Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or Sailor Moon. Characters are copyrighted to their respected owners. The plot line is mine.
Notes: I finally got off my lazy tail and finished this chapter. Actually, I had a good portion of this finished quite a while ago, but somehow it managed to run away and I haven't seen it since. I didn't feel like rewriting all I had already done, so that's why it took so long. Also, this is about half the length that it's supposed to be because I decided to divide this chapter. It gives me more to work with next update. A special thanks must be included to all who reviewed during my two (?) month absence. There is something to be said about reviewers, especially insightful ones, but I'll get into that later.
Warnings: Things get a little more intense in this chapter, and this is the beginning of a major turning point in the story. There is blood, but I don't think that I'm very graphic about it. Angst, drama, probably OOC- ness. Sorry about that last one. I try to remain true, but sometimes one has to twist others around a little. By the way, it's all one scene. Sorry to disappoint.
Save My Sanity
Misty H
Chapter Four
Ami hummed to herself as she pulled out two bowls from the cupboard and began to set the table. A small pot of fish stew simmered over a makeshift gas stove, sending its pungent aroma wafting through the air. Ami's chest rose and fell with a deep sigh, and her lips curved into a faint smile. She was no master cook, but she could make a mean stew.
It had been two long days since the incident by the creek. Since then, Wufei had been no more than courteous in his attitude towards her. He was not rude, but he definitely refrained from being friendly. Ami supposed this was his way of apologizing for his previous lack of manners. She was no longer worried about his declaration of killing her. Somehow, she knew he was one to keep his engagements, and if he didn't kill her yesterday—as he had previously committed himself to do—then he was not likely to kill her anytime soon.
Her blue hair swished against the back of her neck. The wispy strands were falling out of the loose bun she had hurriedly fixed before starting their meal. Ami quickly pulled out the simple tie, holding it between her lips while she gathered the wavy mass into one big ball. She had just finished tying her hair firmly back in place when she saw a shadow flicker past the window above the sink. The curtain concealed the shadow's originator, but the teenager was certain it was just a tree moving in the breeze. She shrugged the incident off without another thought, washing her hands and grabbing two pairs of chopsticks.
Ami placed the last set of chopsticks on the table and glanced out the bay window next to the table. The sun was just setting and the sky had transformed into something out of a storybook. Colors of every imaginable hue adorned the cloud-strewn horizon. With a wistful smile she remembered her parents. She was sure they were worried—certainly news of her disappearance would have spread to them by now.
Ami attended a private school on the outskirts of Osaka. She was easily one of the more brilliant students at the school—her photographic memory ensured that she did wonderfully on tests. Though she was not wildly popular, Ami was sure that her teachers would notice her absence and report it immediately. Then again, there was that news broadcast about her aiding and abetting a Gundam pilot. But it sounded so ludicrous even to her ears. Her parents and teachers could never believe such a thing, could they?
Another shadow flitted past the window Ami stared so searchingly through. She gasped as the dark face of an unfamiliar man coyly winked at her and then disappeared. Footsteps sounded behind her, and she almost screamed before her mind reminded her whose light tread they belonged to. She half- pivoted, seeking reassurance.
Wufei strode into the room, and his dark gaze sharpened instantly on Ami's pale face. Without taking his eyes off hers, he sniffed the air.
"Something's burning," he told her, studying her ashen cheeks and the worry lines etched into her forehead. "Wouldn't be dinner, would it?"
Ami shook herself out of her stupor and stuttered a reply. "I-I must've forgotten," she mumbled, taking off to the stove to take the food off of the heat. Wufei dogged her steps.
"Anything wrong, woman?" he queried, deliberately trying to provoke her. She was white, too white, which could only mean that something had scared her. Suspicion invaded his thoughts, but he refrained from voicing anything aloud.
"Beautiful view, isn't it?" she commented in reply. Wufei's eyebrows drew together. Why did she change the subject?
When she realized he hadn't taken the hint, Ami tried again. "The night," she gestured with a jerk of her head. "It's a beautiful night."
The Chinese teen turned his head briefly to acknowledge the truth of her words and caught sight of something in the shadows on the outskirts of the lawn.
"Must be a good night for a moonlit stroll," he said, glancing back at her unsteady hands. Her eyes had widened even further when she realized that he had understood her meaning.
"It does seem that way, doesn't it?" Ami said, waiting for his reaction. How could he be so calm? They were being stalked!
Wufei gave an almost imperceptible nod of his head. "Why don't you run back to the bathroom for a moment? I'm sure you want to freshen up before dinner," he suggested mildly.
Ami forced her gaping mouth to close. How could he suggest that she wash up at a time like this? She raised her eyes to his and automatically shivered. His eyes had gone cold again, the way they were when she had first met him. Thinking the better of protesting, Ami nodded her assent. She placed the steaming pot on a potholder and turned slowly toward the bathroom.
"Ami," Wufei's voice whispered silkily, darkly, around her, "don't forget to lock the door."
