*does giant cheesy wave * Hello again! See I'm not always that bad at
getting new chapters out. ^_~ Oh and by the way, I've never watched Gundam
Wing… *dodges the rotten fruit being thrown at her * I've heard it was
really good though… but I guess that tells you that I have no idea who Duo
is… Gomen… Don't worry, I love the outers, they are my favorites after the
Starlights. I'll take care of them later, right now Mamoru and them serve
as good comic relief. Hahahahaa… If Haruka only knew what I was doing to
her!
Thanks for the toaster offer LIR… You know I can't answer your questions, that would ruin it all for you. ^_~
Thanks for the big kisses Girl8!! By the way, don't mind Cookie Monster… *sweat drops * I'm sure she didn't really mean that!
Sorry for the long AN… but there's one more part. There are yuri hints towards the end, but nothing graphic that would make you people that are uncomfortable with it's stomach turn, but hey, consider this your fair warning. (Really there's only a little, so little you probably won't even notice it!) Here's the story! ^_^ (Can you tell I'm in a great mood today?)
Part VIII
Taiki was reading a book on the couch, as usual and other than the occasional turn of a page the apartment was silent. The afternoon was getting on and soon the sky would be lit by the brilliant glow of the stars. Taiki's concentration was broken by the slam of a door.
"You know, the door shuts easily, there is no need to slam it." Taiki said without even looking up from his book.
"I know, but it wouldn't annoy you if I did it any other way." Seiya winked and headed for the kitchen.
Taiki sighed and once again realized how childish Seiya could actually be sometimes. Before he could get any more into his thought the sound of a door slamming resounded through the apartment again. Taiki just grunted and folded up his book.
Yaten walked in the apartment with a certain glow about him. "What's up with you?" Taiki asked with a raised brow. Yaten said nothing to him, walked by him and just smiled. To say the least Taiki was completely confused.
"How was your date with Usagi?" Yaten asked nudging Seiya in the side.
"It wasn't a date." Seiya said rummaging through the cabinets for something he could eat that he didn't have to cook. "We were just catching up on old times."
"Yeah, and you expect us to believe that?" Yaten grinned a little more.
Seiya narrowed his eyes and looked at Yaten's amused expression. "Yes, I expect you to believe that because that's what happened."
"Good." Taiki said coming into the kitchen and the conversation. "This time I'd like to see you keep your mind focused on looking for the Princess unlike last time."
Seiya looked down a bit, his back was to his companions and the cabinet door hid his face. Yaten's voice brought him from his thoughts. "Taiki leave him alone, and don't pretend that he was the only one getting 'distracted' last time we were here!"
Taiki's eyes were wide in surprise, was Yaten actually presuming to lecture him? "You guys know what I mean." Was all Taiki said in return before he turned to leave the room.
"Taiki wait." Seiya called as he shut the cabinet door ending his search for dinner. "There's this girl…"
"Oh come on, don't tell me you found some one else to google over now!" Yaten hugged and smacked his forehead.
"No." Seiya's eyes narrowed. "If you'd let me finish, Odango is hanging around with this girl. I believe that her name is Morgan, Yaten's seen her. Well anyway, she has been going out of her way to allow me to spend time with Odango, even putting herself in harms way."
"So?" Taiki asked getting annoyed that he had returned just to here Seiya talk about his Odango's friend.
"So, after she saved me from Haruka yesterday she whispered something in my ear before she left. She said that Kakyuu says hello." Seiya's hand was to his chin in thought.
"Nani!" Yaten asked and he saw the look on Taiki's face which showed that he felt the same. "Do you think she has our Princess?"
"No…" Seiya answered. "I don't think so, but I definitely think she knows where she is."
"We should keep an eye on her then." Taiki answered before resuming on his path to the living room, back to his confinement.
~@~@~@~
"This sucks!" Helios complained as we hiked up the hill towards school. "Why do we have to go to school?"
"Because…" I said walking along not really paying attention to him but lost in my own thoughts.
"Because why?" Helios whined some more. "It's all Kakyuu's fault! Why doesn't she have to come?"
"Dumbass, she can't go to school. The others will recognize her for sure. Besides, she has done her part."
"What do you mean? She hasn't done anything yet!"
I shook my head. "Her job was to bring Seiya to Earth. Do you see Seiya on Earth? Well there you go genius, she did her job. The rest is up to us." I was still tired from not getting enough sleep and the smallest comments he was making this morning were riding my last nerve. "If we go to school that gives us a chance to interact with them and bring Seiya and Usagi closer together."
"Oh…" Helios realized that he hadn't thought that whole comment through. "But still…"
"Oh god! Just shut up!" I brought my hand to my forehead.
"They're almost as bad as you and Rei, Usagi." Makoto giggled from behind us. Helios and I stopped and turned around to find a group of four girls behind us.
