Here's another short chapter but it's only to complete the previous. The next chapter will be posted after I post a chapter for An Unlikely Bond. I really wanna finish that fic by the end of the year so I'm a gonna work double time concerning that fic.
Thank you all of you who reviewed my last chapter. I really appreciate your support. A note to those who voted on my AN for Redemption and read this fic ; I can't believe that some of you actually thought that I would have anyone other than Usagi paired up with Heero. Haven't you people noticed my pattern? I absolutely adore that couple. Besides I have a hard time imagining Heero with anyone else except maybe Hotaru and I already love pairing her with Duo-kun. I was so hurt when I found out that you guys thought the priestess in my story was Rei. Would I have asked you to guess the priestess if the answer was obvious? No! But the damage is done. An early notice here, I'm sending Redemption to the scrap yard. I'll concentrate on ToC. I got plenty of requests for that one.
Now on to my new chapter.
Fortune's Gift
Lilaclight
Part Eight"So tell me Zechs, what lengths would you go to?" asked Heero.
The two were running down a street towards the park. Side by side, they were relaxed with each other and made no competition of their run. After over five miles of silence and keeping up a rigorous pace, Heero had finally spoken, giving off no sign of being out of breath.
"I'll do what I must. You know as well as I do that my success is important. I know you want to help out of your need for retribution." added Zechs while brushing his bangs out of his eyes to glance over at his companion.
Zechs words brought back the emotion of rage. Just remembering how badly he wanted to destroy the goddamn bastard had him gritting his teeth and clenching his fists. He would make the sadistic son of a bitch pay even if it was the last thing he did but first he'd make the bitch pay. Or he would try. Hurting her was a difficult thing for him to do; he could never raise a violent hand against her.
"Come now Heero, calm down. Thinking of it doesn't help the situation one bit. Has it ever occurred to you that it was all a set up? I mean you should have known her well enough by then." commented Zechs.
"I thought I did." Heero responded in a subzero monotone that demanded no further comment.
Zechs sighed heavily. His friend was so damn stubborn that sometimes he wondered what he saw in him. They had known each other for just over five years and were as close as family. In fact, Zechs considered Heero to be the brother he had never had.
"You're so damn mule headed that I wonder if your father was a fucking mule instead." he muttered.
"You should talk. Trying to convince you of something other than your convictions, even if you're wrong, is harder than breathing in space without a suit. I'd rather deal with Relena than be the one convincing you." retorted Heero.
"Damare, let's just concentrate on getting to the park." Zechs growled before picking up his speed. He was not really that stubborn.
Heero sped up to catch up with him while chuckling quietly. Riling up Zechs was so simple sometimes and it gave him something to do other than remember what had happened between him and Serena the day before and how much he still wanted her.
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Kali eyed Serena in bemusedly. She had popped up in front of her as she turned from closing the front door, nearly scaring her out of her skin.
"No way are you coming with me. When was the last time you exercised? You'd drop before we're halfway there and I'd have to carry you the rest of the way." protested Kali.
"Please Kali. You know that I can keep up with you. I'm just as good as you are." pleaded Serena.
"Why do you want to go anyway? You've never accompanied me before," pointed out Kali.
"So, can't I suddenly decide to do something different?" retorted a fidgeting Serena.
Narrowing her eyes, Kali gazed at Serena suspiciously. She knew that when the younger girl fidgeted it meant that she was hiding something. Staring into her friends eyes, she tried to ascertain the reason behind her sudden interest in sharing her pastime.
'She's trying to stay as busy as possible so she won't think of that bloody asshole she loves.' Kali thought in anger.
"Fine. You can come but," Kali sighed as she gave her consent followed by a warning, " there's no way I'm gonna carry you if you get tired before we reach the park."
"Hai. Wakarimasu." nodded Serena before taking off ahead of Kali.
Kali smiled faintly as she watched her charge and friend run through the gate, the faint moonlight from the crescent moon in the sky illuminating her slim figure. Shaking herself gently, she ran after her at quick pace and soon passed her.
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Zechs surveyed his surroundings surreptitiously while grunting out what he hoped were appropriate responses to the conversation he and Heero were having. He was looking out for a particular person, a goddess among mortals. The last two days he had been on the colony had presented him with a vision leaving the park as he arrived. The Goddess, as he liked to refer to her, was familiar to him for sometimes he would catch glimpses of her on some of his many travels. He hoped to catch her some day but also loathed to do so.
"There's a dead body of a little girl behind us. Shall we call the police?" Heero asked dryly.
Receiving a startled glance from his comrade, the normally expressionless boy cracked a small smile. He had been aware that the older man's attention had been elsewhere for quite some time. He was curious to know what or 'who' had him so distracted that the baka had almost tripped over a sizeable rock that was hard to miss.
