My Last Breath
Chapter Eight: Safe Inside Myself
By Monkey Princess
~*~
ChibiUsa was sitting down in the café on the ground level floor. She had answered all the questions and was put on probation and would have to report to Kagome every day until Bulma said.
She was tired. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She was now wearing a pair of black pants that were too big, with a belt doubled around her waist. She wore a pink shirt with the CC symbol on it. She was stirring a cup of hot cocoa, waiting for her father to come.
A hand touched her shoulder. She jumped, spilling a bit of her cocoa on the table. She turned around. "Oh, Goten!" she said, then laughed. "Come on, sit." She said, and gestured to the empty chair across from her.
He sat and smiled. "So how was it?"
She shrugged. "I guess it went well." She was blushing, so was he.
After an awkward silence, Goten looked down at his watch. "Uh, I was wondering."
She looked up. "Yes?"
"Would you want to come bowling with me?" he said, lowering his voice so no one else would hear.
"No, sorry." She said. She pulled a pen out of her pocket and began to write on the paper. 'I'd love to go.'
"Oh, alright." He said, and shrugged, taking the pen. 'What's going on?'
"Maybe some other time though." She said, then wrote, 'I'm on probation. I think I should be more careful.'
'I'll talk to you later, ok?' he wrote, then got up and left.
She smiled, watching him leave, and then waited for her dad to come.
~*~
'You're bugged.' Her father wrote on the paper inside ChibiUsa's apartment. "So how are you feeling?" he walked behind her and put a magnet up to the back of her belt.
"I'm feeling ok. Just tired. I think I'm going to go take a shower." She tried to look behind her to see if he got the temporary bug. They wouldn't be able to put a real one in her until she was in the hospital wing again. (They had already done a full body scan to see if she had gotten a bug planted into her skin. It seemed as though they didn't think of bugging her until after the interview.) "Will you be here much longer?"
"No, I've got to help Bulma with some stuff."
"Oh, ok, well I just wanted to know if you wanted to go to a concert with me. My favorite pianist is in Tokyo right now, I really wanted to go see him."
"Got it." He said as he ran the magnet under steaming hot water in the sink for a moment. "Ask Goten to go. He's a very nice boy."
"I donno, I kind of thought we could go together, it would be fun."
"And as fun as it sounds, I don't think I could go." He handed her his cell phone. "Call him and go see this pianist."
She looked at the phone, as if it were some disgusting bug she was being told to put into her ear. "I won't get caught?"
"No, I'll make sure of it. Besides, there was a man there Bulma said she wanted me to find someone to get him. He's in Tokyo." He smiled at her. "Its an easy job. All you need to do is kill him. Can you handle it and a date?"
ChibiUsa smiled. "Thanks dad!" she hugged him then went to her room to call Goten privately.
~*~
The pianist gloved fingers flowed gently and gracefully down the ivory keys on the piano.
ChibiUsa and Goten were sitting not so far from the pianist and his piano. ChibiUsa was amazed at how well the man played, just like every other time she heard him play. Goten was taken in by the music, and was watching the man closely. ChibiUsa smiled.
She was wearing a long off-white flowing dress. Her pink hair was put up in a bun. A necklace with a white rose pendant was around her neck. He was wearing a tuxedo. He sat up straight, fixed on the music.
She wanted to laugh. She enjoyed music, and could understand why he was so excited, but this was a bit much. It was the best hotel in the city. The largest room had been given to the pianist, just so he would play one piece.
Of course, other pianist would be playing, but he was the main attraction. People from all over the world had come to see him play. Which was why ChibiUsa and Goten were there, to get their target.
The man finished the piece, then stood. He had long black hair and daring green eyes. He wore a green cape with a golden brooch. Under the cape he wore a long blue shirt and black pants with black boots.
"I don't think I can recall ever hearing of this man before, or hearing the piece, but it sounds so familiar." Goten muttered.
Everyone stood to clap, including ChibiUsa and Goten. Everyone was clapping, except one man, in the back of the room who was wearing a dark blue shirt and black pants. His dark hair was falling in front of his eyes; his hands were shoved in his pant pockets. He moved away from the wall he was leaning against, and walked out to the lobby.
ChibiUsa leaned closer to Goten. "Was that our guy?"
"No, he's probably working for our guy. Bulma said something about how this pianist is important, she wants us to take him back with us."
ChibiUsa nodded. "All right, let's split up then, I'll follow the pianist, you go kill the man, since you are the assassin." She smiled, and began to leave the room, and asked the usher at the door where the ladies' room was, the left.
Goten waited a few minutes, then left to go to the lobby to find the man who had been standing against the wall. A woman walked up to him, smiled and said she really enjoyed the piece the famous pianist had played, he agreed, and she said he was a fine young man, and walked off.
