Chapter Fourteen: Reconnaissance (In which the title finally makes some sense)



Author's Notes: Ahh! I just realized I forgot to add in a scene in the third chapter, well, two scenes, to be precise. One leads up to the grand finale, the other makes up for the absolutely appalling lack of Wufei, and explains his relationship with Hotaru a little further. These scenes should go right before Hotaru comes down into the bar.

In the final edit, which I will do once the entire story is finished, these scenes will be moved, along with the fixing of previous dialogue and shoddy characterizations, as well as some typos and plot holes I noticed only after posting, but for now, these scenes can live here! Sorry again! I'm hoping to get this whole beast at least outlined, if not written by the end of the month. Feel free to harass me with e-mails and reviews if you think I'm going too slow. Sometimes, if no one reminds me to get it done, months will go by before I realize I've had a mostly-done chapter in my hard-drive for MONTHS, and I haven't posted. I know, I know, I should be shot.



This should be the second last chapter! I'm down to less than two pages of planning notes! Woot!



APOLOGIES: I stole the line about the blood from the season five finale of Buffy, and the memory sequence structure is very, very similar to Echo's in her fab fic, "A Drop in the Ocean"; I didn't realize this until I re-read it, and am now too lazy to re-write it, so please give any and all credit for that scene to her. Oops!



*****



Duo woke with a groan, and opened his eyes to see Wufei leaning over his bed. He was in the infirmary. Again.

"What the hell?" Duo swore.

Wufei frowned at him. "I take it that you're feeling revived? You're cursing again, so you must feel like yourself." He stated dryly, placing a bookmark between the pages, and closing his book.

"Funny, Wu-man. Care to tell me why I'm back in the frigging infirmary?" Duo scowled.

"Well, you're in the 'frigging infirmary'," Wufei scowled and made a sulky face in an attempt to imitate Duo, "Because you collapsed at target practice this afternoon. Dropped off into a pretty deep sleep for no apparent reason. Iria was quite worried, thinking you've pushed yourself too hard since you and Hotaru wiped out those Youma formations."

"Oh." Duo said sheepishly, as if things were coming back to him, "Yeah, that. Uh, whoops?"

"Well, Iria's decided that you're stuck with bed rest for the next two days, so I hope it was an interesting dream." Wufei shrugged, not seeming at all put out at the concept of getting Duo out of his hair for two days. Also, incidentally, out of his bathroom, his shampoo, his food, and his gundam.

Wufei was getting sick of the constant practical jokes.

Strangely enough, Duo didn't pout, scowl, or attempt to forcibly remove himself from the room, instead his face was very still and he seemed to be lost in thought. "Yeah," Duo eventually answered, "It was interesting all right, pretty informative too. I was talking to Hotaru, and this real pretty lady, Pluto. I don't really know how, but I remember her."

"Fascinating." Wufei answered, returning his attention to his book.

"Yep," Duo continued, unperturbed, "But I woke up before I even got to razz her about running off with Heero!"

Wufei frowned slightly, but made only a vague sound of agreement, attempting to tune Duo out.

Duo's brow furrowed, "Oi! I said, Hotaru running off with Heero."

Wufei sighed in defeat, and looked up from his book again. "Yes, I heard you the first time. I assure you, I understand the concept."

Duo cocked his head to the side. "And you're not the least bit upset with this? I saw the way you look at her sometimes, hell, the way she'd light up around you occasionally, and you're telling me you're not the least bit upset with this?"

"Truthfully, yes." Wufei held up a hand to forestall a triumphant yell from Duo, "BUT, it's not for the reasons you think. I'm disappointed in that she chose Heero if she's looking for romantic attachment, because he might not return any feelings she has for him. It might not be possible for him to return her feelings with that damn psychological conditioning of his.

"There is a possibility that this trip is not romantic, as the annoying onna is gone as well. Perhaps Heero took them on a mission to assure himself of their loyalty. It's something he would do, and thanks to Iria, and your little stunt with Hotaru, we know they're fully capable of defending themselves.

" I am rather upset that she left without a goodbye, or even a note saying where she went." Wufei's eyes drifted away from Duo's to the floor and his mouth tightened and his expression grew sad and somewhat wistful. "If it was another time, then maybe. She's very beautiful. She's considerate, powerful, funny, hard-working, stubborn, and too-easily upset, but she's one of the strongest people I'll ever know." Wufei paused, struggling to find the right words. Wufei was speaking quietly about himself and his past, something he'd never shared before, to Duo's knowledge. Duo held his breath, afraid that at the slightest disturbance, this sudden spell might be broken.