"There's no girl." stated his annoyed friend.
"Just checking to see if you were paying attention. You weren't." accused Heero in a monotone. "What's up with that oh perfect one?"
"You're calling my that? I'm not the one with the rep. you know." Zechs baited, trying to sidestep the topic.
"That won't work dumbass. Now tell me what's got you spaced out." Heero said in his usual monotone.
"I'm not exactly spaced out, just focused on my search." Zechs hedged.
"Your search for..." Heero prompted with a raised brow.
Zechs growled in frustration hoping that Heero would get a hint and back off. No such luck was forthcoming for the blonde binanshi (handsome man). Heero waited him out patiently.
"This is a good place to do our stretches." Zechs said to stall while going over to a clearing off the path. They were near the south west sector of the park where few ventured. It was nice and peaceful there.
"Hn," grunted Heero, showing his perception of Zechs' tactic.
Zechs sighed in defeat. He knew when he was caught good and proper. There was no way Heero would leave him in peace. The brown haired you man had a persistence about him that was admirable but so annoying when directed at him.
"There's this woman I keep encountering. I've never spoken to her but she just keeps popping up in some of the places I go. She's a target but I can't get up the nerve to harm her." Zechs supplied.
"She's a target? Well that changes everything." Heero stated blandly.
"Would you shut up for a minute!!" growled Zechs.
The irony of his statement was pretty obvious to him and to Heero who simply looked at him with a smirk and raised his brow imperiously. That damn half breed could be so fucking irritating at times.
The rustle of leaves grabbed the two's attention and they turned towards the sound. Faint protests could be heard by Heero as he recognised the two voices.
"I'm...there...he's going....me"
"Don't...chicken...or else...drag..."
"You...dare try...speak..."
"Wanna bet?"
The words got clearer as two women came into sight. At the sound of the catch of Zechs' breath Heero figured that maybe the other woman...Kali was it?... was the one he had previously mentioned. Heero groaned inwardly as he gazed at his former chosen mate. She looked good, better than good. All he wanted to do was grab her and take her someplace private so that he could ravish her thoroughly.
Serena growled below her breath as they emerged from the shrubbery. Someday, hopefully soon, she would get back at Kali. She knew that her guardian/friend meant well but pushing her into a situation like that was upsetting and unnerving. She was not ready to deal with her mate shortly after their most resent disagreement.
Kali looked straight at Heero's companion. There was something about him which rubbed her the wrong way but she noted that he was a binanshi. His scent seemed somewhat familiar but she was sure that she had never smelt it before. She would have recognised such a unique and arousing scent. His scent was of sultry summer nights and tantalizing forest pines mixed with the spicy smell of maleness. Kali's nipples had the audacity to harden as she dwelt on it. Feeling perverse over her reaction, she directed a wicked glare in his direction.
Zechs observed the evil look that the Goddess was giving him. Her glittering green, crimson specked eyes shot daggers at his innocent personage. She was so open in her dislike that Heero and her companion had also noticed.
Zechs did a double take and his gaze flew back to her companion. There was an uncanny similarity between her and the Serena that Heero had described to him.
'Could it actually be her?' he pondered. 'Have I finally met the woman who captured this cold bastard's heart then broke it?'
Zechs decided to glance at his comrade to check his reaction. What he saw only strengthen his presumption as the normally calm, blank eyed Heero Yui had a range of different emotions flashing through his eyes. The master had managed to keep his facial muscles from moving.
Serena smirked evilly as she ignored Heero. She was determined not to let him get to her and that included not paying attention to him or the glare that he had unleashed on her. She could practically feel it burning a hole through her head. However, he was not important at the moment. The miserable wretch who had succeeded in forcing her into this now awkward situation would be paying her dues earlier than expected.
"Good morning fine sirs. Who are you? I already know who that baka you have with is." Serena addressed Zechs.
"I can't answer that until you tell me your name fair lady," Zechs responded in a courteous tone of voice.
"I'm Serena and this rude thing next to me is Kali. Now its your turn," Serena introduced with a coy smile.
"Zechs. Your friend seems to have been named after the Indian goddess of destruction, counterpart of Shiva, Kali Ma." Zechs commented with a glance to the topic of discussion.
Serena laughed out loud, a light trilling sound that echoed and swirled around all those present. She sounded so joyful, so carefree right then that tears came to Kali's eyes. Heero started in surprise. He adored her laughter, it was one of the things he loved most about her. The first day they had met, she had been laughing at her sister's misfortune with a date while trying to cheer her up.
Eyes misted over with memories, Heero almost missed the assessing glance that Kali gave him. He straightened himself and looked her straight in the eye challengingly. They stayed like that for only a few of seconds as the conversation going on around them demanded their attention.
