Miko no Chikyuu, Gejo no Nihon

AN: Damn! I've been reading some of my reviews and some of you seemed to be pissed @ me. Well I haven't had the chance to update in like a month because first I went on a vacation to New York then when I came home ff.net was closed down for two weeks (that happens a lot doesn't it?). Then I got wrapped up in a bunch of other things and just never got around to updating. Sorry! But from now on I'll try and get out a chapter every week. I too hate to drag this story out for a long period of time.

Usagi: 19

Hotaru: 17

Duo/Quatre/Heero/Wufei: 19

~~~¥~~~

Milliardo was pouring some imported Chinese whine into two cups for him and his father. Even though it may have been early in the morning Milliardo felt the need to "celebrate" his fathers thirty-eighth year as ruler of Japan.

He took the cup to his lips and let the cool whine slip down his throat, quenching his thirst. "To the future of my empire." A sly smile graced his lips as he put the golden cup down. He looked around the large dining room used to host many parties and political meetings. Young female dancers were performing their graceful moves for the eldest prince of the kingdom as he waited for his father to enter the dining room and celebrate with him.

As the song that the women danced to ended footsteps could be heard approaching. Milliardo stood up and reached into his pocket pulling out a small brown bag filled with some sort of powdery substance. Taking a spoon he scooped some of the white powder and put it into his fathers cup of whine.

The doors swung open as the Emperor entered and Milliardo once again concealed the package in his cloak.

"Father I'm pleased to see you accepted my invitation for our celebration. Please sit down and lets talk." Milliardo motioned his hand to sit down across from him, where a great feast was laid out ready to be eaten, and the whine cup.

"Leave us!" The Emperor forcefully told the servants and dancers who quickly obliged his command. After everyone had left the Emperor Trieze sat down and fiercely stared at his son.

"You're foolish antics will get you nowhere Milliardo. This feast you give me will not change my mind about who my successor will be. Why don't you see that?" He berated Milliardo.

"You make no sense father! I, the eldest son, should be by birth right the one to claim the throne. Instead you pass me over for Wufei! Why do you refuse to anoint me emperor? I am just as strong and noble as he!" Milliardo angrily lashed out at him.

"You're mother was a servant, not a Queen like Wufei's mother was. Our relationship was short and she died giving birth to you. It would have never worked out between us anyway, she a commoner and me a future emperor. Besides that I already had an arranged marriage to Wufei's mother, she was a high ranking priestess who taught Mizurei everything she knew. And when Mizurei told me that Wufei was destined to be the future emperor it answered all my fears and worries, for I trust her like my own wife. But you refuse to see that! So should just disown you for your incompetence and mutiny!" Those last words stuck him hard and anger boiled up inside of him, just waiting to be released.

The Emperor was still furious and sweating from the tension he had burdened his heart with. So he decided to take a cool sip of the whine in his cup. Bringing it to his lips he slowly drank every last drop of whine in the cup until he had cooled down his fury. But his calm attitude was soon interrupted by an evil laugh coming from his son. Looking up he saw his son giving a whole-hearted belly laugh, but something wasn't right about it. His laugh was almost sadistic.

"Just what is so funny?" The Emperor demanded of his son who was beginning to calm himself down.

"You idiot! That whine you just drank was pure poison, which will now infiltrate your heart until you're dead!" He gave his father that same sly, mischievous smile he had on when he first poisoned the drink.

"What?!" The emperor jumped out of his seat and backed away from his son who was steadily approaching him. That's when the pains in his chest began to arise and his mouth began to foam.

"The poison I gave you is called Black Widow and it has already broken into your heart, it's currently clotting your blood, causing a heart attack which will eventually kill you. In a matter of moments you shall be dead and you're empire will be mine.

"You little-" He coughed up blood and then he gurgled out his last words. "Mizurei, you'll be forever in my hea-" Before he could say the last word he breathed heavily in, which would be his last breathe as his spirit left his lifeless body.

"And at last you die." Millirado kneeled down at his side and made sure he was dead. 'I think I should clean him up a bit so no one will suspect anything.' He began scheming as he cleaned up this murder scene.

~~~~¥~~~~

Usagi stretched out her arms and yawned as a maid took away the last dish of food.

"So Quatre-san-" Usagi began before Quatre cut her off. "Please don't call me Quatre-san, just call me Quatre." Blushing Usagi nodded and quickly fought back the heat taking over her face and looked up at him.

"Well I was just wondering if you wanted me to go now since you already fulfilled your promise to feed me."

"Actually I was planning on inviting you to come with me to the palace because I'd really enjoy some company walking over there."

"But I can't go there like- like this!" Usagi touched her raggedy dress and felt a little bit ashamed in his presence.

"Well I can understand so how about I give you one of my sister's dresses, I'm sure they wouldn't mind and you could just say you're my escort." He stood up and offered Usagi his hand, which she delightedly accepted.

"You know I have been led on like this before and it ended in tragedy for me, so I hope you-" But Quatre again cut her off.

"I know how you feel, you told me that already remember." He smiled and her and she couldn't help but blush at his smile.

'Oh! What's wrong with me? I've never acted this way in front of a guy before! What is it about him that's making me so embarrassed?' Usagi thought as a maid came up to her with a nice kimono and led her off into a changing room.

While the kimono wasn't as elegant as some she had seen before it still had it's own beauty. The whole kimono was pink with white flowers on it, the obi was plain pink but what really got her attention was the fact it was made of silk. Never had she worn anything so elegant.