"If it was a few years later, or even a few years earlier, before all of this began, then maybe I could have fallen in love with her. I probably would have, actually..." A slight smile slid momentarily across his solemn features. "...But she reminds me of someone I used to know. Someone I used to love. Reminds me too much, they're too similar for any romance between us to ever work out. I know this, she knows this. All we have been is friends, and that's all we ever will be." Wufei shrugged philosophically, but his shoulders were clenched, so it didn't work very well.

They sat in a semi-companionable silence for a few minutes, before Duo realized Wufei wasn't going to tell him anything else. "You realize that's the longest thing you've ever said to me that didn't include a death threat?"

A small, but true, grin settled on Wufei's face as he replied. "It's the first time in talking to you, that you haven't warranted one, baka."

"Ooh, you just lost your entire winning streak with that one!" Duo stuck out his tongue.

To Duo's surprise, and Wufei's as well, Wufei chuckled. "Quit interrogating me, and tell me about this 'interesting' dream of yours. For all we know, these new powers of yours could involve precognition."

"Telling the future right? I frigging hope so! If they do, I am SO heading to the nearest casino."



# flashback: a few days ago, Hotaru and Wufei are sitting in a dojo-style room, stretching after their respective workouts.#

"Who's Meiran?" Hotaru asked.

Wufei sat up from his stretch too suddenly, jerking his muscles painfully, "What?" He snapped.

Hotaru shrank back from his angry expression. "It's just... well, you called me Meiran the first time was met. I was... I was just wondering who she is."

Wufei sighed, suddenly looking very sad. "Was, Hotaru, who she was. She's dead now."

Hotaru nodded, now understanding the wistful looks he gave her. She understood loss. She had thought that Meiran was a sister or lover that was long lost. She had seen the pain of crushed hope in his eyes the first day she was awake, and she had been careful to keep a thin barrier between them, the avoid hurting him unintentionally. She knew she reminded him of someone he had loved, but the curiosity had been driving her up the wall. No one knew who Meiran was, and it had just slipped out. She waited silently for him to continue, moving closer to lay a comforting hand on his shoulder. He had obviously loved her, but it seemed that he didn't want to allow himself to grieve.

"She was... my wife."



She had comforted him, made soothing noises and rubbed his back as he finally broke down and cried for his wife for the first time. She cried too, holding him on the dusty wooden floor.

When the tears finally abated, he felt a great weight lifted off his shoulders. She was dead, and by allowing himself to grieve, he could finally accept that she was gone for good. He would probably never stop missing her, but he could heal.

Having a friend like Hotaru helped. He surprised himself by thinking of her with brotherly affection, after vowing to never open himself to be hurt by anyone after Meiran's death.

It didn't, however, stop him from swearing her to secrecy afterward.

#end flashback#





Wufei sat back, slouching deep into his chair in shock as Duo finished filling him in on his strange dreams, memories, and what Hotaru had told him.

Who knew she had such power?

Who knew Duo had such power?

Wufei, for all his anti-social tendencies, was an extremely good observer of human behavior. Duo was trying not to show it, but in his white knuckles and stiff movements, Wufei could tell he was terrified. He was afraid of losing himself to this new person inside him, and of the power washing away his sense of self. The power was hurting him, burning in his blood.



*****



Trieze failed. I know it. The metal electrodes in my brain absorb most of the electrical signals that would give me visions, but some premonitions still leak through. Also, he probably would have called to gloat long before now.

It's almost ironic. I rely on my network to let me travel the dream-paths, but it's the machines in my body that stop the power from coming naturally. I don't remember much of my childhood before the age of four, when my parents and their protectors were murdered and my 'special' power went insane. I'm told that I went through nearly a year of uncontrollable seizures and psychotic episodes before they managed to develop sufficient technology to suppress the constant visions, and the power that was ripping my small body apart.

Literally. They showed me some vids and pictures when I was around ten or so, and began wondering why I had to plug myself into the wall of computers everyday when all the other kids were allowed to go outside to play. It was really quite sickening.

My mother might have been able to help me control it, at least that's what Nanny told me. I don't remember her so well now. It's been a few hundred years since, but the anger still remains. It's all that remains, really.