"...how did you meet the baka anyway. I've never heard of you." Serena asked while dragging Kali closer to the object of her distaste.
Heero felt a burn in his chest and stopped a low growl from escaping as a wave of jealousy rammed through his system. The smile she was giving Zechs should have been directed at him as should the warmth she was displaying.
'What's wrong with me?' he thought puzzled. 'I should not be reacting like this. She's not mine, she never was.'
'That's right, she was never yours. She was mine. She is mine. She will be mine until I tire of her.' came a voice filled with malicious intent.
'Get the fuck out of my head you goddamned bastard! Leave me alone. You have her so why torment me?' Heero demanded.
'Because I can,' taunted Darien. 'I have the one person you want and you can't have her because I'll kill her before I let her run to you.'
Heero heard the underlying anger in his statement and his blood ran cold. He felt an unexpected fear grip his heart as if he knew that Darien would do as he said and soon. Shielding his thoughts, he debated whether or not he was under a charm. That was the only way to explain why he felt the way he did now that Serena was around. It could not be real. Serena was not his so Darien had no reason to harm her.
'Do it and I'll hunt you down to the ends of the earth if I have to and kill you slowly.' Heero threatened in a chilling monotone.
'I'm shaking in my boots,' Darien retorted after a slight pause.
He could not completely hide the fear in his voice. Heero was trained to pick up even the slightest trace of fear and his feral nature always urged him to go in for the kill but he was good at controlling it.
All the while Heero was distracted, Zechs had made some headway in getting to know the capricious being that his goddess was. All she did was glare and mutter at him. An interesting reaction, or so he thought. He could she the wheels in Serena's head turning as she watched the two of them unobtrusively. Too bad he could not truly be with her. Kali was so wrong for him, more wrong than she could ever imagine.
"So Zechs, are you gonna come with us to the club? You can be our escort." Serena queried against Kali's will.
'I hope you know that I'm gonna kill you when we get home,' she growled telepathically.
'That's what you always say. I'll believe you when I'm dead by your hand.' Serena replied nonchalantly.
'Don't worry you pretty little head. I'll be getting you this time.' Kali replied still growling her displeasure.
"I don't mind escorting two gorgeous young ladies such as yourselves but Heero might feel a little left out, would you not Heero?" Zechs said smoothly entering Heero into the conversation.
"What?" he grunted in annoyance.
"They want to go clubbing tonight. Some charity thing." Zechs supplied.
Heero's heart almost jumped for joy. The hope that it was the same club as the on Relena was dragging him and her other bodyguards to prevailed for a few seconds before he cursed lightly. There was no way that it was the same thing. Relena had told him that it was for people who had a lot of money and were important in that screwed up world she loved to be in. Besides, Serena was not his to protect and take out.
"Can't. I have an assignment with Relena tonight." Heero replied curtly.
"Your loss, my gain," Zechs smirked.
'The perfect opportunity for me to see if it was all a mistake or if she really is in cahoots with the fucking bastard. If she is, I'll be seeing him around.' Zechs thought to himself.
"I'll be happy to escort you. Where do I pick you up?" he asked.
"No. 13 Wilsbur Lane." Serena supplied with a grin. "You can't miss the house, it's got the most trees on the entire street."
"Well, what do you know, we have to run. The others are up by now and they'll be wondering where we are. Well, where you are." Kali said smugly, a dangerous light in her eyes.
"Well, I guess this is adieu my fair ladies. I'll pick you up at seven, right?" Zechs ascertained.
"No, try seven thirty." Serena said. "Toodles."
Waving goodbye, her glance went to Heero's perfect form as it had many time during the conversation. A sigh welled up inside her but she refrained from releasing it. Ignoring him had been harder than she had thought. At least something good had come out of the encounter.
Knowing that she had no or little time before Kali began to chase her, Serena took off at top speed. She prayed to the Goddess that she would make it to the house before Kali caught her.
Heero and Zechs raised their brows as they heard the sound of Serena's footfalls speed up. The look of determination and anger on Kali's face proved to be rather amusing to watch as she turned red then purple.
"You should start chasing her now if you want to catch her," Zechs said to distract her.
The glare she gave him beat all the previous ones that had been bestowed upon his personage by her. Then she ran off but not before she glared at Heero.
"That was interesting," commented Zechs before he started his stretches.
"Hn." grunted Heero copying Zechs' movements.
Well that was enlightening. I hope you guys understood all the clues that I gave away. I also hope that you enjoyed this chapter. It was kinda pointless but I'm getting to my point. Slowly but surely wins the race. I don't think that I have anything much to say except thank you again to all my reviewers and my readers.
Here are the changes recorded in the poles.
Ami/Trowa-3 (it seems like they're the only ones getting votes now and there're not that many.)
Poles closes the chapter after next.
Ja ne.