"Hello minna!" I waved and Helios let a very unenthusiastic good morning slip out. I prayed that they hadn't heard any more of the conversation that we had just been having.
"Speaking of Rei, she asked me to come over to the shrine today, did she ask any of you?" Usagi asked directing the comment more towards Ami, Minako and Makoto than Helios and myself.
Everyone shook their heads and said no until Makoto quickly changed the subject. "So who's this cutie here?" She said coming up next to Helios who just sweat dropped.
"That's Aisoku!" Minako said more than enthusiastically. "Him and Morgan are going to be going to our school now!"
"I think they have a little thing for you." I smiled as I whispered to Helios who just grumbled something under his breath. I had told the girls that we were going to be going to their school when I slept over at Minako's house. You'd think that I would have gotten used to the way they said Morgan, but it still bugged me. I didn't like being left out of the joke, especially when it was about me!
"What time is nap time around here?" Helios said with his eyes still half closed. The girls giggled and just passed him off. Up ahead we could see a crowd of students blocking the front gate.
"Looks like the Three Lights have arrived at school." Minako said not taking her eyes from the crowd. "Well what are we waiting for?" She looked at me and the other girls. "Let's go!"
"Hai!" The others screamed and followed her towards the school at a pace that was entirely way to fast for me this time of the morning.
Helios and I just stood and sweat dropped at the scene. "I was wondering why she was actually on time for school for once." I said thinking of Usagi. Then realizing we were alone I turned to Helios. "Why are you so tired?"
"I got to talking with Kakyuu last night and lost track of the time." He said nonchalantly.
"What were you talking about?" I asked assuming it had something to do with Seiya.
"None of your business!" He snapped at me and quickened his pace to pull ahead of me.
"Touchy! Geesh, bite my head off why don't you!?" I said surprised at his sudden outburst.
"And why are you so tired? You went to bed way before you normally do." He said slowing and calming down a bit.
I fidgeted a bit but saw no harm in answering him. "I couldn't fall asleep, I was thinking."
His mood softened more and he actually seemed concerned about me, although it was beyond me why. "What were you thinking about?"
I thought of snapping back at him in much the same way he had done to me but I really wasn't in the mood to get in another argument with him. "Home." I looked down at my feet making ground on the sidewalk. "I just miss it so much… I guess I'm just scared."
Helios seemed surprised at my words because he stopped walking. "There's nothing to be scared about." He said when I stopped walking also to turn around to face him.
"I'm just afraid that everything I know is never going to exist again and that I'll be stuck here forever. It scares me to think that my life up until now has been nothing but a dream." I said feeling slight moisture in my eyes. I turned my face up to look right in the sun, I didn't want him to know that I was crying. I expected the ridicule to start up once again but it didn't.
Helios came up and stood right in front of me, I brought my gaze down from the sky and he wrapped me in a warm embrace. "Don't worry, everything will work out." He whispered to me. It was the first time I felt comfort since I had gotten here.
~@~@~@~
This school was just as boring as my school had been back home. "No wonder Usagi's always getting in trouble, you need to do something for excitement around here." I mumbled to myself but heard Makoto laugh in front of me. I sat behind Makoto and next to Taiki. All the way across the room was Seiya, Usagi, and Helios. Helios and I had been getting strange glances from the Lights all morning. I knew it was because of my comment from Saturday.
I saw the far off dreamy look in Seiya's eyes as she stared at the back of Usagi's head, I knew he was completely oblivious to what was going on around him. Usagi seemed to be drawing in her notebook, she had her tongue hanging out the side of her mouth and appeared to be in deep concentration. The loud ringing of the bell brought everyone from their tasks and I saw Seiya shoot up from his desk really fast as though he had just been abruptly awoken from a sweet dream, which I'm sure he had been.
The students began to filter out of the classroom and assemble in the hall. It was the end of the day and I silently thanked God because I didn't think I could take any more of it! Helios came up to my locker as I gathered my things and my bag to go home. "Napping in class again huh?" I smiled at him as I shut my locker.
"You're one to talk, I caught you once or twice yourself." He said annoyed.
"Oh so you were staring at me huh?" I questioned him jokingly but then notice the blush in his cheeks.
"No!" He answered back. "And doesn't that mean that you were staring at me too?" He said raising his eyebrows up and down while leaning towards me.
I started laughing and he backed off. "You sat right next to Seiya, do you really think I was concentrating on you?" He stopped joking and only replied with an 'oh'. "We do have a mission you know, it's now my official job to stare at him!"
"Stare at who?" Minako came bouncing up behind me and scared the living daylights out of me.
"Oh no one." I said smiling at her.
"Oh, does Morgan have a little crush?" Minako teased as Ami, and the Lights came up behind her.
