AN: I forgot put a disclaimer on the prologue but if you think I own Sailor Moon you are seriously drugged. This disclaimer applies to all the chapters of this fic. Thank you to everyone that reviewed and keep them coming.
Dangerous
By: Tasie
Chapter 1: A Day In the Life of Ren Hikari…
In the light of day the young woman of the night before didn't look quite so foreboding or dangerous. In fact in the midst of sleep she seemed innocent and peaceful, as opposed to the sad menace she radiated at night. The black alarm clock shattered that peace with its loud shrill at exactly nine o'clock, and a deceptively delicate looking hand snaked out from under the extremely soft pitch black satin covers to silence it…permanently.
The clock's remains were distributed on the floor as proof of its demise. Blinking rapidly to adjust to all the light that flooded in the room Usagi sat up and took what looked like a simple glance around the room but was actually a quick survey of it.
The she noticed the murdered alarm clock. 'Damn!' she thought, annoyed, 'there goes another one!'
Nothing was out of place nor was there any traces of a disturbance so she threw back the covers and sluggishly dragged herself out of bed and into the kitchen, yawning the entire way.
Walking into through the long hallway, Usagi's eyes fell on the few pictures that temporarily graced the walls of the simple apartment and her eyes began to tear.
Tearing her gaze away from the pictures and the memories they brought, she quickened her pace until she was right in front of the refrigerator. Opening it her eyes swept through, she wrinkled her nose at the now non-edible items. Finding a carton of milk on the bottom shelf, she reached for the carton and brought it to her nose, sniffing the contents just to make sure the milk was still good. Three minutes later she flopped down on her couch, making sure not to spill anything, with a large bowl of cereal in one hand and the morning paper in the other.
She smiled briefly and stretched, balancing her food carefully as she enjoyed this peaceful moment. Sitting down in her pajamas and just reading had become a luxury she hadn't had a chance to enjoy in good while. It seemed like every other week she was moving, and in some cases hiding. And it appeared that with each move they got closer and closer to finding her.
Why couldn't they just leave her alone? Why couldn't they understand that she needed some space? Was she being selfish for wanting to live her own life? So what if that life wasn't exactly normal. She was still helping people; she was just doing things her way without orders or criticism from anyone. No one to tell her when to get up or whether or not she could do something. She was doing what she wanted, when she wanted and she liked it that way.
'Complete Freedom…'
The ringing of the phone snapped Usagi out of her silent musings. She put her half eaten cereal down and walked out of the empty living room, then into the only room still with a working phone; the bedroom. All of her important stuff was already packed and was in storage. So what if her idea of storage happened to be a dimension full of endless space that she wasn't supposed to 'technically' be using but hell, why should she have to deal with metal detectors and nosey custom people when she didn't have to?
She grabbed the cordless phone and sighed, already exhausted just knowing who it was, after looking at the Caller ID. She was going to need to sit down for this call, Usagi decided. She headed back to the living room and sat down for a minute in preparation, taking a deep breath, before reluctantly answering the phone. And instantly heard an irritated and extremely familiar voice.
"Damn it Ren, Did you have to wait so long to answer the phone?!" an irate voice demanded. "I mean really, What if I had been in trouble or in jail and I needed to call you. You are so…" the voice rambled on and on for a good while before Usagi, fed up, decided to politely interrupt.
"Is there something you need, Mommy dearest?" Usagi spoke with harsh sarcasm.
Well, maybe not so politely.
"Yeah, Oh oneness," was the reply, in an equally sarcastic tone. "Are you almost done packing? Because I've got another job lined up, waiting for you. You know the drill, go to the airport and a ticket will be waiting, the people I've assigned it to are idiots." The voice deadpanned and sighed dramatically, "It's so hard to find good help these days!"
"Cut the theatrics, Boss. I'll be there by tonight. I've got some…" Usagi trailed trying to find the right word "… business to take care of before I leave. " She heard another sigh, this time one of concern.
"Okay Ren, but just do me a favor would you? Don't go looking for trouble, okay?" Hearing no response the voice persisted.
" OKAY!?!" it demanded. You could hear the exasperation in the tone.
Usagi smirked into the phone, it was always fun to irritate the Boss, and replied sadly, " I never look for trouble, Boss. It just has an uncanny ability of finding me."
She didn't wait for the answer to her statement before she hung up the phone. Usagi sank into her chair with another sigh before getting up to return the phone to the recharger. Reentering the living room, she took one look at her soggy cereal and dumped it down the sink.
She never did like soggy cereal.
Walking back into the bedroom she went around the room, collecting the clothes that were thrown on the floor and other items from around the room. After picking up everything she waddled with her arms full, dryly thinking before it would have taken threats of the fatal kind for her to clean up her room, her way to the bed and dumped her arms contents on it. Having done that she proceeded towards the closet and started everything out of it and on the floor in her haste to get her goal.
Reaching inside the now bare space she pulled out a huge black sports bag and strolled over to the bed. Bending down again she picked up all the items that once again littered the floor and deposited the contents on the bed. She took two minutes to decide what to wear before she dropped it on the floor and stuffing everything on the bed into the bag. She stared at the engorged bag and the clear bed contemplatively before ripping the sheets off and stuffing them in the already bloated bag too.