The teen's throat constricted at the dangerously smooth sound Wufei's vocal cords emitted. She could practically feel the death lurking just underneath the surface of his words. As she shut the bathroom door softly behind her, Ami understood that if anyone tried to harm her, her Chinese kidnaper would kill him.
Somehow, the thought of dead bodies anywhere near her did not make her feel any better.
The lock had just clicked into place on the door when she heard the splintering of wood. Shouts of men rang out, followed swiftly by gunshots. Over the rising din, Ami heard one man speaking clearly as through a megaphone.
"This is OZ. We have the cabin surrounded. Please surrender promptly."
Several men screamed in rapid succession. Ami shivered violently, wondering if Wufei was one of them. But that wasn't possible; he was so proud that he would never show such emotion to an enemy. Ami leaned against the door, hoping that everything was just a bad dream, and that it was all just a joke, and that Wufei would come and carry her away from all of this.
The scent of blood invaded Ami's nostrils and interrupted her thoughts. She glanced down and shrieked. Her hands clamped themselves over her mouth, but they did not shield her from the sight.
Blood flowed steadily from underneath the space between the floor and the door. It concentrated itself around her shoes, making her faint with horror. Fingers were curled around the underside of the door itself, making Ami wonder just exactly what was happening. She tried to step back, to regain her logic, but her shoes lost their grip on the floor and she fell into the warm liquid. She was screaming for real now; the screams wouldn't—couldn't—stop. Outside of the bathroom door, the noise died down enough for her to hear the sounds of a scuffle.
Suddenly the door in front of her shook violently on its hinges. Someone was trying to get in! They were going to get her! Where was Wufei?
The door fell inward as she scrambled clumsily away. Ami chanced a quick look up and bit her lip to keep from crying out. The man that she had seen through the window stood in front of her. Another man who seemed to be injured backed him. Behind the duo, a still form lay slumped on the floor. She was, her brain surmised, covered in his blood.
Nausea rolled through her at the thought. She was hoisted unceremoniously to her feet and dragged to the living room. A stained katana lay abandoned near the low wooden table. There were four more soldiers lying on the floor, but none were Wufei.
"Foolish woman!" a familiar voice yelled. Ami looked toward the desk and saw Wufei restrained by three more soldiers, all bearing the OZ insignia.
"Wufei?" she whispered. He was a mess. His hair curled loosely around his shoulders and was matted to his face by globs of things she'd rather not think of. His white pants were smattered with crimson, and his shirt and bare arms were stained with black. One of his eyes was half-closed, the reddened area slowly purpling before her eyes.
"You think I don't know that you did this?" he accused her furiously. She had never seen him look so angry before.
"I...don't know what you're talking about," she stuttered. Onyx eyes flashed in the overhead light.
"You pretend to be so innocent, but you're working for them! You lured them here—told them where to find me—and I was stupid enough to trust you!"
Tears stung her eyes. "No, no, Wufei, no! I would never betray you like this!"
"I hate you," Wufei whispered with deadly calm. "I hate you."
The soldiers looked amused. "Such a tragic love scene. Well, since she's free and we're ahead of schedule, I think I'm just going to spend some quality time with the little miss," stated the man holding her. Wide blue eyes glanced up in terror and then hurriedly shifted to look to Wufei. He had his head turned from her now, silently refusing to look at her.
Fear transformed into fury. With fury came calm, its icy fingers curling themselves around her heart. She was no one's plaything.
"Back away now."
Wufei raised his eyes at the frosty voice that resounded effortlessly throughout the room. His eyes widened a fraction of an inch, but that was the only sign of his surprise.
Little Ami was standing composedly in the midst of two soldiers. The only evidence of her previous fright were the faint tearstains streaking her rounded cheeks. Her shorts were soaked through with blood, but she seemed to have forgotten. The men holding her had laughed uproariously at her command but had otherwise ignored her. Behind them, frost curled in lazy spirals up a window.
"I repeat, back away now."
The temperature seemed to have dropped a good twenty degrees. The men guarding Wufei were visibly shivering.
"We don't take orders from skinny little girls!"
Blue light erupted from the motionless teenager. The two men abruptly released her. Ami's eyes snapped with anger. "Fools," she breathed. In her hands two icicles formed, each shaped like a dagger.
"Fools."
Pivoting, the small teenager struck. Her aim was true. The two daggers flew from her fingertips to embed themselves in the throats of her two oppressors. Wufei watched in stunned silence as the ice weapons flashed blue and evaporated.
With some trepidation, the Chinese warrior watched as the floor gained an unnatural sheen to it and recognized the ice from the Osaka base. The unnatural blue aura surrounding Ami grew in intensity. He could just make out her face as she turned her head to look at him.
Three columns of ice formed around him, sweeping upward from floor to ceiling before he had time to blink. The shield of solid water suffocated the screams of his captors. Wufei stared into the eyes of one of the soldiers, watching the life fade from the man's body. Their faces had to have been separated by six inches of ice, but it was enough to mean life for the Gundam pilot and death to the OZ soldier.