"More like an obsession…" Helios muttered but only I heard him. That one earned him a swift elbow to the side.
I shook my head and tried to wave her off, thank god Usagi came running up and saved me. "Morgan! I'm going to my friend Rei's house after school if you'd like to join me and meet her." She smiled holding her bag in front of her.
"She can't." Helios stepped in.
I got a very puzzled look on my face. "Why can't I?" I faced him with the question and waited for an answer with everyone else.
"Because we have to plan your little 'trip'." He said through clenched teeth.
"OHHHH!" I said realizing what he getting at.
"I'll walk you to Rei's." Seiya offered up coming next to Usagi.
Usagi smiled at him sort of as a thank you and we all went to leave school. On the way out I swear we looked like the mafia with our big group all together. As we came to the gates I spotted a yellow convertible sports car at the curb, and there was Haruka leaning against it.
"Um….. I'll umm….. see you guys later." I waved as pulled Helios by his arm.
"What are you doing?" He asked as we were speeding off in the opposite direction.
"Haruka was sitting outside the school. I don't think it would have gone over well if she had seen me." I said slowing down realizing that no one was following us.
"Oi Koneko-chan!" Haruka smiled and waved at the girls.
Taiki was still looking off in the direction that Morgan and Aisoku had torn off in. Obviously they were not big fans of Haruka. 'Perhaps that would be a good sign for us.' He thought to himself as he noticed Yaten doing the same.
"Haruka? What are you doing here?" Usagi asked then noticed Michiru in the passenger seat. "Hello Michiru." She waved to acknowledge her.
"We came to pick you up. Mamoru is over at the house right now with Setsuna." Haruka said in a tone uncommonly chipper for her but at the same time gave the evil eye to Seiya who was standing uncomfortably close to her Koneko-chan.
Usagi smiled at Haruka and Seiya thought that all his chances of walking Usagi to the shrine had just gone out the window. "Gomen, but I told Rei I would meet her after school."
Seiya let out a sigh of relief and Haruka shot him an even sharper look. "Ok Koneko, but give us a call some time, we're starting to think you forgot about us." Haruka winked at her and jumped in the car.
"I could never forget about you guys!" Usagi smiled with her head to the side.
The car took off from the curb and Taiki grabbed Seiya's arm before he had a chance to walk off. "Seiya, see what Usagi knows about that Morgan girl." He said a little above a whisper.
Seiya nodded and freed his arm from Taiki's hold. "Ready Odango?" He asked in an immediate mood change. Usagi nodded and they were off.
Makoto stared after them as they headed down the road. "She's so happy now." She said more to herself than anyone else but an overall agreement came from the crowd she was with.
"Seiya?" Usagi questioned as they walked along. He looked down at her to show that he was listening. "Why did you call Morgan an angel yesterday?"
"Why are you jealous?" He teased as he held his bag over his shoulder.
"NO!"
"Calm down Odango, I was just kidding." He laughed at her reaction. "I called her my 'guardian angel' because she pretty much saved my butt from a Haruka beating."
"Oh…" Usagi said feeling a little relief in his statement.
"Speaking of Morgan, how do you know her?"
Usagi felt a little pain of jealousy creep up on her. "You're not going to believe me if I tell you." She said still wondering why he was asking about her.
"Try me." He said flatly, he needed to figure out her connection to Kakyuu, and if she was a possible danger to Usagi.
"Well she's a cartoon character."
"What?" Seiya stopped and almost choked. He wasn't expecting that one.
"Yeah, she's a cartoon character come to life. I think she's really nice, don't you?" Usagi had a questioning agenda of her own here.
"Of course I think she's nice, she's made many openings for me to hang out with you." He winked at her and noticed her blush. 'If only Usagi would make openings for me.' He thought as he noticed the stairs of the Hikawa Shrine coming into view.
"Thank you for walking me here, it always seems so much longer when I'm by myself." Usagi stopped at the bottom of the stairs.
Seiya smiled at her. "Odango, we're having a concert Friday, I'd really like it if you would come."
"Of course I'd come, are you kidding me?"
He laughed at her excitement. "I just wanted to tell you ahead of time so you didn't make any plans. I'll get you a ticket, we know what kind of luck you usually have."
Usagi frowned but then realized he was right and laughed it off. "Arigato!" She said and gave him a peck on the cheek before running up the stairs.
"What was that for?" Seiya said as he held his cheek just watching her climb the mountain of stairs. A huge smile broke out on his face and he headed home with a renewed sense of hope.
Usagi huffed all the way up the stairs. "Why does everyone have to have so many damn stairs where they live? I'm going to get a ranch house or at least an elevator when I move out!"
Rei laughed at her friend when she conquered the mighty stair obstacle. "You're out of shape."