I know I'm more than a little crazy, the power is ripping me apart, the microchips are shorting out. They were implanted when I was five, and my brain grew around them since. They can't be fixed, they can't be removed. The doctors who implanted them couldn't have known that in my blood, I have the power to live for millennia. The power, I can't handle it, not like Mama could. I've got one last thing to do, before I can rest. This is why I started up this organization in the fist place, monitoring the planet, keeping the population, and the rebellious colonies under my thumb. To find the bitches that betrayed her.



After searching every remote cave and space station, I nearly gave up, but, a few centuries I've finally found them. The psychic signatures just appeared one day, totally unexpectedly. I've seen that psychic's dreams, my mother's ghost haunts her still. It's not enough, though. They have to pay. Saturn and Venus. That's all I have on them.

Most of my memory, save a few fragments were wiped out when the chips were put in my head, so all I have of my past, my origins, is what Nanny could fill in.

My mother was very beautiful, the stories all agree on that. She and my father ruled the universe with their eight protectors, each named for a planet in our solar system, no one really knows why. Through our veins flowed the royal blood, giving us incredible power and virtual immortality barring violence.

My parents were allied with the negaverse who helped them patrol the outer boundaries of space, it was a happy prosperous time. All of these were well-known facts. It's only the massacre and the motivations of the perpetrators that opinions differ.

Some say Venus was attempting a coup of the throne, a lot of youma tell me that Saturn was a racist, she attempted to wipe out their race, and my parents were caught in the crossfire trying to prevent genocide. Most agree that, whatever the motivation, they went a little mad that day, slaughtering those with royal, youma and human blood indescriminately.



If only I could remember exactly what happened that day, but I was so young, so scared. I don't know how to wield this power to defeat them.

If only I could remember what happened, I might find a way to kill them once and for all, and end our nightmare. It was such a very long time ago. My memories fly by; fragmented like my mind.



They said it was my blood. The power was in my blood. I was royalty.

Because it's always got to be the blood.

...Could destroy the whole world...

Can she do that? Could Saturn really do that?

Mamoru, no! Don't you dare!

I have to Usa, protect Rini, I love you.

..love you...

Mama's blood runs down my forehead, into my eyes. We've got to go Mama! Please! The portal's closing!

Purple light, the purple light's burning the youma. They're screaming!

Hurts/hurts/hurts/hurts, there's blood! My blood?

Jupiter thunder!

NO! Ami! She's not breathing!

Venus love me chain!

Silence Wall!

Dead scream.

Power runs through your blood little one, what's your name?

'cause it's always in the blood.

Pain/pain/pain/can't breathe/body hurts/can't stop shaking/help me!

Saturn, stop!

Go girl! Run!

Venus is down, hurry up!

Mama? Mama! Wake up! Please! Please! Please?

Her blood soaks me, I'm swimming in it.

Her blood was power, they said. Like mine.

It's always blood.

Puu sings me to sleep; 'Baby's been lied to: Mama said, Mama said. Baby should go on back to bed, Mama said, Mama said. But baby-girl's the jewel in their crown, Mama said, go to bed. Tell the truth, and they'll all fall down, Baby's head's as good as dead.

Whispers; I'm sorry Small-Lady. I wish it weren't so, but this is a necessary evil. It is the way things have to be. The only way to end it...



My thoughts are interrupted by yet another of my nameless aides. "Excuse me, madam? Une would like to speak with you in conference room eleven. Something about Trieze, Miss Rini..."



"Don't call me that, don't you ever call me that! That is not my name!" I snap back at him, he eyes glowing with fury in the pale light.



The aide backs out of the room stammering his apologies with wide, terrified eyes. I know he will tell the other aides about his encounter with the 'crazy machine lady in the tower' when his terror fades and he changes his soiled pants. He'd probably been dared to call me Rini by one of his stupider peers. Rumors about me are popular and frequent among my colleagues.

He's lucky I'm not in a killing mood today.



*******



Heero had woken up, hungover, grumpy, and totally unware of his behavior of the past few hours. He'd woken up entwined in Hotaru's arms, his head resting on the slope of her breast, with her hand tracing abstract patterns in the back of his tee shirt. He was in the midst of sighing, nuzzling his head farther into his chest, and dropping back off to sleep, when he realized where he was.

She eye snapped open, and he sat bolt upright, smacking the crown of his head on the underside on Hotaru's jaw. He stared at the wet mark on her shirt where he must have drooled. "How the hell?" He muttered.

"What did you do to me?" He snapped. She drugged him. She must have. What other explanation could there be? The car lurched suddenly to the side, taking his stomach along for the ride. His eyes widened and he made an ominous gurgling noise. She MUST have drugged him, he felt AWFUL!

