Two pairs of eyes followed Wufei and Makoto as they walked quietly
through the park arm in arm a few weeks later, enjoying each other's
company. One pair, amber in color, met the other, light blue, in
seemingly silent communication. But things weren't as they seemed..
**There she is. Makoto is safe.**
**Hai. But where are the others?**
The amber eyes closed briefly in worry. **I don't know. I pray they
are safe somewhere. It isn't time for Makoto-chan to awaken. What
should we do?**
**-snort- Why are you asking me, Luna? You're the one with the bright
ideas!**
**Look who's talking, furball! Whose bright idea was it to separate
them? Now we may never find them!**
**Calm down, Luna. You should know by now that where one is, the
others are too, somewhere. We just have to take care of one at a
time. This man with Makoto..you think it will work?**
**It has to, Artemis. Makoto can't be left defenseless..it won't do
to attempt this while like this, Chang will never believe a talking
cat.**
Ceasing following the pair for a second, a black cat and a white cat,
each with an unusual crescent moon mark upon their foreheads, ducked
into the shadows, where the black cat halted and stared unblinkingly
at the pale yellow full moon rising into the darkening sky.
**It's been so long. Serenity-sama, grant me the strength to do
this..**
The white cat licked her cheek, causing a dark red to flush her
cheeks. **I believe in you, Luna. For our hime, we must do this.**
She nodded and closed her eyes, bowing her head. Her sigil flashed,
and it seemed, for a moment in time, that the moon in the sky flashed
back. A soft white glow enveloped the cat, and her feline shape
stretched and changed, until, crouching beside the white cat was a
black-haired young woman in a pale yellow t-shirt and blue jeans. She
raised her hands to brush her bangs over her mark, then slowly got to
her feet, leaning against the wall.
"It worked." She whispered in relief, smiling as she picked up Artemis
and cuddled him. "After so long, our powers still work!"
"Hai, so they do." Artemis whispered back. "Now comes the tough part-
confronting Wufei. Let's go."
Luna nodded, then followed after the couple again.
******
Makoto smiled happliy as she glanced up at the moon hanging in the
starlit sky. A perfect night for sweethearts--and after several
blissful weeks after Wufei had asked her out for coffee, she was
certain Wufei was just that sweetheart for her. Sure, he may have a
lees-than-cheerful demeanor, but she had noticed a softening around
his handsome features that lessened the grumpy frown he usually wore,
and when he smiled..she sighed and leaned her head against Wufei's
shoulder.
She had never been so happy. Duo was a wonderful guy, but Wufei was
the one she'd waited for all her life. She wouldn't be lonely
anymore.
"What are you smiling about, onna?" Wufei grumbled, but Makoto could
hear the affectionate tone in his voice that gentled the words. She
grinned as she glanced up into his dark eyes.
"Just thinking. It's a beautiful night, ne?"
Wufei smiled, turning Makoto into mush. "It is. What are you thinking
about?"
She blushed. "You, and how happy you make me. I've never felt this
way, not about anybody. And to think, we owe Duo for all this!"
Wufei snorted. "Huh. Well, maybe the baka is good for something after
all!" He grinned at Makoto's laugh. She was right, they did owe Duo.
He wasn't so solitary anymore..maybe it would be enough to prevent
him from wringing Duo's neck over all the frustration-maybe.
Luna squeaked as her felinish eyees keenly saw the movement making its
way toward Makoto and Wufei, sensing danger. "Kuso," she hissed
softly. "Looks like Wufei will be needing our help faster than we
thought!"
Artemis also caught the movement and nodded. "Do you still have the
Spirit-star?" At her nod, he hissed, "Then throw it!"
"Nani?" Makoto gasped as a hand grabbed her arm roughly and jerked her
away from Wufei. Her eyes widened as a man sneered down at her, then
glared at Wufei.
"Money now, boy, or I hurt your onna."
Wufei growled. A mugger? No, this wasn't going to happen, not tonight
and not to her. He shouted a fierce cry as he launched himself at the
man, not noticing a woman a few feet away throw a glimmering green
star at him, which burst into millions of tiny green stars, taking a
brief shape not unlike Makoto's, and leapt into him with a burst of
lightning.
Throwing Makoto cruelly into a wall, the man tried to attack Wufei,
but the young man was a blur of motion, hitting him hard and fast with
kicks, punches and chops that knocked the wind out of the mugger.
Wufei, meanwhile, was seeing red. How dare someone hurt Makoto,
threaten her?
"INJUSTICE!!" He sceamed, delivering a kick that sent the man flying
several feet away. "You have no honor, hurting someone like that,
bakayaro!"