"Shut up." Usagi grumbled as she threw her bag down on the bench. She sat on the bench next to her bag and felt the relief of the shade of the tree above her.
"Gomen gomen." Rei said setting her broom against the tree and taking a seat next to her.
"How do you make it here so fast from school?"
"I'm not out of shape like you." She couldn't help herself. Usagi sighed and saw that it was pointless to try and counter her.
"I almost forgot how peaceful it was up here." Usagi said with a smile coming to her lips.
Rei sat back and took in the sight of her friend. "You seem happy lately." Usagi smiled over at her. "What's going on? Did Mamoru propose?"
Usagi's smile faded and she looked over at Rei. "No….."
"Why did you say it like that?" Rei grew a little concerned at her response. Normally Usagi would just spout out something like 'No, not yet he's probably still looking for the perfect ring.' Or 'Oh yeah I forgot to tell you? We got married yesterday!' This time it was too simple, there was something on her mind.
"No reason."
Was Usagi having doubts? True that wasn't the only explanation but that was the one that Rei wanted to hear. Yes this was her best friend and her Princess, of course she wanted her to be happy, happy with her. Rei had long since admired Usagi although she didn't really know how to express these feelings she had for her. Rei knew Usagi was destined to be with Mamoru and knew there was no place for her so her feelings of love for Usagi came out as teasings and rantings. "Usagi, I know you better than that."
Usagi smiled up at Rei with a warmth that made Rei's heart melt. "You do know me too well Rei." Usagi sighed and looked up at the branches above her. "I can tell you anything right?" She questioned not even bothering to look at Rei.
"Of course." Rei said pretty much urging her to continue.
Usagi paused again before saying anything, seemingly to get her thoughts in order. "There's some one else on my mind."
"WHAT!" Rei was completely shocked but didn't want Usagi to take this as her being mad at her. "Who?" She asked sneakily.
"It's not important who it is… Oh Rei, what am I going to do. I've been having this feeling for so long and I don't know what to do about it."
Was she thinking of Rei? Possibly, who else could it be? Rei had no idea that the Lights were back and the thought to suspect them didn't even come to her mind. "I say follow your heart."
"My heart tells me to break up with Mamoru, it has for a while now, but it also tells me to stay with him." Usagi took her gaze from the trees to look at the ground between her feet. "It tells me to stay with him for Chibi-Usa's sake."
Rei knew the consequences if Usagi and Mamoru weren't together. Rei gave her a warm smile. "But think about the other children that you could have as well with some one else."
Usagi looked up at Rei shocked, she was actually supporting her and telling her that it was alright if she broke up with Mamoru. "But I don't know any of those children…"
"Usagi, this is a choice that you have to make. Just remember that whatever decision you make, you'll have to live with it for the rest of your life. Think about how you will feel if you marry the one you love or if you marry some one you that you were forced to be with. Also think about how it will make Mamoru feel if you marry him when you love another, he'll have to live with that pain for the rest of his life too." Rei got up and stood in front of Usagi. "You'll know what to do when the time comes."
Usagi smiled up at Rei and stood face to face with her. "Thank you Rei." She said before she wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug. "I can always come to you."
Rei reveled in the feeling and also had a renewed sense of hope for her and Usagi being together. "Well stop getting all emotional on me." She said breaking away so that they didn't have to think about depressing things any more. "Do you really think I'd invite you over here without having a ton of cookies ready for you?"
Usagi smiled, linked arms with Rei and ran inside leaving a giant dust storm behind.
~@~@~@~
"Have you guys got any leads on your Princess yet?" Minako asked sitting on the floor of her room doing her homework on the small table.
Yaten was working across the table from her on his own homework. "Do you honestly think I'm going to tell you?"
"And why wouldn't you tell me?" Minako put her hands on her hips in fists.
Yaten didn't pick his eyes up from his task. "I'm not going to give you any hints of where she is so you can kidnap her. I want to get off this stinkin planet as soon as possible, and I'm not going to let you stand in the way of my mission." He said rather coldly.
This however didn't affect Minako in the slightest. "Oh really, you want to know what I think?" She asked putting her pencil down and relaxing a bit. "I don't think you guys have any idea where she is, or why she's even here."
"What do you know?" Yaten mumbled closing his book.
"I know that you skipped practice to come and do home work with me." Minako said inching closer to him.
Yaten looked up at her. "Exhausting work or pretending to be academic, you figure it out." He huffed and flipped his hair.
"I don't think it had to do with either one of them." Minako said with a certain seductive look in her eye.
"Don't you get deterred at all?" Yaten stared at her callously as she was almost right next to him.
Minako got on her knees and placed one of her hands on the floor on either side of Yaten's body. "No…" She whispered as she leaned in and captured his lips in a passionate kiss that she had only dreamt about giving him before.