"Well, good morning sunshine, took you long enough to get up." She rolled her eyes, "I know you don't like me touching you, so I kept trying to lean you on Trieze but you latched on and wouldn't let go." Her eyes looked anywhere but his, and she was... blushing?

Before Heero could analyze this new turn of events, Mina swung the car around another sharp corner, taking it on two wheels. As he made a vow to never let her drive again, his stomach began bubbling and protesting again in a most alarming manner. "Move over." He snapped.

Hotaru shrugged and gestured her thigh, pressed firmly against the car door. "I can't, this is as far as I can go." Heero pulled his eyes away from her thigh. Drugged. Definitely. It was the only explanation.

"I can't reach the window." Heero replied, starting to turn a little green.

"That's because you're in the middle, genius." She rolled her eyes, rubbing at her jaw where it had been struck. "I think this is gonna bruise."

"I need to reach that window."

"Tough noogies. We're almost back, we're not stopping." She put a finger in her mouth, trying to feel if her tongue was bleeding.

To Heero, it didn't look like that was what she was doing, moving her finger around in her mouth. 'Trying to distract me?' he thought, 'I will get to that window!' He took a deep breath, trying to calm his rebellious lunch from showing up again. "Unless you want me to be sick all over you, I suggest you move."

Hotaru made a face as she unbuckled her seatbelt and scooted out of the way. "Well," She sighed, looking disgusted, "It wouldn't be the first time."







*****



Just when Iria thought life couldn't surprise her anymore, it went and pulled a doozy on her. She was pretty weird to begin with, as least that's what she had thought.

Having twenty-nine siblings was pretty unusual, especially since twenty-eight of them were female. She smirked at the memory of poor father and poor, poor Quatre having to live through twenty-nine females in one (admittedly huge) house, with PMS. Adding to copious siblings, she was a doctor, un-biased and non-military, someone extremely rare in these troubled times. He brother was a gundam pilot, one of the five people in the world trained to pilot special mobile-suits with a chance of winning against OZ. She thought it was bad, having to adjust to all-out war, but it was nothing compared to this.

Two teenagers, (actually they were centuries old, but they still looked and acted like teens, didn't they?) came along and flipped her entire world-view.

Magic exists. Magic exists. Magic exists.

She shook her head as she fiddled with her brandy snifter filled from her rich, expensive emergency stock. She giggled and drained the glass. If this wasn't an emergency, she didn't want to know what was.

A few weeks ago, the suggestion of magic being real would have been cause for kind, patient words, and a rush scheduling of a psychiatric evaluation. A decade ago, the suggestion would have been met by rolled eyes and a derisive snort. Before that, in her childhood, the suggestion would have delighted her. Now, it seemed a burden, heavy, unfair, and very, very tangible.

She wanted to cry after hearing Mina's story, proof of the cruelty of life and destiny. She, however, wasn't sure if it was because she felt sorry for Minako's struggles, or for the fact that she, herself, wasn't chosen.



She didn't really have time to consider it as Quatre burst into the office, "Iria, come on! Mina, Hotaru and Heero are back!"

Iria almost laughed at the mess her life had become. She hadn't even known they were gone.



****

They pulled into the driveway to a grand reception with a mixed bag of expressions on their faces. Iria looked relieved, and a bit confused, as if she hadn't known they were gone, but was glad they were back, apparently unharmed.

Wufei was disgruntled, glaring alternately at Heero, Hotaru, and Duo, who kept trying to leap out of the wheelchair Iria had forced him into. He ignored Mina, though she didn't seem to mind, eyeing the two new arrivals warily.

Quatre was both jubilant and apprehensive, as he approached Mina. Mina grinned and jumped into his arms. The apprehension disappeared from his face as she whispered in his ear about having to bloody chase down Hotaru to apologize to her, and apologizing for disappearing.

She smiled widely, and he suddenly noticed how very close her body was to his. He blushed deeply, causing her smile to widen, and ask if he had any peppermint gum.

Duo's expression was by far the most complicated. Normally very open, he was quite adept at showing his feelings on his face, and letting everyone else know exactly what he was feeling at the moment. At that particular moment, he was relieved, annoyed, exasperated, nervous, hurt, protective (of Hotaru, he was suddenly eyeing Heero in a very unfriendly way), and very, very confused. Suspicious glances were cast at the newcomers, but they were, for the most part, ignored, as he focused on his sister.

Trowa was, as usual, completely unreadable.



