots.
By the time he was done, Mina looked stricken. "Oh, Duo," she breathed. "I can't even imagine what it must have been like, what you must have gone through. You've suffered so much."
"Hey, don't worry about it," Duo said, trying to sound nonchalant. "It's all over now."
Mina
said nothing, but just looked at Duo through sad blue eyes. Duo could tell his carefree smile wasn't
fooling her. "Really," he assured her. "I'm fine now."
She shook her head. "No, you're not," she said. "Not really."
"You're right," he confessed. "But I'm happy with my life. And I will be okay, with time."
A small smile formed on her lips. Then, quite suddenly, she leaned over and kissed him, and he kissed her back. They pressed against each other. Duo could feel a wetness on his cheeks where Mina's eyelashes, damp with her tears, had brushed against them. They held each other close, wanting never to let go. She leaned her head on his shoulder.
They stayed like them for a long time. Eventually, they pulled apart with a great deal of reluctance. "Guess I'd better go tell the guys that I've discovered who the Sailor Senshi are," Duo said.
Mina nodded. "And I'd better go tell the girls the whole story."
They stood up. "So," Duo said. "Should we meet each other tomorrow?"
"Yeah," Mina said. "Maybe, oh, I don't know, here around noon?"
"Okay," Duo agreed. "I'll see you then." He started to walk off when something struck him as funny and he laughed out loud.
"What is it?" Mina wanted to know.
Duo smiled. "I was just thinking that we make a weird couple: the god of death and the goddess of love."
"Yeah," Mina agreed. "But if all goes well, you'll never have to be the god of death again."
"True," Duo said. "But you'll always be my goddess of love."
They exchanged one more kiss before going their separate ways.
* * *
Duo walked into the house. "Hey, anyone home?" he called.
"Just me," came Heero's voice from upstairs.
Duo walked up the stairs and to Heero's open doorway. Looking in, he could see the Japanese boy clicking away at his laptop. "Hey, Heero," Duo called. "I've got something to tell you."
"What is it?" Heero asked, never taking his eyes off the computer screen.
Duo sighed. "I've found the Sailor Senshi."
* * *
"Wow," Raye murmured. "Unbelievable."
The Sailor Senshi were gathered at the Cherry Hill Temple, with the exception of Setsuna. Mina had just repeated to them what Duo had told her.
"So I guess we'd better start packing," Lita said.
"Yeah," Michiru agreed.
"Hi, guys, sorry I'm late," Setsuna greeted them, coming through the door of the temple. "My professor needed to discuss my term paper with me. What'd I miss?"
"It's a long story," Mina said. "But I think you know it already."
Setsuna was was puzzled for a moment before understanding dawned in her mind. "So," she said slowly. "They found out. Was it Duo?"
"Yeah," Mina answered.
"We leave tomorrow," Amy told her. "You can do it, right?"
"Of course," Setsuna answered.
"What do you think the future will be like?" Amy wondered. "I mean, from what Mina said, their time is radically different from ours."
"Knowing you, Amy," Serena said, "you'll probably gush over all the technology."
"Well, it will be a fascinating experience," Amy admitted.
Everyone started talking excitedly about what they thought the future would be like. Mina stayed uncharacteristically silent. She couldn't honestly take part in the conversation, because the only thing she was looking forward to was spending more time with Duo.
* * *
"I can't believe those girls are the Sailor Senshi," Wufei marveled. After telling Heero, Duo had repeated his story to Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei upon their arrival.
"Why?" Quatre said.
"It's just that I expected the Sailor Senshi to be more, well, remarkable," Wufei said. "No offense to Mina, Duo," he added hastily.
"What about Haruka's racing talent?" Trowa said. "Or Michiru's musical talent? Or Raye's supernatural abilities as a priestess? Or Amy's brains? Or Lita's strength?"
Wufei grimaced. "Don't remind me. But, yeah, I see your point."
"What I can't believe is that they were right there, under our noses, the whole time," Quatre commented.
"Yeah," Duo agreed. In response to Wufei's earlier comment, he said, "And I happen to think Mina's very remarkable."
"Yeah," Heero said. "She's the only person I've ever met who's more cheerful than you are."
"Her and Kelsey," Quatre said. He gave a little shudder. "That's one thing I won't be glad to go back to."
"Well, I'm looking forward to returning to the circus," Trowa said.
"And we all know Wufei can't wait to see Sally, and Heero is drooling over the mere thought of Relena," Duo said mischievously.
Heero and Wufei blushed and turned away.
Duo laughed a bit. The truth was, tease his friends as he might about their romantic interests, he wasn't exactly innocent in that respect. He was secretly glad Mina was a Sailor Senshi; it meant that their good-bye would be delayed.
* * * * * * *
Notes: Just one more chapter left! Yes! If you're still reading this, I commend your patience and thank you heartily. As always, e-mail, but no flames.
FYI: Hmm, nothing, I guess.
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this fic, not Sailor Moon, not Gundam Wing, not anything that I may have mentioned in this fic and forgot to mention in this disclaimer. Oh, wait, I DO own Kelsey. She's mine, all MINE! Do NOT use her without my permission!