Chapter 8

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Bubbles escaped her mouth in a violent rush of air as she hit the water but she did not panic. Though it was not her element, though she was the senshi of ice, she had the power to breathe underwater. Something, she realized as she watched Heero flounder beside her, he did not have. So taking a deep breath and holding as much oxygen as she could, she brought him up to eye level and sealed her lips over his as she forced as much air as possible into his mouth. She repeated this several times before she managed to kick her way to the surface, pulling Heero along with her. Holding tight to each other they kept their heads above the water, grateful to see the shore not far off to the left. They reached it in a matter of minutes.

Neither collapsed onto the beach, it had not been that far a swim, but they were both slightly out of breath. Ami was the first to regain her composure, straightening up and shaking some water from her long hair. "You recognize this place, Heero-chan?" she asked, looking around. It seemed rather ordinary, but the machinery she could not identify but it did not look like any from their time.

He shook his head. "Not at all."

"Well," she didn't sound too sure of herself, "A newspaper helped us one time. What do you say we try it again?"

His response was a slight shrug. "Sounds good to me."

Fifteen minutes later, they each stood in front of a computer screen, reading down the latest news. Tokyo again, it seemed to be a popular place--maybe because it was the place both Ami and Setsuna were most familiar with. This time, though, it was not 2002. Instead, it was the year 3428 and that night several famous people were going to be in town. According to the news, it was the mourn the death of two good friends.

Two world-famous violinists, Michiru Kaioh and Quatre Reberba Winner, would be in attendance, along with their respective girlfriends--race-car driver Haruka Ten'ou and model Minako Aino. The painter Rei Hino was coming to direct the funeral, falling back on her history as a priestess, and the world champion martial artist Chang Wufei would be there as well. Usagi Chiba, the film star, was coming to mourn the passing of her friend, bringing Mamoru Chiba, also friend to the deceased. Comedian Duo Maxwell had come to bury his long-time friend, as had Trowa Barton, a rising star in rock music. Makoto Maxwell, the chief chef at the best restaurant in Tokyo, would be there as well, along with the pianist Hotaru Tomoe and local sculptor Setsuna Meioh.

Ami's face drained of all color as she finished reading the article, Heero had not yet reached the end but she spoiled it for him anyways. He was already beginning to suspect what she told him. "Heero-chan," she whispered, pointing to the bottom of the screen, "It's us . . . we're the dead ones." She reached out one hand to touch the filmy surface and up popped another article. This time she read just as slowly as he had.

Three nights ago, the Tokyo police force lost two of its most valued members in a drug raid. The police are now on the trail of a woman known only as Metallia and the drug lord Millardo Peacecraft as they are wanted for the murder of Lts. Heero and Ami Yui. Several youths, who shall remain unnamed, were apprehended at the scene by the forces that followed, but the two lieutenants had been the first to arrive. After calling for backup, they had attempted to get the bystanders out of the way before things 'got nasty,' as one of the boys told authorities. "No one knew they were cops until Peacecraft recognized them from the paper. They had almost gotten everybody out of the way for when the other cops arrived," the boy elaborated, "But Metallia wasn't happy when she figured out what was going on."

From the stories they heard, the authorities got that this Metallia had taken a child playing nearby and threatened the little girl's life until the officers laid down their weapons. They did as they were told, but Metallia was too 'doped up' to listen to reason as Lt. Yui tried to talk her into releasing the child. "She shot the cop in the head," one girl explained, "Then the other one started going crazy. He tried to pick up his gun again and he actually hit Metallia a few times but then that Millardo [creep] got him in the back. They tried to go on like nothing happened and we were too stoned to get what was going on until the rest of the cops arrived."

Any information pertaining to Metallia or Millardo Peacecraft should be called in to your local police headquarters. The funeral for Lts. Yui will be held tonight, 20:30, at the Tokyo cemetery. Anyone wishing to pay their respects is welcome to attend. To quote Usagi Chiba, a close friend of Lt. Ami Yui, "She was the sweetest person I ever knew. I'm going to--we're all going to--miss her for, well, forever."

Ami smiled. "That sounds very Usagi. Good to see she and Mamoru finally tied the knot."

"So did we, it seems," he whispered in her ear, arms wrapped protectively around her waist.

She nodded. "It's a little strange," she admitted, "Here I'm the dead one and they're all mourning me. I'm used to it being the other way around. But." A deep sighed echoed from deep within her. "We have to get out of here, you realize. Our picture's all over the paper and if anyone recognizes us it could get a little complicated. What do you say we hide out until eight thirty?"

He understood perfectly. "You want to see your friends again?"

Biting her lip and forcing back tears, Ami nodded again. "You-you don't mind, do you?"

Heero shook his head. "Not at all. The pilots will be there too. I haven't seen them in over a year."

"This is going to be hard isn't it?"

"Very."

Her eyes dropped. "Thank you," she whispered.

And it was his turn to be confused. "For what?"

"For being here," she finally forced out, "I-well-you-you don't have to be here. I could just send you back home and you'd be back and out of danger and you wouldn't have to tag along with me everywhere and you could see your friends and talk to them and--ummph!" She would have continued on her self-deprecating tirade had his mouth not covered hers completely, cutting off her words.

When Heero drew his head back again, his eyes were as insistent as his voice. "I rather would spend eternity in hell with you than live a single lifetime without."

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as if it was not obvious enough, i don't write newspaper articles. i know that sucked.

you guys are great and i love you to death. can we keep up this 8-9 reviews thing??

responses:

Petra: thanks, i'm glad you thought it was cute. i really tried for it to be. and i'm seriously glad you liked the inuyasha, i wasn't sure if i could pull it off

suga baybee: i'm glad someone sees you can't rush a writer, but i will be getting chapters out as often as possible

Kaiya: score one for humor, i wasn't entirely sure that it was going to be funny. and a quote . . . 'we'll get along just fine as soon as you realize i'm god'

Sakura: tony the tiger is my hero (not really but oh well). the vampire fic is in progress, but it's seriously dark. as in seriously. as in i took the worst the characters could possibly be and doubled it. ok, so i didn't go that far, but i did make some pretty bad. you may not like what i've done to makoto and haruka and hotaru and rei.

sapphire-dragon: glad you like my work

suisei no mitsukai: a vampire fic is in the works, but it's pretty dark so far. i've kinda warped the characters. email me if you want to find out more

Minimerc: you were review number 7. And thanks for catching that little characterization boo-boo of mine. I seriously had not seen that. perhaps that was when inuyasha showed up? ::guilty grin::

Fate's Child: you *were* number 8, go you! and it is so seriously cool that you love my story!
fluffy pink bouncy bunny: i did like the whole 'ja ne setsuna-chan.' sarcasam's a bitch