The man rose, staggering, and rushed at Wufei. Wufei bared his teeth,
his rage absolute, and crying out strange words he didn't know, he
leapt into the air, his roundhouse kick making an impact and striking
like a bolt of lightning. Wait--that *was* a bolt of lightning, aimed
from his kick and sent the man tumbling end over end to land in an
unconscious heap against some trashcans, knocking their contents onto
him. He could smell the scorchness in the air..but..how..?
Wufei glanced down at his clenched hands, gasping as he saw blue
lightning arc from his fingertips. Impossible..he shook his head and
raced over to Makoto, who was just coming to. She squeaked and jerked
away from his embrace.
"Nani..? Do you hurt?" Makoto shook her head.
"Iie, 'Fei-chan. You just zapped me! Must be some electric in the air,
ne? Are you all right?"
Wufei nodded, stunned, as he helped Makoto to her feet. Electricity..
lightning..
**Protect her, Wufei-san. You were given these powers for a reason.**
He glanced up at the voice, and met the eyes of a black-haired woman
with a white cat a few feet away. She smiled and nodded.
**May Jupiter bless you and Mako-chan. Be safe.**
Staring after the woman as she left, Wufei turned and continued with
Makoto through the quiet night. There was..some kind of power in him,
now. He didn't know how he knew, but he would need it to protect
those he cared for, soon.
"'Fei-chan?"
Wufei started at Makoto's voice, then smiled at the brunette before
tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm okay..Mako-chan."
Makoto blushed at the endearment, smiling back. "Those martial-arts
classes must be helping out a lot, considering you took care of that
punk. I didn't even have a chance to judo-throw him before he grabbed
me. Domo arigato for protecting me."
"Ne, I couldn't let you get hurt!" Wufei smiled as Makoto hugged him,
then sent a silent thanks to the mysterious woman and those strange
powers. Best to keep quiet about them..for now.
******
Luna breathed a sigh of relief, once again in her feline form. "That
was too close. We almost didn't reach Wufei-san in time. One down,
four to go..if we ever find our hime and the others in time, to
protect them without awakening them."
Artemis purred soothingly, leaning his forehead against hers. "We
will, Luna. Serenity-sama guides our path. She will make sure they
will be safe."
******
Duo grumbled as he watched Wufei and Makoto walk together. It wasn't
fair. He didn't grudge Wufei and Makoto their happiness, but he
wished he could be so happy. When would he ever find The One? When
would he finally know love?
Pushing back his braid in irritation, he didn't watch where he was
going and slammed hard into a person in front of him. Bouncing
backwards, but managing to stay on his feet, he glanced up into the
concerned blue gaze of a petite blue-haired girl clutching her books
to her chest.
"Gomen nasai! I didn't mean to run into you! I should know better
than to read and walk at the same time." She stuck her tongue out
goofily and giggled. Duo grinned back, his spirits lifting.
"It's all right, I wasn't paying attention myself. You okay?"
She nodded, her gentle blue eyes sparkling. "No harm done, and no
injuries." She bowed in greeting, blushing shyly. "I'm Mizuno Ami, and
who do I have the pleasure of running over?"
Duo laughed, bowing in return. "I'm Duo Maxwell, Ami-san. Onegai,
allow me the pleasure of buying you lunch to make up for the crash?"
"Well..." Ami raised a hand to push her blue curls from her eyes,
checking her watch. "I'm not due for classes for another hour, and
I'm caught up on my chapters for once..all right, I *am* hungry."
He grinned, gallantly taking her books from her and walking beside
her. "My treat-and my honor-to escort you, then. Maybe it WAS good we
ran into each other after all!"
She blushed again, and Duo melted. She was so sweet and so kind..he
knew that he would like getting to know her..
******
"Oohhhh noooooooo..." Quatre groaned as he closed his eyes and put his
hand over them before slumping in his chair. Heero quirked an eyebrow
at the blond's actions, never seeing him like this.
"What?"
"Look behind you."
Heero turned in his chair and glanced over his shoulder. He saw Duo
walking with a blue-haired girl and they were laughing. "So?"
"'So'?! That's all you have to say?" Quatre all but shrieked as he
glared at Heero, who only shrugged. He sighed. "That's Ami Mizuno,
the resident genius here. She's intelligent, kind, helpful, pretty.."
Heero shrugged again, and Quatre growled.
"Has any of this entered your thick skull? Ami's a wonderful person,
and it looks like she's up as Duo's next flavor!"
Heero blinked in realization as he turned again to look back at Duo's
newest victim. "Hn."
Quatre sighed at Heero's grunt, massaging his temples. "Allah give me
strength.." he grumbled as Heero continued to watch the pretty girl
blush under Duo's gaze. The poor girl didn't know WHAT she was in
for..he wondered just how long this one was going to last. Makoto had
the longest record so far, lasting several weeks..did this intelligent
one stand a chance against Duo's fickle emotions?
through the park arm in arm a few weeks later, enjoying each other's
company. One pair, amber in color, met the other, light blue, in
seemingly silent communication. But things weren't as they seemed..