Then he saw the man, he slowly walked after him up the stairs, rather than taking the elevator. He fingered his gun carefully, just in case he couldn't get the clean hold on the knife he was going to grab to kill the man. There were other people on the stairs too, couples trying to find a balcony to talk on, people going back to their rooms who felt it was nice to use the stairs. People always made things harder, he was going to have to wait, wait and watch, that was what he had always been taught to do when this happened. So he walked up all the stairs, and walked back down, stopping on the floor he saw the man walk off onto.
~*~
ChibiUsa smiled to herself as she walked into the lobby moments before Goten left. The pianist was standing in there, nodding at random people. But he saw her, his green eyes fell into her, and he seemed to forget about the others in the room. "Why hello, ma'am, were you here to attend the show?"
She nodded, blushing. "Yes, my boyfriend brought me here, it was a wonderful show, you did an amazing job."
He smiled, "I'm Kagato." He held out his arm for her.
"Usagi," she said, she took his arm and walked away with him. "Where are we going?" she asked, knowing almost too well where he was likely to be planning on taking her.
"You will see," he led her to the elevator and told the elevator man that they wanted to go up to the 14th floor.
When Kagato opened his room door, ChibiUsa made an excellent fake gasp. "Wow, it's so beautiful."
He nodded, "Would you like a drink?"
"No thank you," she said, "but if you find me rude saying no, then I will take whatever you'll have."
He led her over to the couch, had her sit, and then went to his bar to get them drinks.
He brought back two crystal glasses and handed her one. "Tell me about yourself."
She took a tiny sip out of the glass, she had never taste anything like it before, it was something she hoped to never have to pretend she liked again; she set the glass down.
"You want to know about me?" she smiled, trying to figure out what to say. "Why I'm a nobody, I'm one of those people you have to be looking for to find." She looked into his eyes. "How did you know to look for me?"
"Don't be modest," he said, he began to touch her hair softly, she hated it, it reminded her so much of-no, she wouldn't think of Helios, it hurt too much. "You're beautiful." He moved a bit closer to her, making it seem as if he was reaching for his glass. He took a drink. His arm wrapped around her. He set the glass down.
She looked, again, deep into his eyes, and leaned closer to him, she kissed him softly on the lips.
His other arm wrapped around her, and moved down her back. He kissed her, then he felt her falling back. "No small talk?" he muttered as he took a breath then kissed her neck.
"Blue Star is calling for you," she whispered in his ear. "There are people watching you," she kissed him again. "Cameras are in the room, don't stop." She said harshly, "Pretend you don't know." She kissed his neck. "I'm here to save you."
"From what," he asked as he kissed her ear.
"An evil man," she unclipped his cloak, "Meet me up on the rooftop in 50 minutes, we'll climb down the roof and get you to safety."
"And if I refuse?" he stuck his fingers into her hair.
"I'll have to kill you," she bit his ear, then pushed him off her, and adjusted her dress.
"I'm sorry sir," she said at a normal level. "But I have a boyfriend, and school, I can't.. I just can't." she kissed him on the lips, then ran out of the room.
She ran down the hall and down the stairs, hoping she would hear a sound of someone being hurt, hopefully not Goten.
Goten came running out of a room, "Where to now?"
"Roof top," she hugged him so she could look at her watch in the jewel on her ring. "40 minutes,"
"Ok," he said, "Can we get out of here though? All these people are making me nervous,"
She nodded and took his hand and led him to a balcony. "We can wait here."
"Ok," He looked up, "So how did it go?"
"Well enough, there were cameras in the room though, made it harder, but not too much harder." She tried fixing her hair.
"How are we getting out of here?"
She looked up, "There's a ladder we'll have to climb down to the car, we can't go through the front."
"A ladder, that's the best Blue Star could come up with." He smiled, then frowned. "She's too busy with other stuff."
"What?" ChibiUsa asked.
"Err, nothing." He muttered, the looked down. "Eh, you're going to climb down the ladder in a dress?"
ChibiUsa rolled her eyes. "Obviously you've never gone through female escape training."
"Why would I?"
She laughed, "Good point."
ChibiUsa's ring began to glow and beep, she looked at it, the little mini- computer ring Bulma had given her had been tapping her and Kagato in the room, and everything else that had happened so far in the evening; it was to keep a watch on her, but she realized she could easily cover it.
"Yes," she asked, looking into it.
"Pianist is on the rooftop waiting, Grey Rat is in his car down the road, think you can manage?" a little voice said.
"Yes, we'll be back with the Pianist soon." She looked at Goten, "Come on."
~*~
His eyes felt heavy, as if they had been swollen shut. He could see little, blurry figures moving around him; he could hear whispering, but he couldn't understand it. "Mmh," he groaned, trying to get the attention of someone, he remembered an accident, and bright lights, and honking.
"Oh, Gohan!" a woman with pink wild hair leaned over him. "I was so worried when I heard what happened."