Yaten didn't pull away but instead brought one hand up to Minako's cheek, the other around her waist and pulled her in to deepen the kiss. This was why he had been in such a good mood lately, because of her, all because of Minako.
Thanks for the toaster offer LIR… You know I can't answer your questions, that would ruin it all for you. ^_~
Thanks for the big kisses Girl8!! By the way, don't mind Cookie Monster… *sweat drops * I'm sure she didn't really mean that!
Sorry for the long AN… but there's one more part. There are yuri hints towards the end, but nothing graphic that would make you people that are uncomfortable with it's stomach turn, but hey, consider this your fair warning. (Really there's only a little, so little you probably won't even notice it!) Here's the story! ^_^ (Can you tell I'm in a great mood today?)
Part VIII
Taiki was reading a book on the couch, as usual and other than the occasional turn of a page the apartment was silent. The afternoon was getting on and soon the sky would be lit by the brilliant glow of the stars. Taiki's concentration was broken by the slam of a door.
"You know, the door shuts easily, there is no need to slam it." Taiki said without even looking up from his book.
"I know, but it wouldn't annoy you if I did it any other way." Seiya winked and headed for the kitchen.
Taiki sighed and once again realized how childish Seiya could actually be sometimes. Before he could get any more into his thought the sound of a door slamming resounded through the apartment again. Taiki just grunted and folded up his book.
Yaten walked in the apartment with a certain glow about him. "What's up with you?" Taiki asked with a raised brow. Yaten said nothing to him, walked by him and just smiled. To say the least Taiki was completely confused.
"How was your date with Usagi?" Yaten asked nudging Seiya in the side.
"It wasn't a date." Seiya said rummaging through the cabinets for something he could eat that he didn't have to cook. "We were just catching up on old times."
"Yeah, and you expect us to believe that?" Yaten grinned a little more.
Seiya narrowed his eyes and looked at Yaten's amused expression. "Yes, I expect you to believe that because that's what happened."
"Good." Taiki said coming into the kitchen and the conversation. "This time I'd like to see you keep your mind focused on looking for the Princess unlike last time."
Seiya looked down a bit, his back was to his companions and the cabinet door hid his face. Yaten's voice brought him from his thoughts. "Taiki leave him alone, and don't pretend that he was the only one getting 'distracted' last time we were here!"
Taiki's eyes were wide in surprise, was Yaten actually presuming to lecture him? "You guys know what I mean." Was all Taiki said in return before he turned to leave the room.
"Taiki wait." Seiya called as he shut the cabinet door ending his search for dinner. "There's this girl…"
"Oh come on, don't tell me you found some one else to google over now!" Yaten hugged and smacked his forehead.
"No." Seiya's eyes narrowed. "If you'd let me finish, Odango is hanging around with this girl. I believe that her name is Morgan, Yaten's seen her. Well anyway, she has been going out of her way to allow me to spend time with Odango, even putting herself in harms way."
"So?" Taiki asked getting annoyed that he had returned just to here Seiya talk about his Odango's friend.
"So, after she saved me from Haruka yesterday she whispered something in my ear before she left. She said that Kakyuu says hello." Seiya's hand was to his chin in thought.
"Nani!" Yaten asked and he saw the look on Taiki's face which showed that he felt the same. "Do you think she has our Princess?"
"No…" Seiya answered. "I don't think so, but I definitely think she knows where she is."
"We should keep an eye on her then." Taiki answered before resuming on his path to the living room, back to his confinement.
~@~@~@~
"This sucks!" Helios complained as we hiked up the hill towards school. "Why do we have to go to school?"
"Because…" I said walking along not really paying attention to him but lost in my own thoughts.
"Because why?" Helios whined some more. "It's all Kakyuu's fault! Why doesn't she have to come?"
"Dumbass, she can't go to school. The others will recognize her for sure. Besides, she has done her part."
"What do you mean? She hasn't done anything yet!"
I shook my head. "Her job was to bring Seiya to Earth. Do you see Seiya on Earth? Well there you go genius, she did her job. The rest is up to us." I was still tired from not getting enough sleep and the smallest comments he was making this morning were riding my last nerve. "If we go to school that gives us a chance to interact with them and bring Seiya and Usagi closer together."
"Oh…" Helios realized that he hadn't thought that whole comment through. "But still…"
"Oh god! Just shut up!" I brought my hand to my forehead.
"They're almost as bad as you and Rei, Usagi." Makoto giggled from behind us. Helios and I stopped and turned around to find a group of four girls behind us.
"Hello minna!" I waved and Helios let a very unenthusiastic good morning slip out. I prayed that they hadn't heard any more of the conversation that we had just been having.