Apart from Mina and Quatre, who were too wrapped up in each other to pay attention to much of anything else, the rest of their reception was staring alternately at Heero and Hotaru, waiting for an explanation.

Heero scowled and crossed his arms across his chest, trying to hide his hangover. He'd never known misery quite like this before. Not even when he'd broken his leg. Not even when he'd set that broken leg by himself.

Hotaru rolled her eyes at Heero, then glanced over at Dorothy, who was looking bored, but was eyeing Iria and the boys with lidded eyes and a strange half-smile on her face, she looked over to Trieze who was still bound, and , thankfully, gagged, but was glaring daggers at everyone he could see. She sighed. "I guess I should explain."

There was a short pause, broken by Duo, as usual, "Well DUH."

Seeing a potential fight cropping up, Trowa, who was thoroughly confused, and fed up with trying to work everything out with limited information, stepped in. "Let's go to the war room." He said quietly. "We need to know everything. There's recording devices there." He nodded at Hotaru, "I'm sure we'll need them. This is bound to be a very long story."

Hotura suppressed a laugh. Oh yes. Quite long indeed.



******



"Wait, hold on, your dead friend told you this? I'm going to go with a great big 'what the fuck' on that one." Dorothy interrupted, earning a sharp glare from Wufei.

"If you would kindly stop interrupting, onna, then I'm sure it will all make sense in time. Let Hotaru finish her explanation."

"You mean I'm the only one having a hard time believing this?" Dorothy replied, a stunned expression on her face.

"Actually," Quatre said, pursing his lips in contemplation of the last few day's events. "It's making a lot of sense."

Hotaru cleared her throat loudly, "Can I finish now?" She asked impatiently. "Now, as I was saying, Pluto was explaining to me that the power of the crystal is steady, and incredibly powerful; like a rushing river. People open to magical power, like Duo, Mina, Quatre, and myself are little creeks running off the river. Currently, the number of streams is too small, we're getting flooded." Hotaru glanced around the room. Trowa was nodding occasionally, while taking notes, as was Wufei, though he looked slightly worried. Mina was pale, and clutched at Quatre's hand, though he didn't look much better himself. Iria was fascinated, Dorothy bored, and Heero was looking at her with an expression actually approaching concern.

Duo, immediately grasping the situation, and not seeming to care, rolled his eyes. He cleared his throat, and in his best 'TV News Anchor' voice, announced: "And Now, for the Cheesy Metaphor section of our story..." He gestured grandly.

Hotaru growled and threw a pencil at Duo. "This is serious. Shut up Duo, or I will make you. My stream's bigger than yours."

"Hey, hey! My stream is plenty big!" Duo replied, looking insulted, and rather lewd. "Ask Iria, she's seen me naked in surgery." Dorothy perked up, giving Duo a smirking once-over before returning to her doodles.

"Duo..." Hotaru began, fed up, but was interrupted by Heero pulling his gun on Duo. He hadn't plugged in for more than three days, but old reflexes die hard.

"Let. Her. Finish." He hissed through gritted teeth.

"Um, thanks Heero." Hotaru said, "As I was saying..." She continued the telling of the dream, leaving out her arguments with Duo, and his embarrassing declarations of so-called, "Nummy Goodness."

She frowned at Duo as she finished. "If you hadn't butted in on my dream, Pluto might have told me more about these power suppressants," She sighed, running her hand through her hair, "If this goes on much longer, we might need them."

Duo's eyebrow's rose, "ExCUSE me? Butted in? From what Wufei and I have been able to work out, either I was called there, or I was so worried about your little joyride that I pulled myself there as soon as your mind was open! Who's fault is THAT? Hmm?? I'M not the one who ran off to Sin-City with Slutty the Wonder-Hoe over there."

"Hey!" Dorothy objected.

Hotaru made a sound somewhere between a choke and a squeak. "What? Joyride? I was kicked out. At gun point no less!" She threw her hands into the air and glared at Heero, who was still looking grumpy, and rather hung-over. "You didn't tell them?!?" She exclaimed.

Heero shrugged and studied his shoes, having the good graces to at least look somewhat chagrined.

Hotaru snorted, "Of course not, never mind." She looked over at Mina, "Wait a minute, YOU didn't tell them either?"

Mina blushed, "Um, well, I was really worried, so I just grabbed Heero and headed for the nearest car as soon as I weaseled it out of him."

Hotaru groaned, "Figures." She slid down to let her head thump the table.