What? They were her comfort sheets and she wasn't leaving them.
Getting on all fours she reached under the bed and pulled out a black messenger bag with a side pocket attached. Still holding it in her dainty hands she got up and walked over to her laptop taking it off the desk. Then she reached under the desk to tear off the wallet that was taped to the bottom it in case of emergencies. Opening the wallet Usagi saw what had to be at least a thousand dollars and 4 credit cards in it.
Usagi
wasn't intending on coming back there for a while so she figured why leave it
behind. Bagging the items she grabbed the outfit she had left on the floor and
ran to the bathroom to quickly wash and change.
Fifteen minutes later she walked into the room refreshed and prepared for the day. Dressed in a pair of baggy blue jeans that hung slightly off of her hips and a white halter top that left her navel exposed. She had a towel in her hand wringing the excess water out of her hair.
Grabbing the sock anklets and white sneakers she left out she sat on the bed and stuffed them on her small feet. Using her fingers and the hair band she kept around her wrist she tied her massive damp hair into a large, messy bun, feeling too lazy to really do anything with it and placed her sunglasses on top of her head. She blew at her outgrown bangs that now came down to her nose and hung in her eyes. She would have cut them before but her schedule wouldn't allow it.
Thinking of schedules her eyes caught onto her watch and widened. That conversation with her boss had taken way too much time. Putting on her favorite leather jacket she clutched the keys to her bike in one hand and her bags in another, quickly she placed the large bag in 'storage' but not before placing the pictures in the hall with them and left the apartment. As soon as she exited the apartment her sunglasses were on and covering her eyes.
Standing there with one bag and her keys she tapped her sneaker clad foot impatiently waiting for the elevator. Once she had reached the lobby she nearly ran to the underground apartment garage.
The garage was empty as most people in her building had already gone to work, and she smiled, genuinely happily at the thought of not having to get up at six in the morning to go to a nine to five job. Loading her smaller bag on the bike and securing it so it wouldn't fall off she climbed on and turned the ignition on. Gaining her balance quickly, she sped down the street to her first destination, before heading to the airport.
~~~~~~~~
Parking in an alley, Usagi had a little dilemma.
Should she leave her precious bike out on the street where it could possibly be stolen or should she put it in 'storage' and possibly drain herself leaving it in there for the rest of the morning?
Decisions, decisions….AS IF she was going to leave her baby out in the open!
A minute later Usagi walked out of the now empty alley and on to the semi crowded streets. Seeing the Post Office a block away she rushed to get in while the door was being held open by a man walking in too. She smiled in gratitude and walked in to see the place unusually crowded for such an early time, she glanced at wristwatch 'Aren't most people at work by now?' she wondered more than a little pissed at having to wait in line all morning. She walked to the line and waited impatiently for her turn, while staring at her watch and mentally demanding time to slow down.
It didn't listen.
Finally she got to the front and waited for the woman behind the counter to acknowledge her presence. The woman must have had a bad day or was just permanently PMSing because she gave Usagi an evil look, as if Usagi was wasting her precious time!
'Oh HELL NO!' Usagi thought already pissed with having to wait for so long. 'It is too damn early in the morning for this crap!' Despite her not so angelic thoughts Usagi smiled tightly and tired to curb her temper. It wouldn't do to get arrested when she had a flight to catch, but if that witch shot her one more dirty look, she was gonna…
"Can I help you?" The woman's voice was as annoying as her attitude. Usagi wanted so badly to rudely reply 'I don't know, can you?' but she bit her tongue and said, " Yes. Is there any mail or packages for Ren Hikari?"
The woman gave her a strange look before turning around and muttering something about pushy teenagers and truancy officers. It was then she realized she didn't change that morning and just shrugged her shoulders. She had plenty of time to change before she got to the airport, speaking of time… she glanced at her watch again, what was taking this woman so long!
She started tapping her sneakers against the floor edgily and waited for Miss. Attitude to get her rear in gear. Didn't this woman think that she had other things to do then wait all day in a Post Office for someone with a stick up there ass?
'Finally!' The woman came back with one letter and a thick package in her hands. Usagi was just about to take them before the woman hastily pulled them back.
" Identification?" Usagi knew it was probably protocol but that didn't mean that this woman still wasn't pissing her off. With a thought, a fake id was placed in Usagi's pocket and she smiled smugly as she showed it to the woman . The woman begrudgedly handed the package and letter to Usagi and stated that neither had a return address.
Usagi just nodded her head, peeked in the package and said a polite thank you that she really didn't mean and walked away.
She didn't need a return address…she was expecting them and she knew exactly who they were from.
Walking out of the Post Office, Usagi headed straight for the first telephone booth she could find. She had a very important phone call to make.