He opened his eyes as wide as they would go, and tried to focus on the woman. "What happened?" An accident, bright lights, and honking.
She fingered a small package in her hands, "You got into an accident in your car, they rushed you over here." Her eyes were sad.
He looked around, "Is this. Capsule Corp?"
"Yes," she said and she watched him, he thought he saw a tear, but she moved to look out the window. "Your mother will be here in a bit to pick you up."
"Who are you?" he asked, his throat was so dry.
"I'm Washu," she looked at him, her eyes were a brilliant emerald, she was small, but seemed wise.
"Oh," he felt horrible; he couldn't remember her. "Do I know you?"
"Yes, but don't worry about it now." She said softly.
"Oh," he couldn't stop watching her mouth as she spoke.
She stood up and handed him a card. "It's a get well soon card, maybe we'll see each other again real soon."
"Thank you," he said, and watched her leave. 'That was odd.'
~*~
Bulma sat in her office, "Well ChiChi," she said to the woman in the room with her. "I think the operation went well, he should start remembering the fine details I added about the 'crash' soon, and everything will be better."
"So when should I take him home?" ChiChi asked.
"Tonight, before Goten comes back." Bulma said, she looked up at the roof. "ChiChi, I think Gero is still alive."
"What?" ChiChi asked, surprised her friend was telling her something so important.
"One of our girls was taken on her last mission, and she described a man almost like him, but she said he was an Artificial Human too. It doesn't make any sense. Who has the knowledge but him and Tomeo?"
"This is a wild thought," ChiChi said, "But could an AH have done it? Ami can turn people into AH too if you told her too. Were any other AH made that could do the same thing, before you killed them?"
"That's a very wild thought," said Bulma. "But it's a theory. Thank you ChiChi. You're a great help."
ChiChi nodded and left.
"A very good theory." Bulma's eyes widened, maybe just maybe, 17 and 18 were activated; ChibiUsa did say she heard them call one man by a number. "It's making sense."
~*~
"Don't look up my dress." ChibiUsa said as she began to climb down the ladder after Goten.
"Aw, look at the cute polka dot undies." Goten said with a laugh.
"I would kick you if we weren't so high up."
"They're really polka dots?" Goten asked, "Cause I didn't really look."
ChibiUsa laughed. "No, they're black."
Goten blushed. "Oh dear."
ChibiUsa stopped, "Come on Kagato, we need to get out of here."
Kagato began to follow down the ladder after her. "So who's after me?"
"Blue Star will explain." ChibiUsa and Goten said together.
Once they climbed down, ChibiUsa and Kagato linked arms and Goten walked in front of them. "Grey Rat, where are you?" ChibiUsa muttered, pushing down on the rose necklace.
"I've got to get a new name," Trunks voice came, "I see you guys, stay put."
ChibiUsa did as she was told, and Trunks pulled up in his black car. "Get in," ChibiUsa got into the front next to him, and Goten and Kagato got into the back.
"Long time no see," she smiled at him.
"Got 'em" Trunks said, and then started to drive away.
~*~
A woman walked into the room, "Good evening, Kagato,"
Kagato looked around the room, his green eyes darted around, "Can I take it you're Blue Star?"
"Yes, but my true name cannot be given." She sat down in a metal chair across from him. "I'm a fan of your music." She said, she pushed some hair out of her eyes.
"That can't be the reason you had me brought here." He said, watching the door behind Blue Star.
"You're a smart man, a genius, maybe." She smiled.
"So why was I brought here?"
The woman looked at him, her blue eyes looked into his green eyes. "Your music of course."
"What about my music?"
"Don't play stupid," she said, "You know what your music has control over."
"Bulma?" he asked. He smiled when he saw her eyes widen. "Bulma Briefs, woman with the robots?"
She nodded, "Yes sir, that's me-but they aren't robots, they're humans with robotic parts and mind. They're still practically human, but they're stronger."
"Interesting." He looked back up at the door. "And now what do you want with my music? You want me to control you're artificial humans with it?"
She nodded. "Now, don't give yourself more credit than you deserve. I highly doubt, after all the tests I've done, that your music really 'controls' my AH, but it calls to them. Did you see the boy with the black hair who was with ChibiUsa? He felt a calling from your music. It beckoned him, but your piece was just a note off of what it should have been." She stood up and took his hand. "And only you can play it." She pulled off the gloves which were on his hands, "Because of one imperfection that makes you perfect." she waited for him to move his fingers, he did. "You're hands are beautiful, and they create wonderful things."
"12 fingers doesn't make a man beautiful," he said, he clutched his fingers together in a fist. "It is what he does with them."
She smiled at him and went back to where she had been sitting. "Work for me by choice, and we won't have any sort of problems, but if you decided to be complicated, you will be turned into on of my AH." She stood up. "We can talk later, for now, my aide, Washu will be in to talk with you. She will help you make a decision." She left the room.