"Speaking of Rei, she asked me to come over to the shrine today, did she ask any of you?" Usagi asked directing the comment more towards Ami, Minako and Makoto than Helios and myself.
Everyone shook their heads and said no until Makoto quickly changed the subject. "So who's this cutie here?" She said coming up next to Helios who just sweat dropped.
"That's Aisoku!" Minako said more than enthusiastically. "Him and Morgan are going to be going to our school now!"
"I think they have a little thing for you." I smiled as I whispered to Helios who just grumbled something under his breath. I had told the girls that we were going to be going to their school when I slept over at Minako's house. You'd think that I would have gotten used to the way they said Morgan, but it still bugged me. I didn't like being left out of the joke, especially when it was about me!
"What time is nap time around here?" Helios said with his eyes still half closed. The girls giggled and just passed him off. Up ahead we could see a crowd of students blocking the front gate.
"Looks like the Three Lights have arrived at school." Minako said not taking her eyes from the crowd. "Well what are we waiting for?" She looked at me and the other girls. "Let's go!"
"Hai!" The others screamed and followed her towards the school at a pace that was entirely way to fast for me this time of the morning.
Helios and I just stood and sweat dropped at the scene. "I was wondering why she was actually on time for school for once." I said thinking of Usagi. Then realizing we were alone I turned to Helios. "Why are you so tired?"
"I got to talking with Kakyuu last night and lost track of the time." He said nonchalantly.
"What were you talking about?" I asked assuming it had something to do with Seiya.
"None of your business!" He snapped at me and quickened his pace to pull ahead of me.
"Touchy! Geesh, bite my head off why don't you!?" I said surprised at his sudden outburst.
"And why are you so tired? You went to bed way before you normally do." He said slowing and calming down a bit.
I fidgeted a bit but saw no harm in answering him. "I couldn't fall asleep, I was thinking."
His mood softened more and he actually seemed concerned about me, although it was beyond me why. "What were you thinking about?"
I thought of snapping back at him in much the same way he had done to me but I really wasn't in the mood to get in another argument with him. "Home." I looked down at my feet making ground on the sidewalk. "I just miss it so much… I guess I'm just scared."
Helios seemed surprised at my words because he stopped walking. "There's nothing to be scared about." He said when I stopped walking also to turn around to face him.
"I'm just afraid that everything I know is never going to exist again and that I'll be stuck here forever. It scares me to think that my life up until now has been nothing but a dream." I said feeling slight moisture in my eyes. I turned my face up to look right in the sun, I didn't want him to know that I was crying. I expected the ridicule to start up once again but it didn't.
Helios came up and stood right in front of me, I brought my gaze down from the sky and he wrapped me in a warm embrace. "Don't worry, everything will work out." He whispered to me. It was the first time I felt comfort since I had gotten here.
~@~@~@~
This school was just as boring as my school had been back home. "No wonder Usagi's always getting in trouble, you need to do something for excitement around here." I mumbled to myself but heard Makoto laugh in front of me. I sat behind Makoto and next to Taiki. All the way across the room was Seiya, Usagi, and Helios. Helios and I had been getting strange glances from the Lights all morning. I knew it was because of my comment from Saturday.
I saw the far off dreamy look in Seiya's eyes as she stared at the back of Usagi's head, I knew he was completely oblivious to what was going on around him. Usagi seemed to be drawing in her notebook, she had her tongue hanging out the side of her mouth and appeared to be in deep concentration. The loud ringing of the bell brought everyone from their tasks and I saw Seiya shoot up from his desk really fast as though he had just been abruptly awoken from a sweet dream, which I'm sure he had been.
The students began to filter out of the classroom and assemble in the hall. It was the end of the day and I silently thanked God because I didn't think I could take any more of it! Helios came up to my locker as I gathered my things and my bag to go home. "Napping in class again huh?" I smiled at him as I shut my locker.
"You're one to talk, I caught you once or twice yourself." He said annoyed.
"Oh so you were staring at me huh?" I questioned him jokingly but then notice the blush in his cheeks.
"No!" He answered back. "And doesn't that mean that you were staring at me too?" He said raising his eyebrows up and down while leaning towards me.
I started laughing and he backed off. "You sat right next to Seiya, do you really think I was concentrating on you?" He stopped joking and only replied with an 'oh'. "We do have a mission you know, it's now my official job to stare at him!"
"Stare at who?" Minako came bouncing up behind me and scared the living daylights out of me.
"Oh no one." I said smiling at her.
"Oh, does Morgan have a little crush?" Minako teased as Ami, and the Lights came up behind her.
"More like an obsession…" Helios muttered but only I heard him. That one earned him a swift elbow to the side.
I shook my head and tried to wave her off, thank god Usagi came running up and saved me. "Morgan! I'm going to my friend Rei's house after school if you'd like to join me and meet her." She smiled holding her bag in front of her.