Usagi's hair had also been cleaned and was put up in two Odango-like buns so as to not get her hair in the dirt. When she looked in the mirror she looked like a completely different person. She no longer looked like a scrawny vagabond but like the proud daughter of a noble without a spot of dirt on her body.

'Wow! This young man is so- so nice to me. But why is he doing all this for me, I wonder.' Just then Quatre came in and his face lit up and he took her hand.

"You look absolutely beautiful. We really should be going now, though." He lightly moved his arm around hers and delicately took her along to the Emperor's castle.

~~~~¥~~~~

Hotaru exited the Temple in her finest silk kimono and walked towards the carriage where Heero was waiting to escort her to the temple. Taking his hand he helped boost her up into the carriage to sit down before entering himself.

Ever since last night she had been feeling guilty, like she had betrayed Heero in some way or other by the kiss Duo shouldn't have given her. Then about her maid discovering her actions with him, and accusing her of the worst things possible.

"Is something bothering you?" He asked as she look up at him.

"It's nothing really." She lied which he could plainly see.

"It's not my place to say but I think you should the prince about what you're feeling, since communication is the most important thing in a relationship." Heero gave her advice, which she just brushed off her shoulder.

"I know how much of a friend Wufei is to you. But I also know you're feelings towards me. It seems to me like you're the one who needs to communicate to someone about your feelings and dilemma." He looked at her with his usual stone cold face.

"You want to know what I'm thinking?" He asked her.

"What is it?"

"Nobody cares what a soldier thinks as long as they do their job promptly." He turned away to make sure no one was listening.

"You may be a soldier but you're still human like everyone else and if you conceal all your emotions it'll drive you mad." He looked at her with slight surprise.

"You really should lay off reading Japanese philosophies." He said closing his eyes. She smiled at him before imitating Heero.

~~~~¥~~~~

Quatre and Usagi had since arrived at the castle and were walking through one of it's many rose gardens.

"Just around this corner there is a lovely pond surrounded by flowers which a friend of mine adores. Would you like to see it?" Quatre asked staring into her eyes.

"Ah, sure." She said as they turned the corner and saw Wufei sitting on a bench by the pond.

"Oh there's the Prince Wufei now." Usagi seemed to lose her breath when she heard that she was going to meet the prince. He got and walked towards them and while Usagi tried her best to regain her composure as he stopped in front of them. While Quatre seemed perfectly calm Usagi felt like she was about to fall apart.

"Who is this?" He asked eyeing Usagi who had her head towards the ground.

"A friend I just met but we've become good friends already." Looking over to Usagi he laughed at her attitude. "You can lift your head up you know, there's nothing to be embarrassed about."

Swallowing hard she slowly began lifting her head to look at him. When she finally got a good look at his face she immediately recognized it for she had thought about it for years now.

"You!" She seemed to scowl at him. "You! You're the one that took my sister from me in our old village!" She took her arm out of Quatre's and was glaring at the Prince he looked pretty confused. "You're family took Hotaru from me all those years ago, I hate you for separating us!" She reached out to grab onto his collar but he grabbed her wrist first and tightly held onto it pushing her down to her knees.

"I'd watch what you say." He said angrily to her. She was still glaring at him and he was doing the same to her.

"You two stop it right now!" Quatre yelled at them both for their childish behavior. He took Usagi's wrist from his grasp and helped her to her feet.

"Then you should tell her to show some respect for authority!" He looked away from them both with his eyes tightly shut and extremely tense, obviously he was very angry with her but she noticed one thing on his face, which didn't fit his mood. She saw his cheeks give off a little blush, however barely noticeable it may have been it was still there, she was sure of it.

That's when they heard footsteps and two voices talking who were coming around the corner.

"Finally those two get here, I've been waiting for at least an hour." He faced the direction the voices were coming from and still had on his pissed off face.

That's when Heero and Hotaru turned the corner neither one seemed to be particularly happy but when they looked up they saw everyone else was tense as well but there was one extra person they'd never met before with blonde hair.

"What took you so long?" Wufei demanded an answer still angry from Usagi.

"It was Hotaru she took extra time to dress." Heero said walking forward stopping when he noticed Hotaru's body had totally froze.

"What wrong?" Heero asked but she just stared forward only moving one step forward. That's when he turned his head to see what she was staring at, it was the blonde girl. He also saw that the blonde girl had the same look written on her face.

"What is it?" He asked while the three young men stared on in confusion. Hotaru closed her eyes and quickly shot forward screaming a name.

"Usagi!" She ran up to Usagi and feel to her knees with Usagi as they embraced each other.

"Oh my gods! Is it really you Hotaru? You have no idea how many years I've been looking for you!" They both shed tears when they let go of their embrace and looked into each other's faces.

"I can't believe it either we've finally found each other!" Shedding more tears and embracing each other one last time they finally got up and wiped their eyes. Quatre, Heero and Wufei were all staring at them oddly.

"I'm so sorry everyone but I should introduce you to my only sister Tsukino, Usagi. Usagi this is Heero, Wufei and-"

"Quatre." Usagi finished Hotaru's sentence. "We met earlier and he's the one that brought me here." Usagi smiled at Hotaru.

Wufei was about to ask a question when a servant came tearing around the corner and falling on his face. He quickly got up and ran up to the Wufei.

"Wufei-sama. You're father he's-" He quickly took in a deep breath. "You're father. He's dead!"

TBC……….

AN: Well cliffhanger for all of you. And just so everyone knows this is a Wufei/Usagi & Hotaru/Heero romance, but there will be love triangle for both girls. Everyone's relationship will grow in the next episode and a betrayal will be discovered as well. Please review if you wanna read more! ^.-v