A woman with wild pink hair walked in, she looked sad. "Well hello," she sat down where Bulma had been sitting.
"My dear, Washu," he said, "Something wrong?"
She looked up; a vacant look filled her eyes. "Hurry up and decide. Bulma won't take any bullshit Kagato, no threatening to cut off your own fingers or kill yourself. She can easily turn you into a AH."
"I thought the AH project was a secret?" Kagato asked.
"Not from me." She lied, "Now, make up your mind."
"I've missed you," he said, "Work has been so lonely without you."
"I'm sure it has been, but you have no right to speak to me like this." She stood up. "When I leave, I'm taking your clothes."
He laughed, "Well you certainly haven't changed much."
"I swear, if you weren't important to Bulma, I would kill you myself."
"I pity you, Washu." He said he looked up, then back at her to see how his words affected her. "You, you're limited to what this woman wants. How is it that someone of such high intellect came to work under such a stupid woman."
"I enjoy my work." Washu said, "Take off you're cloak and your shirt."
He began to undress, "May I ask what this is for?"
"So you can't hurt yourself. You're a smart man Kagato, no doubt about that, but if I've learned anything from the past while working with you, is that you're a stubborn, selfish man you refuses to share anything you make."
"That's certainly something you should always remember too."
"Even if it means killing or hurting yourself." She took his cloak and shirt from him. "Pants,"
"You can't honestly expect me to give up my pants." He said, laughing.
"Kagato, I'm not playing around, give me your pants."
"I've already given you my shirt, what if I get cold?"
"Then I'll be watching outside laughing. Take of your pants."
"Alright, I get it." He started to take off his pants. "Underwear?" Washu looked at the mirror.
"No," she said as he handed her his pants, she took his shoes and his gloves. Before she left the room, she quickly frisked him, much to her disgust, then left.
"Never again," she muttered. "Workers will bring you in a computer so you can start working on your new piece. You have no other access to anything else. I know, I created it."
~*~
In his mind he heard the music the man had been playing over and over. It was taking over him.
He stopped, he heard it, his vision became darkened, and he turned around. He saw it, a doorway, it was the only thing he could see. He started to walk towards it. The song; a beautiful song was coming out of it. He tried to open the door, but it wouldn't open. So, he sat down right outside of the door and hummed along with the music. It was so familiar, so happy. He closed his eyes let it take him.
But then, then they ruined it, they had to call for him, they had to ruin everything.
He looked up at her, his eyes flashed violently.
"Goten?" She asked, reaching down to him.
He grabbed her hand roughly, he tried to break her, for ruining it.
"Ah," she fell to the ground next to him, she crumpled and broke, she was suffering just the way he wanted her to. He could hear her gasping for breath; he could hear her tears falling and gathering. "Goten, please stop, you're hurting me." She cried.
"Goten?" another woman came, he couldn't see her, but he could hear her heart pumping, her exhales and inhales. "Goten, let her go-" he couldn't hear the rest of what she was saying, he grabbed onto the girl's arm harder.
She screamed, she screamed the way he hoped she would. "Goten!"
He saw a light, she was glowing, a bright light was coming from her. He grabbed harder, he wouldn't let her go.
And then they fell, the woman was gone and it was only them, the girl and he; they fell, but he wouldn't let go.
In one hand he formed a large sphere of energy, with the other he moved to her neck.
"Go-Goten." she said softly as she dangled in the air in front of him. "Goten, ple-please.."
He saw her; her soft pink hair was in front of her eyes, which were watering. His eyes softened, he loosened his grip and let her fall to the ground. "ChibiUsa," he said, he fell next to her, he looked at his hand with the large sphere of energy in it; he shot it off into the distance of the empty space they were in.
"ChibiUsa, I'm so sorry, I donno what happened." As he looked down at her, she looked different, she was pale and sweaty from the struggle, her arm and neck were red. But something besides that made her seem different, her dress wasn't like the one she had been wearing before. It was white, pure white and it had golden swirls on the top. "ChibiUsa?"
Her chest moved up and down slowly. "Goten," she breathed.
"ChibiUsa," he asked, he pushed her bangs back, a crescent moon shown brightly but began to fade.
Her eyes opened, she slapped him. He closed his eyes, then opened them slowly.
"Don't *ever* grab me like that again!" She pushed past him, she was wearing her off white dress from the recital. She was crying.
"ChibiUsa, I'm sorry!" The music had stopped, and Trunks was holding him back.
Bulma was standing next to the door, "What the hell did you do to her?"
"I-I donno."
Trunks let him go, and pushed him out of the way and followed ChibiUsa.
Goten heard the music playing in his mind again. His eyes widened, he grabbed his forehead and pushed his way out of the room.
"Goten?" Bulma called after him.
~*~
End Chapter Eight: Safe Inside Myself.
