AN: I just watch them. I don't own them.
Where Do We Tap"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!" Duo barely avoided the heart-shaped beam attack. He was only now realizing the major difference between piloting a megaton gundanium battle suit and having nothing between opponents except for lightweight armor and a cape. Minako had emphasized that when they played for real, with no holding back, Duo's instincts would kick in and he'd be able to tap his inner power. No such luck, he thought as another tree exploded to his right. So far he wasn't tapping anything except for his body's adrenaline supply.
His next thought was really just a wish for some camouflage. He felt like a flamboyant Bird of Paradise in his orange and crimson Senshi uniform when he was dashing from tree to tree trying to avoid Venus' attacks. So far his only plan was to try and wear his sadistic teacher's stamina down and then try to…try what? His mind hadn't gotten that far. He just had to try to last longer than she did. He noticed that her energy bursts where coming less and less frequent and that they seemed to be aiming in less concentrated areas. Duo decided it was the time to take the offensive.
Minako's breathing was a bit faster than usual, but that was more from excitement rather than being tired. She'd let up to let him think that she was winding down, but he had another think coming. Her smug grin faded when she realized that Duo had figured out how to block her tracking him. Their link was buzzing with a 'blank' image, showing that he'd effectively blocked her for the moment. A few feet away she saw the hug mud wallow that apparently had muted his costume's ability to stand out. A trail of the glue-like mud led off into the thick foliage to the left. As she started off to follow, it was only a flicker in the corner of her eye that let her leap back to safety. A golden whip slashed the air where Minako had been standing a split second before.
"Am I looking at Eros of Venus," she asked as she landed in a crouch, "or my very own personal Big Foot?" Between the mud and hair, Duo resembled a very small version of the missing link in humanity's evolution. Duo grinned but let his flying kick answer for him. Minako ducked and aimed chop at the side of his neck. Neither one landed a blow. "That all you got?" Duo read in his teacher's eyes what was coming next and realized that he couldn't get out of the way before she blasted him. Like a bird pushed into his first flight, instincts burst within his skull.
"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"
"Venus Resilient Heart Rebound!" The attacks collided midair and shorted each other out with a massive expulsion of golden light. Duo and Minako found themselves blasted backwards several feet with the ground between them nothing but a smoking hole. From his position on his back, Duo watched a huge flock of birds that had been disturbed by the blast fly up and away.
"You did it," cried Minako as she crawled to his side and hugged him mud and all. Their embrace made a delightfully disgusting squishing sound, but neither seemed to notice or care.
"My inner power, huh?" At her nod, Duo stared at his hand where the spiraling beam had come from. His fingers felt all tingly like he'd touched a live wire or something. "What's next?"
Minako smiled at Duo's ability to accept the final proof of his changed status in life. She touched the mud caking to the side of his face before speaking. "Now that you've unearth your power, I don't have to chase you to crack your seal. Let's get you cleaned up," she crinkled her nose as a large clump of gooey mud fell off when Duo stood up, "then we'll see if we can get you to focus your power through that whip of yours."
"At least we now know that I've got the power." Minako kissed him lightly on the only clean spot on his face, the end of his nose.
"As far as I'm concerned, Eros of Venus, you'll always have power when it comes to me." Duo grinned and let her lead him to a place to clean up. He still felt where his dammed power had burst though inside of him, and before Minako turned the water hose on his thoughts were on how his friends were fairing in their training. Then his thoughts were only for the blast of glacier water shocking his system. His howl of surprise shook the trees and for a second time that day he was responsible for sending a flock of birds winging away in terror.
AN: That's a wrap for another chapter. Comments and suggestions are really welcome. Thanks and Later!