**There she is. Makoto is safe.**
**Hai. But where are the others?**
The amber eyes closed briefly in worry. **I don't know. I pray they
are safe somewhere. It isn't time for Makoto-chan to awaken. What
should we do?**
**-snort- Why are you asking me, Luna? You're the one with the bright
ideas!**
**Look who's talking, furball! Whose bright idea was it to separate
them? Now we may never find them!**
**Calm down, Luna. You should know by now that where one is, the
others are too, somewhere. We just have to take care of one at a
time. This man with Makoto..you think it will work?**
**It has to, Artemis. Makoto can't be left defenseless..it won't do
to attempt this while like this, Chang will never believe a talking
cat.**
Ceasing following the pair for a second, a black cat and a white cat,
each with an unusual crescent moon mark upon their foreheads, ducked
into the shadows, where the black cat halted and stared unblinkingly
at the pale yellow full moon rising into the darkening sky.
**It's been so long. Serenity-sama, grant me the strength to do
this..**
The white cat licked her cheek, causing a dark red to flush her
cheeks. **I believe in you, Luna. For our hime, we must do this.**
She nodded and closed her eyes, bowing her head. Her sigil flashed,
and it seemed, for a moment in time, that the moon in the sky flashed
back. A soft white glow enveloped the cat, and her feline shape
stretched and changed, until, crouching beside the white cat was a
black-haired young woman in a pale yellow t-shirt and blue jeans. She
raised her hands to brush her bangs over her mark, then slowly got to
her feet, leaning against the wall.
"It worked." She whispered in relief, smiling as she picked up Artemis
and cuddled him. "After so long, our powers still work!"
"Hai, so they do." Artemis whispered back. "Now comes the tough part-
confronting Wufei. Let's go."
Luna nodded, then followed after the couple again.
******
Makoto smiled happliy as she glanced up at the moon hanging in the
starlit sky. A perfect night for sweethearts--and after several
blissful weeks after Wufei had asked her out for coffee, she was
certain Wufei was just that sweetheart for her. Sure, he may have a
lees-than-cheerful demeanor, but she had noticed a softening around
his handsome features that lessened the grumpy frown he usually wore,
and when he smiled..she sighed and leaned her head against Wufei's
shoulder.
She had never been so happy. Duo was a wonderful guy, but Wufei was
the one she'd waited for all her life. She wouldn't be lonely
anymore.
"What are you smiling about, onna?" Wufei grumbled, but Makoto could
hear the affectionate tone in his voice that gentled the words. She
grinned as she glanced up into his dark eyes.
"Just thinking. It's a beautiful night, ne?"
Wufei smiled, turning Makoto into mush. "It is. What are you thinking
about?"
She blushed. "You, and how happy you make me. I've never felt this
way, not about anybody. And to think, we owe Duo for all this!"
Wufei snorted. "Huh. Well, maybe the baka is good for something after
all!" He grinned at Makoto's laugh. She was right, they did owe Duo.
He wasn't so solitary anymore..maybe it would be enough to prevent
him from wringing Duo's neck over all the frustration-maybe.
Luna squeaked as her felinish eyees keenly saw the movement making its
way toward Makoto and Wufei, sensing danger. "Kuso," she hissed
softly. "Looks like Wufei will be needing our help faster than we
thought!"
Artemis also caught the movement and nodded. "Do you still have the
Spirit-star?" At her nod, he hissed, "Then throw it!"
"Nani?" Makoto gasped as a hand grabbed her arm roughly and jerked her
away from Wufei. Her eyes widened as a man sneered down at her, then
glared at Wufei.
"Money now, boy, or I hurt your onna."
Wufei growled. A mugger? No, this wasn't going to happen, not tonight
and not to her. He shouted a fierce cry as he launched himself at the
man, not noticing a woman a few feet away throw a glimmering green
star at him, which burst into millions of tiny green stars, taking a
brief shape not unlike Makoto's, and leapt into him with a burst of
lightning.
Throwing Makoto cruelly into a wall, the man tried to attack Wufei,
but the young man was a blur of motion, hitting him hard and fast with
kicks, punches and chops that knocked the wind out of the mugger.
Wufei, meanwhile, was seeing red. How dare someone hurt Makoto,
threaten her?
"INJUSTICE!!" He sceamed, delivering a kick that sent the man flying
several feet away. "You have no honor, hurting someone like that,
bakayaro!"