Chapter Eight: Safe Inside Myself
By Monkey Princess
~*~
ChibiUsa was sitting down in the café on the ground level floor. She had answered all the questions and was put on probation and would have to report to Kagome every day until Bulma said.
She was tired. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She was now wearing a pair of black pants that were too big, with a belt doubled around her waist. She wore a pink shirt with the CC symbol on it. She was stirring a cup of hot cocoa, waiting for her father to come.
A hand touched her shoulder. She jumped, spilling a bit of her cocoa on the table. She turned around. "Oh, Goten!" she said, then laughed. "Come on, sit." She said, and gestured to the empty chair across from her.
He sat and smiled. "So how was it?"
She shrugged. "I guess it went well." She was blushing, so was he.
After an awkward silence, Goten looked down at his watch. "Uh, I was wondering."
She looked up. "Yes?"
"Would you want to come bowling with me?" he said, lowering his voice so no one else would hear.
"No, sorry." She said. She pulled a pen out of her pocket and began to write on the paper. 'I'd love to go.'
"Oh, alright." He said, and shrugged, taking the pen. 'What's going on?'
"Maybe some other time though." She said, then wrote, 'I'm on probation. I think I should be more careful.'
'I'll talk to you later, ok?' he wrote, then got up and left.
She smiled, watching him leave, and then waited for her dad to come.
~*~
'You're bugged.' Her father wrote on the paper inside ChibiUsa's apartment. "So how are you feeling?" he walked behind her and put a magnet up to the back of her belt.
"I'm feeling ok. Just tired. I think I'm going to go take a shower." She tried to look behind her to see if he got the temporary bug. They wouldn't be able to put a real one in her until she was in the hospital wing again. (They had already done a full body scan to see if she had gotten a bug planted into her skin. It seemed as though they didn't think of bugging her until after the interview.) "Will you be here much longer?"
"No, I've got to help Bulma with some stuff."
"Oh, ok, well I just wanted to know if you wanted to go to a concert with me. My favorite pianist is in Tokyo right now, I really wanted to go see him."
"Got it." He said as he ran the magnet under steaming hot water in the sink for a moment. "Ask Goten to go. He's a very nice boy."
"I donno, I kind of thought we could go together, it would be fun."
"And as fun as it sounds, I don't think I could go." He handed her his cell phone. "Call him and go see this pianist."
She looked at the phone, as if it were some disgusting bug she was being told to put into her ear. "I won't get caught?"
"No, I'll make sure of it. Besides, there was a man there Bulma said she wanted me to find someone to get him. He's in Tokyo." He smiled at her. "Its an easy job. All you need to do is kill him. Can you handle it and a date?"
ChibiUsa smiled. "Thanks dad!" she hugged him then went to her room to call Goten privately.
~*~
The pianist gloved fingers flowed gently and gracefully down the ivory keys on the piano.
ChibiUsa and Goten were sitting not so far from the pianist and his piano. ChibiUsa was amazed at how well the man played, just like every other time she heard him play. Goten was taken in by the music, and was watching the man closely. ChibiUsa smiled.
She was wearing a long off-white flowing dress. Her pink hair was put up in a bun. A necklace with a white rose pendant was around her neck. He was wearing a tuxedo. He sat up straight, fixed on the music.
She wanted to laugh. She enjoyed music, and could understand why he was so excited, but this was a bit much. It was the best hotel in the city. The largest room had been given to the pianist, just so he would play one piece.
Of course, other pianist would be playing, but he was the main attraction. People from all over the world had come to see him play. Which was why ChibiUsa and Goten were there, to get their target.
The man finished the piece, then stood. He had long black hair and daring green eyes. He wore a green cape with a golden brooch. Under the cape he wore a long blue shirt and black pants with black boots.
"I don't think I can recall ever hearing of this man before, or hearing the piece, but it sounds so familiar." Goten muttered.
Everyone stood to clap, including ChibiUsa and Goten. Everyone was clapping, except one man, in the back of the room who was wearing a dark blue shirt and black pants. His dark hair was falling in front of his eyes; his hands were shoved in his pant pockets. He moved away from the wall he was leaning against, and walked out to the lobby.
ChibiUsa leaned closer to Goten. "Was that our guy?"
"No, he's probably working for our guy. Bulma said something about how this pianist is important, she wants us to take him back with us."
ChibiUsa nodded. "All right, let's split up then, I'll follow the pianist, you go kill the man, since you are the assassin." She smiled, and began to leave the room, and asked the usher at the door where the ladies' room was, the left.
Goten waited a few minutes, then left to go to the lobby to find the man who had been standing against the wall. A woman walked up to him, smiled and said she really enjoyed the piece the famous pianist had played, he agreed, and she said he was a fine young man, and walked off.