"If you're all quite done, I still have a few questions." Wufei said, looking annoyed at their theatrics. "Mina told us about your friends being reborn in various time periods since their death, but if you were sent to this time period to end things, shouldn't everyone have made their contribution to the cause by now? What ever happened to..." He trailed off to consult the notes he'd made as Mina and Hotaru explained their history in detail, "... Uranus, and the Royal Family. I doubt that personages of such power would have made gone unnoticed by society if they'd already been reborn with the power levels you'd described. What happened to them?"



Mina frowned, bit her lip, and looked to the other end of the table, as most of the others had done after hearing Hotaru's description of her dream.

Dorothy, feeling the weight of their stares, looked up from the notepad she'd been doodling on. "What?"



*****

Heero was staring at his computer when Hotaru knocked. Why was he hesitating? It should be easy, sit down, plug in, re-charge, forget. Instead, here he was, feeling bad about kicking Hotaru out and behind cruel to her. He hadn't realized just how much emotion and...well... hormones were suppressed by it's programming.

The thoughts that plagued him were an annoyance really. Suddenly, instead of a target, an ally, an enemy, all he saw when he looked at Hotaru was long legs, glossy black hair, and the hidden intelligence and strength behind her big violet eyes.

He groaned. What had she done to him? She knocked again.

"Enter." He stated, and she did, walking in and silently sitting on his bed.

"I came to return this." She said in that quiet, steely voice she sometimes had when she was being serious. She held out the gun he'd lent to her to practice with.

He frowned, how did she...?

She blushed lightly under his puzzled look. "I picked the lock of the armory with a hairpin. It wasn't too hard." She winced, "Guess I'm validating your inherent mistrust, huh?"

He reached out and took the gun from her, noticing her shiver as their fingers brushed together. He didn't understand. Was she that disgusted with him that she couldn't bear touching him? He wanted to pound his head into the wall for caring what she thought.

The moment passed and her eyes met his. "I understand." She said.

Heero's breath hitched for a minute, but she didn't seem to be looking at his laptop "Why you did what you did, I mean." She sighed and sat back on his bed. "I lied to you, and I'm sorry, but would you have believed me if I told you the truth the first time?" He shook his head, she continued. "What you did, throwing me out, was the right thing to do, well, from your point of view at least. I didn't enjoy it too much." She paused, looking up at him again, "But if you ever pull a stunt like that again, I'm kicking your ass, understand?" He nodded.

She smiled up at him, and hopped off the bed, trotting out the door. Heero groaned again, letting his head fall back to his desk. What had she done to him? If he didn't re-charge soon, he was in trouble.

Problem was, he didn't know if he wanted to. These feeling had started to tear through his programming before their road trip; in the way she'd stand up to him, in the determined look on her face as he taught her how to fire a gun. What had she done to him?



*****



Wufei slammed his fist down on the table, causing Quatre, Trowa, and Mina too look up at him, startled. "This is useless!" He snarled, and whirled to stomp out of the room.

Mina rolled her eyes, "I hate to admit it, and will deny it if you ever bring it up, but Wufei does have a point. I mean, all we've got is a nursery rhyme?"

Quatre nodded, "True, we've always had pretty good reconnaissance on our missions, and on Oz in general, but I've never heard about this 'negaverse' before. I'm sure we'll find a way," He reached under the table to squeeze Mina's hand, "But I just don't see us having any success until we have more information, and I don't see how we'll be able to get it."

Mina's gaze wandered over to the supply closet where Trieze was tied up. A huge, evil grin spread slowly across her face as a plan formed.

Quatre glanced over at his girlfriend, "No. Oh no."

"Oh yes!" Mina exclaimed triumphantly, jumping out of her chair.

"No Mina, this is a really bad idea." Quatre pleaded.

"Would you rather sit here and mope, or do something? C'mon Quatre, I thought you were a man of action." She moved over to him, leaning down to touch her forehead to his, looking at him through downcast eyelashes, "I for one can think of many actions I'd rather be doing."

Quatre's face turned a rather amusing shade of red and he began to stutter.

"Great!" Mina exclaimed, swatting his chest lightly with her palm, "I knew you'd agree!"

Trowa rolled his eyes, relaxing back in his chair. Mina would get some answers, or she'd explode trying. Either way, it should be amusing to watch.

Trowa was tentatively in favor of the idea, their situation could only improve from the absolute dearth of information they had at the moment. "Bring him in here, I'll set up the surveillance tape for you." He said quietly, causing Mina's smile to grow even brighter, approaching the million-watt mark. Even if they had brought nothing but trouble, he began to warm under the force of her smile, he was starting to understand what Quatre saw in her.