"She can't." Helios stepped in.
I got a very puzzled look on my face. "Why can't I?" I faced him with the question and waited for an answer with everyone else.
"Because we have to plan your little 'trip'." He said through clenched teeth.
"OHHHH!" I said realizing what he getting at.
"I'll walk you to Rei's." Seiya offered up coming next to Usagi.
Usagi smiled at him sort of as a thank you and we all went to leave school. On the way out I swear we looked like the mafia with our big group all together. As we came to the gates I spotted a yellow convertible sports car at the curb, and there was Haruka leaning against it.
"Um….. I'll umm….. see you guys later." I waved as pulled Helios by his arm.
"What are you doing?" He asked as we were speeding off in the opposite direction.
"Haruka was sitting outside the school. I don't think it would have gone over well if she had seen me." I said slowing down realizing that no one was following us.
"Oi Koneko-chan!" Haruka smiled and waved at the girls.
Taiki was still looking off in the direction that Morgan and Aisoku had torn off in. Obviously they were not big fans of Haruka. 'Perhaps that would be a good sign for us.' He thought to himself as he noticed Yaten doing the same.
"Haruka? What are you doing here?" Usagi asked then noticed Michiru in the passenger seat. "Hello Michiru." She waved to acknowledge her.
"We came to pick you up. Mamoru is over at the house right now with Setsuna." Haruka said in a tone uncommonly chipper for her but at the same time gave the evil eye to Seiya who was standing uncomfortably close to her Koneko-chan.
Usagi smiled at Haruka and Seiya thought that all his chances of walking Usagi to the shrine had just gone out the window. "Gomen, but I told Rei I would meet her after school."
Seiya let out a sigh of relief and Haruka shot him an even sharper look. "Ok Koneko, but give us a call some time, we're starting to think you forgot about us." Haruka winked at her and jumped in the car.
"I could never forget about you guys!" Usagi smiled with her head to the side.
The car took off from the curb and Taiki grabbed Seiya's arm before he had a chance to walk off. "Seiya, see what Usagi knows about that Morgan girl." He said a little above a whisper.
Seiya nodded and freed his arm from Taiki's hold. "Ready Odango?" He asked in an immediate mood change. Usagi nodded and they were off.
Makoto stared after them as they headed down the road. "She's so happy now." She said more to herself than anyone else but an overall agreement came from the crowd she was with.
"Seiya?" Usagi questioned as they walked along. He looked down at her to show that he was listening. "Why did you call Morgan an angel yesterday?"
"Why are you jealous?" He teased as he held his bag over his shoulder.
"NO!"
"Calm down Odango, I was just kidding." He laughed at her reaction. "I called her my 'guardian angel' because she pretty much saved my butt from a Haruka beating."
"Oh…" Usagi said feeling a little relief in his statement.
"Speaking of Morgan, how do you know her?"
Usagi felt a little pain of jealousy creep up on her. "You're not going to believe me if I tell you." She said still wondering why he was asking about her.
"Try me." He said flatly, he needed to figure out her connection to Kakyuu, and if she was a possible danger to Usagi.
"Well she's a cartoon character."
"What?" Seiya stopped and almost choked. He wasn't expecting that one.
"Yeah, she's a cartoon character come to life. I think she's really nice, don't you?" Usagi had a questioning agenda of her own here.
"Of course I think she's nice, she's made many openings for me to hang out with you." He winked at her and noticed her blush. 'If only Usagi would make openings for me.' He thought as he noticed the stairs of the Hikawa Shrine coming into view.
"Thank you for walking me here, it always seems so much longer when I'm by myself." Usagi stopped at the bottom of the stairs.
Seiya smiled at her. "Odango, we're having a concert Friday, I'd really like it if you would come."
"Of course I'd come, are you kidding me?"
He laughed at her excitement. "I just wanted to tell you ahead of time so you didn't make any plans. I'll get you a ticket, we know what kind of luck you usually have."
Usagi frowned but then realized he was right and laughed it off. "Arigato!" She said and gave him a peck on the cheek before running up the stairs.
"What was that for?" Seiya said as he held his cheek just watching her climb the mountain of stairs. A huge smile broke out on his face and he headed home with a renewed sense of hope.
Usagi huffed all the way up the stairs. "Why does everyone have to have so many damn stairs where they live? I'm going to get a ranch house or at least an elevator when I move out!"
Rei laughed at her friend when she conquered the mighty stair obstacle. "You're out of shape."
"Shut up." Usagi grumbled as she threw her bag down on the bench. She sat on the bench next to her bag and felt the relief of the shade of the tree above her.
"Gomen gomen." Rei said setting her broom against the tree and taking a seat next to her.