Then he saw the man, he slowly walked after him up the stairs, rather than taking the elevator. He fingered his gun carefully, just in case he couldn't get the clean hold on the knife he was going to grab to kill the man. There were other people on the stairs too, couples trying to find a balcony to talk on, people going back to their rooms who felt it was nice to use the stairs. People always made things harder, he was going to have to wait, wait and watch, that was what he had always been taught to do when this happened. So he walked up all the stairs, and walked back down, stopping on the floor he saw the man walk off onto.
~*~
ChibiUsa smiled to herself as she walked into the lobby moments before Goten left. The pianist was standing in there, nodding at random people. But he saw her, his green eyes fell into her, and he seemed to forget about the others in the room. "Why hello, ma'am, were you here to attend the show?"
She nodded, blushing. "Yes, my boyfriend brought me here, it was a wonderful show, you did an amazing job."
He smiled, "I'm Kagato." He held out his arm for her.
"Usagi," she said, she took his arm and walked away with him. "Where are we going?" she asked, knowing almost too well where he was likely to be planning on taking her.
"You will see," he led her to the elevator and told the elevator man that they wanted to go up to the 14th floor.
When Kagato opened his room door, ChibiUsa made an excellent fake gasp. "Wow, it's so beautiful."
He nodded, "Would you like a drink?"
"No thank you," she said, "but if you find me rude saying no, then I will take whatever you'll have."
He led her over to the couch, had her sit, and then went to his bar to get them drinks.
He brought back two crystal glasses and handed her one. "Tell me about yourself."
She took a tiny sip out of the glass, she had never taste anything like it before, it was something she hoped to never have to pretend she liked again; she set the glass down.
"You want to know about me?" she smiled, trying to figure out what to say. "Why I'm a nobody, I'm one of those people you have to be looking for to find." She looked into his eyes. "How did you know to look for me?"
"Don't be modest," he said, he began to touch her hair softly, she hated it, it reminded her so much of-no, she wouldn't think of Helios, it hurt too much. "You're beautiful." He moved a bit closer to her, making it seem as if he was reaching for his glass. He took a drink. His arm wrapped around her. He set the glass down.
She looked, again, deep into his eyes, and leaned closer to him, she kissed him softly on the lips.
His other arm wrapped around her, and moved down her back. He kissed her, then he felt her falling back. "No small talk?" he muttered as he took a breath then kissed her neck.
"Blue Star is calling for you," she whispered in his ear. "There are people watching you," she kissed him again. "Cameras are in the room, don't stop." She said harshly, "Pretend you don't know." She kissed his neck. "I'm here to save you."
"From what," he asked as he kissed her ear.
"An evil man," she unclipped his cloak, "Meet me up on the rooftop in 50 minutes, we'll climb down the roof and get you to safety."
"And if I refuse?" he stuck his fingers into her hair.
"I'll have to kill you," she bit his ear, then pushed him off her, and adjusted her dress.
"I'm sorry sir," she said at a normal level. "But I have a boyfriend, and school, I can't.. I just can't." she kissed him on the lips, then ran out of the room.
She ran down the hall and down the stairs, hoping she would hear a sound of someone being hurt, hopefully not Goten.
Goten came running out of a room, "Where to now?"
"Roof top," she hugged him so she could look at her watch in the jewel on her ring. "40 minutes,"
"Ok," he said, "Can we get out of here though? All these people are making me nervous,"
She nodded and took his hand and led him to a balcony. "We can wait here."
"Ok," He looked up, "So how did it go?"
"Well enough, there were cameras in the room though, made it harder, but not too much harder." She tried fixing her hair.
"How are we getting out of here?"
She looked up, "There's a ladder we'll have to climb down to the car, we can't go through the front."
"A ladder, that's the best Blue Star could come up with." He smiled, then frowned. "She's too busy with other stuff."
"What?" ChibiUsa asked.
"Err, nothing." He muttered, the looked down. "Eh, you're going to climb down the ladder in a dress?"
ChibiUsa rolled her eyes. "Obviously you've never gone through female escape training."
"Why would I?"
She laughed, "Good point."
ChibiUsa's ring began to glow and beep, she looked at it, the little mini- computer ring Bulma had given her had been tapping her and Kagato in the room, and everything else that had happened so far in the evening; it was to keep a watch on her, but she realized she could easily cover it.
"Yes," she asked, looking into it.
"Pianist is on the rooftop waiting, Grey Rat is in his car down the road, think you can manage?" a little voice said.
"Yes, we'll be back with the Pianist soon." She looked at Goten, "Come on."
~*~
His eyes felt heavy, as if they had been swollen shut. He could see little, blurry figures moving around him; he could hear whispering, but he couldn't understand it. "Mmh," he groaned, trying to get the attention of someone, he remembered an accident, and bright lights, and honking.
"Oh, Gohan!" a woman with pink wild hair leaned over him. "I was so worried when I heard what happened."