******



"That's it!" Heero thought, snapping out of his trance to realize he'd spent the last hour staring at his computer screen. There was no way he could function like this. He'd have to reboot, at least until the war was over... then, maybe... he stopped that train of thought at the station.

He needed to be at full strength if he wanted to win the war and save Hotaru, Mina, Quatre and Duo from being driven insane by their own power. He took a deep breath and flipped up the patches of fake skin. He'd inserted his wires and had just begun the charging process when Hotaru walked in.

She froze. She looked at his arms, tracing the wires back to the computer. Arms. Laptop. Arms. Laptop.

Then; she screamed, jerking him out of the meditative-like state induced by the charge.

"W-w-w-what the hell?" She stammered backing up against the wall, summoning her glaive from it's subspace pocket.

He reached a reassuring hand towards her, straining at his wires. She tensed and pointed the glaive at him. "What are you doing." She asked, her voice cold and cautious.

"I'm..." Heero found himself completely at a loss. He was too tired to concoct an elaborate lie, or to try to force her out without an explanation (besides, after hearing the full extent of he power, he wasn't sure he could).

"I'm charging." He said flatly, keeping his face blank, hoping she would leave it at that.

Of course, she didn't. "And that's supposed to mean?" She made a circular waving gesture with her arm, indicating that he should continue.

He repeated what Dr. J had told him when his mechanical parts where first implanted. "That means the computer is recharging the mechanical implants in my muscles and skeleton, enhancing my speed, strength and endurance. It's also sending orders to my brain to ignore all pheremones and unnecessary signals my body may send to my brain." He shrugged.

She lowered her glaive, "I remember I sensed something off about you the first time we met in the hanger. So these blocked signals are, like, feelings?"

Heero nodding, "Yes, as well as pain and fatigue, amongst other things."

"Wow, no feelings." She paused, returning her glaive to subspace. She cocked her head to the side, and grinned slightly. "And here I thought you were just an asshole."

Heero's eyes narrowed. "Okay, not funny." She replied.

They stared at each other in silence for a few moments. "So no happiness, or friendship or love. Doesn't that bother you?" She asked, sincerity plain in her eyes.

"Not until now," He mumbled.

"What?" She asked, "I didn't hear that."

He cleared his throat, uncomfortable under her intense stare. "No. It's necessary. For battle."

She narrowed her eyes. "So that's how you're gonna be? Close yourself off? Let yourself forget what you're fighting for, who you're fighting for because it's easier that way? And here I thought there might be a decent person under all that programming." She scowled. She tossed a small black object onto his bed. "Here. I forgot to return the clip when I returned your gun."

Heero's face reddened. "I need this. Without charging up, my mechanical joints would stop working and I'd lose my edge in battle."

Hotaru's expression softened, "But what about after the war, Heero? Why do you want to save the world if you don't want to live in it? You can't just be a war hero forever, you know. You're gonna have to start living sometime."

"I don't plan on living through this war." His own bluntness surprised himself.

Hotaru's smile faded and she moved over to him, ripping a wire out of his arm savagely, "Don't you ever say that again. You are going to live through this or I will kill you myself." She stopped, stunned at the words, Shi's words, coming out of her mouth. She took a deep breath and tried again, "Look, Duo's made up his mind that all of us are going to live through this, and you know how stubborn he is, he just never gives up until he gets his way. Whether you like it or not, you're going to have to learn to deal with the world," She handed back the wire she'd snatched rather sheepishly, "I know you need to charge up for reflexes and stuff, but you're smart, couldn't you figure out a way to leave your head alone? I was kind of beginning to like you this way. Friendly, even." She patted his shoulder, grinned and swept out of the room, leaving behind a maelstrom of chaotic thoughts in her wake.

He fingered the metal wire lying in his hand, J had said the entire process was needed to be effective, but who knows, maybe he could figure it out.





*****



Minako's eyes twinkled as she faced Trieze, their face only inches apart.

She smiled.

It was not a nice smile.

"Now, now," She began casually, "I'm going to ask you ONE more time, why are you after us?" Trieze snarled at her. She snarled back, and shoved his chair back against the wall, with a disgusted scowl.

"Mina! Lay off, violence won't get you anywhere." Quatre intervened, laying a restraining hand on her shoulder, looking concerned.

