Chapter Seven
Angel's apartment - L.A., USA year 2001
After the recovering of her memories with the help of the Selenian's powers, Usagi had opted on accepting Angelus' offer on sleeping in the guestroom. There was no way she would be let into the dorms this late, and frankly enough, she didn't think she had the energy to walk there. The fight against the vampires earlier and the many revelations of the night had taken their toll.
Usagi had been asleep as soon as she placed her head on the pillow, and when she woke up the next morning, she did so to the delicious smell of pancakes. Two minutes later, Angelus entered the guestroom, wearing a pair of blue jeans and a casual, maroon shirt.
"Good morning," he smiled. "I was just about to wake you up. Your breakfast is ready."
Smiling broadly, Usagi dragged her fingers through her hair.
"Thank you," she enthusiastically said.
He laughed and gestured towards the kitchen.
"I found some cloths you can use until I drive you home after breakfast," he said. "Why don't you wash up and get ready? I'll finish setting the table."
Angel's office - L.A., USA year 2001
Angelus was humming an ancient tune to himself as he made his way to the office from his car. He had just dropped off Usagi at her dorms, the girl promising to return later that afternoon to talk some more. He intended to use the time in between to get a grip on himself. He had been moping around long enough now. It was time for him to do what he should have done a long time ago. Assemble the senshi so handily living in LA and start training them for the final showdown between them and Metalia/Beryl.
Opening the office door wide, he casually stepped into the office, not even noticing Cordelia's and Wesley's elated expressions.
"Good morning," he absently said, walking over to the desk and reaching for the phonebook. "You're early today."
"EARLY?" Cordelia screeched. "We have been waiting here for an hour, worried sick for you, and your only words when coming back are 'you're early'? Do you realize how worried we were when we arrived to an apartment bathing in sunlight? We thought you had committed suicide over Ms. Slayer!"
Alarmed Angelus looked up to look as his friends. Seeing their expressions, he guiltily lowered his eyes.
"I'm sorry," he ashamedly said. "So much happened yesterday that I forgot to brief you two. Believe me when I say that I'm terribly sorry for worrying you so. I just returned from dropping a friend off at her dorms."
Cordelia raised an eyebrow, somewhat subdued by his unusually vocal apology.
"Friend?" she curiously commented. "Someone I know? I know it's not slayer girl, she's probably boinking her new boyfriend by now. And Faith should be complaining over the prison fashion. I mean, those jail costumes thingies are just plain ugly…"
"What Cordelia so subtly are trying to ask is: who is this friend of yours?" Wesley smoothly interrupted. "You haven't spoke of a female friend before."
Angelus nodded.
"I know," he conceded. "Her name is Usagi Tsukino. I've known her for a long time. We just haven't…seen…a lot of each other lately."
Wesley nodded.
"So I see," he said. "Tsukino… It sounds Japanese."
"It is," Angelus nodded. "She's from Tokyo. Now, there are a few things you should know about me. Something happened yesterday…"
And so he launched into the tale of his life and the events of the previous day, explaining all the changes in him and answering their questions, stopping with explaining that he was going to look up and activate the senshi situated in LA to start preparing them for the upcoming war.
"So," Cordelia finally summarized, "you are going to look up those celebrity aliens of yours in the phone book and just visit them at home?"
Angelus nodded, causing Cordelia to roll her eyes before giving him a patient look.
"I'm sorry to burst your bubble, Angel… oops, sorry… Angelus," she sarcastically said, "but celebrities don't announce their private phone numbers for the world to see in the phone book. Nor can you just walk up to their door and ask to see them. Didn't you have security back in your days?"
Angelus frowned, then smacked his head.
"Damn," he cursed. "I'm so thick-headed. "
"Yes, you are," Cordelia gloated. "But thankfully, I'm not. Now, give me the name of your superstar extraterrestrials and let me work my magic."
Angelus gave her the names, and five minutes later, Cordelia returned from Angelus' office with a notebook filled with her curvy scribbles. Beaming proudly, she handed the book to Angelus.
"Here you are," she grinned. "Ways to contact your Martians."
Angelus gave her an appreciative smile.
"Thank you, Cordelia," he said, immediately preparing to leave. "I owe you."
Going out the door, he could hear her call after him.
"I would appreciate a raise in salary!"
Haruka Tenou's home – LA USA year 2001
Haruka Tenou, Japanese by birth and a New York girl since her second birthday, slid out from beneath the midnight colored Ferrari, wiping her hands on the dirty cloth jammed in the car door for that very reason. Now her baby should work as it should again. Taking place in the driver's seat, she started the car and listened to the low rumbling of the engine with a loop-sided grin.
"Yes!" she triumphantly exclaimed before taking the key from the ignition and getting out of the car. It was time for her to make her biweekly visit at the downtown motel to teach the owner's daughter how to play the piano. Evelyn Collins was a very good friend of hers back from the days as a new rookie in town. It didn't change because she was an international superstar now.
Flinging on a leather jacket and a baseball cap, Haruka strode over to a less conspicuous car, a beat-up but well-cared-for pick-up. No need to alarm the media of her biweekly visits downtown.
With the traffic to consider, the ride to Evelyn's place took twenty minutes. Parking in a faintly legal way close to the motel, she made a casual decision to take the front door this time around. Usually, she did the back-door thing, but today, she felt like taking the front door. Besides, wearing a tight top under the leather jacket accentuated rather well that she was a woman. And most of her fans thought she was a man. An easy mistake with her short hair and often shaggy clothing.
Pushing the door open, she blinked, adjusting her eyes to the dusk inside. Glancing around noncommittally, she surprised noticed that someone was already there, sitting in a worn armchair by the reception, nursing a cup with something pale in it. When she entered the motel, he rose and walked out into the light after putting down his cup.
Wary of his sudden movements, Haruka kept her eyes on him as he moved closer. It was a tall, lean man, dressed in a pair of jeans and a closefitting, maroon shirt, both garments betraying his muscled and sleek body, the body of someone who used it often. His skin hinted towards him not having seen the sun for a very long time, and his dark brown hair stood in sharp contrast to it together with his chocolate, almost black eyes that seemed to glow with a silvery shimmer in the sunlight from the windows. The movements were graceful, economic and utterly lethal, telling her that this man was comfortable in his body and knew how to use it. Moreover, she knew him.
Never being one to tiptoe around the issue, Haruka went straight at it.
"I know you, don't I?" she frankly said, crossing her arms over her chest.
The man smiled serenely at her.
"Yes, you do," he calmly said. "Though we have not seen each other for quite a while, Haruka-san."
Haruka glared at him.
"Well, as I can't place you," she scathingly said, "would you please tell me your name and what you want me?"
Taking his left hand from its place resting on the counter, the man smiled at her.
"I am Angelus Lamia," he introduced himself. "And as for what I want..."
She didn't see him move. One second, he was standing at least five feet away at the other side of a table, one hand hanging by his side and the other half lifted in the air. The next second, he was standing so close to her that she could feel the whisper of his breath on her skin. 'Strange', she couldn't help but think. 'he doesn't seem to breathe half as often as I.' Then his raised hand was placed on her forehead and everything was forgotten.
A slight burning on her forehead, and she...remembered.
"Angelus," she whispered as she stumbled a step backwards to sit down in a convieniently placed sofa. "Then we lost the war and have been reincarnated."
The tall vampire nodded, a sad look flickering over his face.
"Yes," he agreed as he sat down next to her. "And now the world need the help of the senshi once again. Will you fight with us again, Haruka of Uranus?"
A mischievous smirk settled on her lips.
"Of course," she grinned even as she pondered the current situation. "It's time that bitch goes down!"