* Juuban District, Japan *
It wasn't like Ikuko didn't have enough things to do today. Between going to the hospital everyday, taking care of the house and Shingo and trying to keep her family from falling apart she didn't have a nanosecond to think! Hearing the phone ringing she headed towards the kitchen all the while yelling for Shingo to come downstairs for the third time in the last five minutes. 'If he is ignoring me, so help me… (AN: family resemblance, ne?)
"Moshi Moshi" she said in a forcefully cheerful voice cradling the phone with one hand while looking through the mail with the other.
"Mama?" the voice that greeted her was blissfully that of her missing daughter.
"Usagi?!" Ikuko's voice immediately changed from artificial to genuinely happy. She dropped the bills and focused completely on her daughter.
"Hai. Mama, are you okay? You sound kind of stressed." The concerned tone in Usagi's voice touched Ikuko's heart in a way only her eldest could. Her daughter always was unusually perceptive to other's feelings.
"Hai Hai. I'm fine but what about you? How are you? Better yet, where are you? And when are you coming home?" Ikuko fired question after question without giving her firstborn one chance to respond. Usagi listened patiently because she only got to talk to her mother once a week. And the questions were always the same, just like the responses always were.
Kind of like a routine.
"Mama, I'm fine. I can't tell you and I don't know." Ikuko sighed disappointed with the usual answers. Every week she asked the same questions and every week she got the same replies.
"Mama, you have to try and understand. Things are different now. I can't just come back like nothing happened! You do understand, right?" Usagi couldn't bear the thought of not seeing her family but for now it was best she'd just have to try and grasp that.
No, Ikuko thought, she didn't understand but she nodded anyway and then realized Usagi couldn't see her and sighed her acceptance. She didn't understand why Usagi left and she didn't understand why she couldn't tell her own mother where she was, but she did know that Usagi usually had an explanation for things.
She just had to wait for her to tell her still… she wished she'd hurry!
"Oh!" The gasp from the phone broke her out of her reverie. "I forgot. I transferred some money into you and Daddy's account. It should cover the bills for the month…" With everything else on her mind, Usagi couldn't seem to forget about her family's needs, "… and there's enough for you to buy a new dress to wear to Shingo's award ceremony!"
And only Usagi would be concerned with what she wore to an award ceremony. She sighed in exhaustion. It wasn't that she wasn't grateful for Usagi's contribution, she was it was one less thing for her to worry about.
It was just that Usagi shouldn't have had to do it but she was suspicious as to where Usagi got all that money from in the first place. Yet another question that would no doubt be left unanswered.
Before she could open her mouth to object, Usagi beat her to it. Probably sensing her train of thought as she had a tendency of doing. She wouldn't put it past her daughter.
"Mama, you and Daddy have always taken care of me. Please, let me take care of you." Usagi pleaded convincingly and Ikuko knew that Usagi had won, as usual. So she did what most mothers do when they know they're wrong…changed the subject.
"So…Usa your father's progress has been really good…" and the conversation changed to more of an update on the family and other events.
~~~~~~~~ * Elsewhere * U Left off here**********************
"There is a call at the Tsukino residence." A soft voiced echoed in the silent room. The response was immediate.
"Have you done a voice identification match yet?" a strong yet peaceful voice questioned.
"I'm doing it right now…"she replied distractedly.
"HURRY UP!" a shriller more impatient voice demanded.
"Hold on already! It takes time for the match to be confirmed to whether or not it's her, so you either shut up so I can work or I'll shove this computer so far up your…" she was interrupted by the sound of beeping coming from said computer. She looked at the readings and a smile spread across her face and she turned to the room's other, seeing hope in their eyes, she nodded her confirmation. It was her alright. The sighs of relief were instantly cancelled out by the order for her to trace it. Amy bristled at the command but obeyed nonetheless. It would take time, confirming a voice match and tracing one were two different things. The only sound in the room was that of typing and pacing. This was just another attempt at tracing her but every other time, they tried to track her had failed. She always hung up before the trace was finished and they only got a general location and by the time they found her last whereabouts she was gone. The Mercurian shook her head, she needed to focus on the task at hand, and everyone was counting on her to find Usagi. She had to find their princess; with that thought in her mind she continued tracking the signal.
~~~~~~~~~~
Ikuko was now talking about the kind of dress she was thinking of buying when Usagi suddenly started getting a tingly feeling in the back of her head. It usually only happened when she was being watched or she felt she was in some kind of danger and that feeling hadn't failed her yet. As much as she hated to interrupt her mom...
"Mama, listen I've got to go." She didn't wait for the answer she continued. "Send my love to Daddy and the spore. I love you, Mama." She hung up the phone and winced, she was so gonna hear it the next time she called. She walked out of the booth and back into the alley only to find herself faced with a group of grimy looking guys, all leering at her in a way that made her feel dirty enough to take another shower. One way or another they had her surrounded and she realized it was going to be gonna be one of those days. She looked into the clear blue sky and uttered one simple question.
"Why me?"
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To Be Continued:
AN: In reference to the last wince, you cannot just hang up on your mother and not expect to get yelled at. That's just stupid. I am speaking from personal and painful experience. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope you will review or send some kind of feedback as an authoress I can't get better without learning from my mistakes!