She tensed, and shrugged it off, "On the contrary, dear, I think violence will get me everywhere." She narrowed her eyes, and glared at Trieze, "Don't you?"

Quatre, looking slightly panicked, turned to Trieze, "Look, just tell her okay?" His voice started to rise, "I'm sure you agree with me when I say I really don't want her to peel your skin off, strip by strip, like she's been plotting to do all afternoon." Trieze paled.

"Oh yes, blood's just nasty to get out of the carpet, isn't it?" She arched one eyebrow. "Don't worry sweet, I'll be neat about it." She traced the tip of her finger lightly across his shoulder blades; he shivered.

She picked up a knife and purred, "I've always wanted to find out how much someone could bleed and stay conscious, wanna find out?"

Trieze squeaked and began to babble everything he knew. A little encouragement from the combined mental skills of the interrogators helped, of course. He spilled the location of the base, codes, personnel population, and the fact that there was an insane psychic in the most senior position of the base with a major death wish against the girls. Something personal.

A short time after that, he seemed to realize that his confession wasn't all due to Mina's skillful (and quite disturbing) interrogation, and he managed to block most of the mental coercion. They had gotten most of the needed information already, though, so Mina continued on as if nothing happened, trying to wring additional information out of Trieze through interrogation alone.



" Someone's been very naughty." She said in a child-like singsong as she began ticking things off on her fingers, while listing them. "First, you try and take over the world, and that's never a good thing. Then you and your associates attack my friend's home and drive little Hotaru off to Nowhere! Now, you're now sharing like you should be. What's wrong with you? Didn't mummy give you enough hugs when you were little? You reverse Oedipal or something?"

"Bitch." Trieze spat in return, "You think insulting me's going to make me tell you more?"

Minako's eyes darkened dangerously, then lit up with a mischievous light. "Well, actually yes. Ooooh. I see your problem now. You must have a really small penis."

Quatre's eyes widened and he yanked Minako out of the room as Trieze started to redden, thrashing against his bonds and screaming expletives at the top of his lungs. "Hit a nerve, did I? They were teasing you! Size does matter!" Mina called before Quatre shut the door.

Quatre darted out of the room, a light sheen of sweat on his face. Breathing deeply he started to chuckle quietly. "I can't believe you just did that. Reverse Oedipal? You must have a really small penis??"

Mina covered her mouth with her hands, "Neither can I! D'you think slapping him was a bit much?" She giggled, "I can not believe I said that!"

"Said what?"

The couple jumped, with rather guilty looks on their faces. Quatre opened his mouth to explain, but Duo had already opened the door and was staring in shock.

"Shit, Minako," Duo said as he looked at the destruction Trieze was incurring in his wrath. He'd somehow managed to get his legs free, and had already destroyed the table. "He's really pissed off, what did you say to him?"

Mina shrugged, "I told him he wanted to kill his mother and fuck his father. Then I insulted the size of his..ahem, package."

Duo blinked, then a grin to match Mina's graced his face.

They high-fived and Quatre just shook his head.



*****



Trowa slipped out of the armory, finishing his inventory and checks on their weapons/ammo status. This is it, something in his chest told him. This is what we've been waiting for our entire lives, this battle is gearing up to either victory, or total annihilation.



Fear, excitement, anxiety and a fierce anticipation coursed through his veins warring with each other. One way or another his war would be over in this battle.

He could feel it in his bones, his flesh, his blood.

Because it's always about the blood.







*****









*snort* Trust Heero to think gun play is romantic...





Thank you to everyone who reviewed!





Transcendant Yeah *cringes* there's been a lack of Minako too... sorry! Tenshi: Thanks! It means a lot to me that you like it! Sugarbrat, Cloud Dragon, Rachel Evans: Ah! A faithful reviewer has returned to the fold! *cackles* See! *looks proud* Look how fast I posted! Just because you begged!, Lady-Tomoyo, WikeD tEnShi, Sammie, Whisper Reilman: Yeah, I know, H/W was pretty cute, I was wavering between for a while, but I think this was the logical conclusion for their relationship. Fallen Firefly, Xtreme Nuisance, The Elemental (hey, welcome back! Did you change your e-mail or something?), & C Martin!

Thanks guys!



PREVIEW OF NEXT CHAP:





"Power of love and the planet of Venus, punish these destroyers of peace!"

Duo looked at Mina, raising his eyebrow in one of those expressions he likes to pretend he doesn't have, "Um, Power of the 9mm semi-automatic, kill a lot of youma."



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