The man rose, staggering, and rushed at Wufei. Wufei bared his teeth,
his rage absolute, and crying out strange words he didn't know, he
leapt into the air, his roundhouse kick making an impact and striking
like a bolt of lightning. Wait--that *was* a bolt of lightning, aimed
from his kick and sent the man tumbling end over end to land in an
unconscious heap against some trashcans, knocking their contents onto
him. He could smell the scorchness in the air..but..how..?
Wufei glanced down at his clenched hands, gasping as he saw blue
lightning arc from his fingertips. Impossible..he shook his head and
raced over to Makoto, who was just coming to. She squeaked and jerked
away from his embrace.
"Nani..? Do you hurt?" Makoto shook her head.
"Iie, 'Fei-chan. You just zapped me! Must be some electric in the air,
ne? Are you all right?"
Wufei nodded, stunned, as he helped Makoto to her feet. Electricity..
lightning..
**Protect her, Wufei-san. You were given these powers for a reason.**
He glanced up at the voice, and met the eyes of a black-haired woman
with a white cat a few feet away. She smiled and nodded.
**May Jupiter bless you and Mako-chan. Be safe.**
Staring after the woman as she left, Wufei turned and continued with
Makoto through the quiet night. There was..some kind of power in him,
now. He didn't know how he knew, but he would need it to protect
those he cared for, soon.
"'Fei-chan?"
Wufei started at Makoto's voice, then smiled at the brunette before
tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm okay..Mako-chan."
Makoto blushed at the endearment, smiling back. "Those martial-arts
classes must be helping out a lot, considering you took care of that
punk. I didn't even have a chance to judo-throw him before he grabbed
me. Domo arigato for protecting me."
"Ne, I couldn't let you get hurt!" Wufei smiled as Makoto hugged him,
then sent a silent thanks to the mysterious woman and those strange
powers. Best to keep quiet about them..for now.
******
Luna breathed a sigh of relief, once again in her feline form. "That
was too close. We almost didn't reach Wufei-san in time. One down,
four to go..if we ever find our hime and the others in time, to
protect them without awakening them."
Artemis purred soothingly, leaning his forehead against hers. "We
will, Luna. Serenity-sama guides our path. She will make sure they
will be safe."
******
Duo grumbled as he watched Wufei and Makoto walk together. It wasn't
fair. He didn't grudge Wufei and Makoto their happiness, but he
wished he could be so happy. When would he ever find The One? When
would he finally know love?
Pushing back his braid in irritation, he didn't watch where he was
going and slammed hard into a person in front of him. Bouncing
backwards, but managing to stay on his feet, he glanced up into the
concerned blue gaze of a petite blue-haired girl clutching her books
to her chest.
"Gomen nasai! I didn't mean to run into you! I should know better
than to read and walk at the same time." She stuck her tongue out
goofily and giggled. Duo grinned back, his spirits lifting.
"It's all right, I wasn't paying attention myself. You okay?"
She nodded, her gentle blue eyes sparkling. "No harm done, and no
injuries." She bowed in greeting, blushing shyly. "I'm Mizuno Ami, and
who do I have the pleasure of running over?"
Duo laughed, bowing in return. "I'm Duo Maxwell, Ami-san. Onegai,
allow me the pleasure of buying you lunch to make up for the crash?"
"Well..." Ami raised a hand to push her blue curls from her eyes,
checking her watch. "I'm not due for classes for another hour, and
I'm caught up on my chapters for once..all right, I *am* hungry."
He grinned, gallantly taking her books from her and walking beside
her. "My treat-and my honor-to escort you, then. Maybe it WAS good we
ran into each other after all!"
She blushed again, and Duo melted. She was so sweet and so kind..he
knew that he would like getting to know her..
******
"Oohhhh noooooooo..." Quatre groaned as he closed his eyes and put his
hand over them before slumping in his chair. Heero quirked an eyebrow
at the blond's actions, never seeing him like this.
"What?"
"Look behind you."
Heero turned in his chair and glanced over his shoulder. He saw Duo
walking with a blue-haired girl and they were laughing. "So?"
"'So'?! That's all you have to say?" Quatre all but shrieked as he
glared at Heero, who only shrugged. He sighed. "That's Ami Mizuno,
the resident genius here. She's intelligent, kind, helpful, pretty.."
Heero shrugged again, and Quatre growled.
"Has any of this entered your thick skull? Ami's a wonderful person,
and it looks like she's up as Duo's next flavor!"
Heero blinked in realization as he turned again to look back at Duo's
newest victim. "Hn."
Quatre sighed at Heero's grunt, massaging his temples. "Allah give me
strength.." he grumbled as Heero continued to watch the pretty girl
blush under Duo's gaze. The poor girl didn't know WHAT she was in
for..he wondered just how long this one was going to last. Makoto had
the longest record so far, lasting several weeks..did this intelligent
one stand a chance against Duo's fickle emotions?