"How do you make it here so fast from school?"
"I'm not out of shape like you." She couldn't help herself. Usagi sighed and saw that it was pointless to try and counter her.
"I almost forgot how peaceful it was up here." Usagi said with a smile coming to her lips.
Rei sat back and took in the sight of her friend. "You seem happy lately." Usagi smiled over at her. "What's going on? Did Mamoru propose?"
Usagi's smile faded and she looked over at Rei. "No….."
"Why did you say it like that?" Rei grew a little concerned at her response. Normally Usagi would just spout out something like 'No, not yet he's probably still looking for the perfect ring.' Or 'Oh yeah I forgot to tell you? We got married yesterday!' This time it was too simple, there was something on her mind.
"No reason."
Was Usagi having doubts? True that wasn't the only explanation but that was the one that Rei wanted to hear. Yes this was her best friend and her Princess, of course she wanted her to be happy, happy with her. Rei had long since admired Usagi although she didn't really know how to express these feelings she had for her. Rei knew Usagi was destined to be with Mamoru and knew there was no place for her so her feelings of love for Usagi came out as teasings and rantings. "Usagi, I know you better than that."
Usagi smiled up at Rei with a warmth that made Rei's heart melt. "You do know me too well Rei." Usagi sighed and looked up at the branches above her. "I can tell you anything right?" She questioned not even bothering to look at Rei.
"Of course." Rei said pretty much urging her to continue.
Usagi paused again before saying anything, seemingly to get her thoughts in order. "There's some one else on my mind."
"WHAT!" Rei was completely shocked but didn't want Usagi to take this as her being mad at her. "Who?" She asked sneakily.
"It's not important who it is… Oh Rei, what am I going to do. I've been having this feeling for so long and I don't know what to do about it."
Was she thinking of Rei? Possibly, who else could it be? Rei had no idea that the Lights were back and the thought to suspect them didn't even come to her mind. "I say follow your heart."
"My heart tells me to break up with Mamoru, it has for a while now, but it also tells me to stay with him." Usagi took her gaze from the trees to look at the ground between her feet. "It tells me to stay with him for Chibi-Usa's sake."
Rei knew the consequences if Usagi and Mamoru weren't together. Rei gave her a warm smile. "But think about the other children that you could have as well with some one else."
Usagi looked up at Rei shocked, she was actually supporting her and telling her that it was alright if she broke up with Mamoru. "But I don't know any of those children…"
"Usagi, this is a choice that you have to make. Just remember that whatever decision you make, you'll have to live with it for the rest of your life. Think about how you will feel if you marry the one you love or if you marry some one you that you were forced to be with. Also think about how it will make Mamoru feel if you marry him when you love another, he'll have to live with that pain for the rest of his life too." Rei got up and stood in front of Usagi. "You'll know what to do when the time comes."
Usagi smiled up at Rei and stood face to face with her. "Thank you Rei." She said before she wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug. "I can always come to you."
Rei reveled in the feeling and also had a renewed sense of hope for her and Usagi being together. "Well stop getting all emotional on me." She said breaking away so that they didn't have to think about depressing things any more. "Do you really think I'd invite you over here without having a ton of cookies ready for you?"
Usagi smiled, linked arms with Rei and ran inside leaving a giant dust storm behind.
~@~@~@~
"Have you guys got any leads on your Princess yet?" Minako asked sitting on the floor of her room doing her homework on the small table.
Yaten was working across the table from her on his own homework. "Do you honestly think I'm going to tell you?"
"And why wouldn't you tell me?" Minako put her hands on her hips in fists.
Yaten didn't pick his eyes up from his task. "I'm not going to give you any hints of where she is so you can kidnap her. I want to get off this stinkin planet as soon as possible, and I'm not going to let you stand in the way of my mission." He said rather coldly.
This however didn't affect Minako in the slightest. "Oh really, you want to know what I think?" She asked putting her pencil down and relaxing a bit. "I don't think you guys have any idea where she is, or why she's even here."
"What do you know?" Yaten mumbled closing his book.
"I know that you skipped practice to come and do home work with me." Minako said inching closer to him.
Yaten looked up at her. "Exhausting work or pretending to be academic, you figure it out." He huffed and flipped his hair.
"I don't think it had to do with either one of them." Minako said with a certain seductive look in her eye.
"Don't you get deterred at all?" Yaten stared at her callously as she was almost right next to him.
Minako got on her knees and placed one of her hands on the floor on either side of Yaten's body. "No…" She whispered as she leaned in and captured his lips in a passionate kiss that she had only dreamt about giving him before.
Yaten didn't pull away but instead brought one hand up to Minako's cheek, the other around her waist and pulled her in to deepen the kiss. This was why he had been in such a good mood lately, because of her, all because of Minako.