He opened his eyes as wide as they would go, and tried to focus on the woman. "What happened?" An accident, bright lights, and honking.
She fingered a small package in her hands, "You got into an accident in your car, they rushed you over here." Her eyes were sad.
He looked around, "Is this. Capsule Corp?"
"Yes," she said and she watched him, he thought he saw a tear, but she moved to look out the window. "Your mother will be here in a bit to pick you up."
"Who are you?" he asked, his throat was so dry.
"I'm Washu," she looked at him, her eyes were a brilliant emerald, she was small, but seemed wise.
"Oh," he felt horrible; he couldn't remember her. "Do I know you?"
"Yes, but don't worry about it now." She said softly.
"Oh," he couldn't stop watching her mouth as she spoke.
She stood up and handed him a card. "It's a get well soon card, maybe we'll see each other again real soon."
"Thank you," he said, and watched her leave. 'That was odd.'
~*~
Bulma sat in her office, "Well ChiChi," she said to the woman in the room with her. "I think the operation went well, he should start remembering the fine details I added about the 'crash' soon, and everything will be better."
"So when should I take him home?" ChiChi asked.
"Tonight, before Goten comes back." Bulma said, she looked up at the roof. "ChiChi, I think Gero is still alive."
"What?" ChiChi asked, surprised her friend was telling her something so important.
"One of our girls was taken on her last mission, and she described a man almost like him, but she said he was an Artificial Human too. It doesn't make any sense. Who has the knowledge but him and Tomeo?"
"This is a wild thought," ChiChi said, "But could an AH have done it? Ami can turn people into AH too if you told her too. Were any other AH made that could do the same thing, before you killed them?"
"That's a very wild thought," said Bulma. "But it's a theory. Thank you ChiChi. You're a great help."
ChiChi nodded and left.
"A very good theory." Bulma's eyes widened, maybe just maybe, 17 and 18 were activated; ChibiUsa did say she heard them call one man by a number. "It's making sense."
~*~
"Don't look up my dress." ChibiUsa said as she began to climb down the ladder after Goten.
"Aw, look at the cute polka dot undies." Goten said with a laugh.
"I would kick you if we weren't so high up."
"They're really polka dots?" Goten asked, "Cause I didn't really look."
ChibiUsa laughed. "No, they're black."
Goten blushed. "Oh dear."
ChibiUsa stopped, "Come on Kagato, we need to get out of here."
Kagato began to follow down the ladder after her. "So who's after me?"
"Blue Star will explain." ChibiUsa and Goten said together.
Once they climbed down, ChibiUsa and Kagato linked arms and Goten walked in front of them. "Grey Rat, where are you?" ChibiUsa muttered, pushing down on the rose necklace.
"I've got to get a new name," Trunks voice came, "I see you guys, stay put."
ChibiUsa did as she was told, and Trunks pulled up in his black car. "Get in," ChibiUsa got into the front next to him, and Goten and Kagato got into the back.
"Long time no see," she smiled at him.
"Got 'em" Trunks said, and then started to drive away.
~*~
A woman walked into the room, "Good evening, Kagato,"
Kagato looked around the room, his green eyes darted around, "Can I take it you're Blue Star?"
"Yes, but my true name cannot be given." She sat down in a metal chair across from him. "I'm a fan of your music." She said, she pushed some hair out of her eyes.
"That can't be the reason you had me brought here." He said, watching the door behind Blue Star.
"You're a smart man, a genius, maybe." She smiled.
"So why was I brought here?"
The woman looked at him, her blue eyes looked into his green eyes. "Your music of course."
"What about my music?"
"Don't play stupid," she said, "You know what your music has control over."
"Bulma?" he asked. He smiled when he saw her eyes widen. "Bulma Briefs, woman with the robots?"
She nodded, "Yes sir, that's me-but they aren't robots, they're humans with robotic parts and mind. They're still practically human, but they're stronger."
"Interesting." He looked back up at the door. "And now what do you want with my music? You want me to control you're artificial humans with it?"
She nodded. "Now, don't give yourself more credit than you deserve. I highly doubt, after all the tests I've done, that your music really 'controls' my AH, but it calls to them. Did you see the boy with the black hair who was with ChibiUsa? He felt a calling from your music. It beckoned him, but your piece was just a note off of what it should have been." She stood up and took his hand. "And only you can play it." She pulled off the gloves which were on his hands, "Because of one imperfection that makes you perfect." she waited for him to move his fingers, he did. "You're hands are beautiful, and they create wonderful things."
"12 fingers doesn't make a man beautiful," he said, he clutched his fingers together in a fist. "It is what he does with them."
She smiled at him and went back to where she had been sitting. "Work for me by choice, and we won't have any sort of problems, but if you decided to be complicated, you will be turned into on of my AH." She stood up. "We can talk later, for now, my aide, Washu will be in to talk with you. She will help you make a decision." She left the room.
A woman with wild pink hair walked in, she looked sad. "Well hello," she sat down where Bulma had been sitting.
"My dear, Washu," he said, "Something wrong?"
She looked up; a vacant look filled her eyes. "Hurry up and decide. Bulma won't take any bullshit Kagato, no threatening to cut off your own fingers or kill yourself. She can easily turn you into a AH."
"I thought the AH project was a secret?" Kagato asked.
"Not from me." She lied, "Now, make up your mind."
"I've missed you," he said, "Work has been so lonely without you."
"I'm sure it has been, but you have no right to speak to me like this." She stood up. "When I leave, I'm taking your clothes."
He laughed, "Well you certainly haven't changed much."
"I swear, if you weren't important to Bulma, I would kill you myself."
"I pity you, Washu." He said he looked up, then back at her to see how his words affected her. "You, you're limited to what this woman wants. How is it that someone of such high intellect came to work under such a stupid woman."
"I enjoy my work." Washu said, "Take off you're cloak and your shirt."
He began to undress, "May I ask what this is for?"
"So you can't hurt yourself. You're a smart man Kagato, no doubt about that, but if I've learned anything from the past while working with you, is that you're a stubborn, selfish man you refuses to share anything you make."
"That's certainly something you should always remember too."
"Even if it means killing or hurting yourself." She took his cloak and shirt from him. "Pants,"
"You can't honestly expect me to give up my pants." He said, laughing.
"Kagato, I'm not playing around, give me your pants."
"I've already given you my shirt, what if I get cold?"
"Then I'll be watching outside laughing. Take of your pants."
"Alright, I get it." He started to take off his pants. "Underwear?" Washu looked at the mirror.
"No," she said as he handed her his pants, she took his shoes and his gloves. Before she left the room, she quickly frisked him, much to her disgust, then left.
"Never again," she muttered. "Workers will bring you in a computer so you can start working on your new piece. You have no other access to anything else. I know, I created it."
~*~
In his mind he heard the music the man had been playing over and over. It was taking over him.
He stopped, he heard it, his vision became darkened, and he turned around. He saw it, a doorway, it was the only thing he could see. He started to walk towards it. The song; a beautiful song was coming out of it. He tried to open the door, but it wouldn't open. So, he sat down right outside of the door and hummed along with the music. It was so familiar, so happy. He closed his eyes let it take him.
But then, then they ruined it, they had to call for him, they had to ruin everything.
He looked up at her, his eyes flashed violently.
"Goten?" She asked, reaching down to him.
He grabbed her hand roughly, he tried to break her, for ruining it.
"Ah," she fell to the ground next to him, she crumpled and broke, she was suffering just the way he wanted her to. He could hear her gasping for breath; he could hear her tears falling and gathering. "Goten, please stop, you're hurting me." She cried.
"Goten?" another woman came, he couldn't see her, but he could hear her heart pumping, her exhales and inhales. "Goten, let her go-" he couldn't hear the rest of what she was saying, he grabbed onto the girl's arm harder.
She screamed, she screamed the way he hoped she would. "Goten!"
He saw a light, she was glowing, a bright light was coming from her. He grabbed harder, he wouldn't let her go.
And then they fell, the woman was gone and it was only them, the girl and he; they fell, but he wouldn't let go.
In one hand he formed a large sphere of energy, with the other he moved to her neck.
"Go-Goten." she said softly as she dangled in the air in front of him. "Goten, ple-please.."
He saw her; her soft pink hair was in front of her eyes, which were watering. His eyes softened, he loosened his grip and let her fall to the ground. "ChibiUsa," he said, he fell next to her, he looked at his hand with the large sphere of energy in it; he shot it off into the distance of the empty space they were in.
"ChibiUsa, I'm so sorry, I donno what happened." As he looked down at her, she looked different, she was pale and sweaty from the struggle, her arm and neck were red. But something besides that made her seem different, her dress wasn't like the one she had been wearing before. It was white, pure white and it had golden swirls on the top. "ChibiUsa?"
Her chest moved up and down slowly. "Goten," she breathed.
"ChibiUsa," he asked, he pushed her bangs back, a crescent moon shown brightly but began to fade.
Her eyes opened, she slapped him. He closed his eyes, then opened them slowly.
"Don't *ever* grab me like that again!" She pushed past him, she was wearing her off white dress from the recital. She was crying.
"ChibiUsa, I'm sorry!" The music had stopped, and Trunks was holding him back.
Bulma was standing next to the door, "What the hell did you do to her?"
"I-I donno."
Trunks let him go, and pushed him out of the way and followed ChibiUsa.
Goten heard the music playing in his mind again. His eyes widened, he grabbed his forehead and pushed his way out of the room.
"Goten?" Bulma called after him.
~*~
End Chapter Eight: Safe Inside Myself.