"Ami..." he began as he stepped with care toward her shimmering form, his attention shifting to the one person seemingly in control of the situation. "Ami, it's all right now. They're gone. They won't hurt you," he soothed. His foot slid a fraction and he steadied himself with the wall. "Come on, Ami, they're dead. They can't hurt us anymore. They're dead."
Ami heard Wufei's voice as through fog. She could barely make out his words, but he didn't seem to be angry with her anymore. She didn't want him to be angry anymore.
"Wufei," she sighed as she felt his warm arms fold her body into his. "Don't hate me, Wufei."
"I don't, Ami. I don't hate you," he said, allowing himself to breathe again.
"That's good," she sighed. Her sapphire eyes rolled to the back of her head as the azure glow receded into her body. Ami fainted.
I trust you to leave me with some insightful advice about what I can do to improve upon my ramblings. I truly want to become a better writer, and the only way to do that is to learn from my mistakes. Although I value your praise, I value your criticisms even more. Thank you for taking the time to review.
Notes: I finally got off my lazy tail and finished this chapter. Actually, I had a good portion of this finished quite a while ago, but somehow it managed to run away and I haven't seen it since. I didn't feel like rewriting all I had already done, so that's why it took so long. Also, this is about half the length that it's supposed to be because I decided to divide this chapter. It gives me more to work with next update. A special thanks must be included to all who reviewed during my two (?) month absence. There is something to be said about reviewers, especially insightful ones, but I'll get into that later.
Warnings: Things get a little more intense in this chapter, and this is the beginning of a major turning point in the story. There is blood, but I don't think that I'm very graphic about it. Angst, drama, probably OOC- ness. Sorry about that last one. I try to remain true, but sometimes one has to twist others around a little. By the way, it's all one scene. Sorry to disappoint.
Save My Sanity
Misty H
Chapter Four
Ami hummed to herself as she pulled out two bowls from the cupboard and began to set the table. A small pot of fish stew simmered over a makeshift gas stove, sending its pungent aroma wafting through the air. Ami's chest rose and fell with a deep sigh, and her lips curved into a faint smile. She was no master cook, but she could make a mean stew.
It had been two long days since the incident by the creek. Since then, Wufei had been no more than courteous in his attitude towards her. He was not rude, but he definitely refrained from being friendly. Ami supposed this was his way of apologizing for his previous lack of manners. She was no longer worried about his declaration of killing her. Somehow, she knew he was one to keep his engagements, and if he didn't kill her yesterday—as he had previously committed himself to do—then he was not likely to kill her anytime soon.
Her blue hair swished against the back of her neck. The wispy strands were falling out of the loose bun she had hurriedly fixed before starting their meal. Ami quickly pulled out the simple tie, holding it between her lips while she gathered the wavy mass into one big ball. She had just finished tying her hair firmly back in place when she saw a shadow flicker past the window above the sink. The curtain concealed the shadow's originator, but the teenager was certain it was just a tree moving in the breeze. She shrugged the incident off without another thought, washing her hands and grabbing two pairs of chopsticks.
Ami placed the last set of chopsticks on the table and glanced out the bay window next to the table. The sun was just setting and the sky had transformed into something out of a storybook. Colors of every imaginable hue adorned the cloud-strewn horizon. With a wistful smile she remembered her parents. She was sure they were worried—certainly news of her disappearance would have spread to them by now.
Ami attended a private school on the outskirts of Osaka. She was easily one of the more brilliant students at the school—her photographic memory ensured that she did wonderfully on tests. Though she was not wildly popular, Ami was sure that her teachers would notice her absence and report it immediately. Then again, there was that news broadcast about her aiding and abetting a Gundam pilot. But it sounded so ludicrous even to her ears. Her parents and teachers could never believe such a thing, could they?
Another shadow flitted past the window Ami stared so searchingly through. She gasped as the dark face of an unfamiliar man coyly winked at her and then disappeared. Footsteps sounded behind her, and she almost screamed before her mind reminded her whose light tread they belonged to. She half- pivoted, seeking reassurance.
Wufei strode into the room, and his dark gaze sharpened instantly on Ami's pale face. Without taking his eyes off hers, he sniffed the air.
"Something's burning," he told her, studying her ashen cheeks and the worry lines etched into her forehead. "Wouldn't be dinner, would it?"
Ami shook herself out of her stupor and stuttered a reply. "I-I must've forgotten," she mumbled, taking off to the stove to take the food off of the heat. Wufei dogged her steps.
"Anything wrong, woman?" he queried, deliberately trying to provoke her. She was white, too white, which could only mean that something had scared her. Suspicion invaded his thoughts, but he refrained from voicing anything aloud.
"Beautiful view, isn't it?" she commented in reply. Wufei's eyebrows drew together. Why did she change the subject?
When she realized he hadn't taken the hint, Ami tried again. "The night," she gestured with a jerk of her head. "It's a beautiful night."
The Chinese teen turned his head briefly to acknowledge the truth of her words and caught sight of something in the shadows on the outskirts of the lawn.
"Must be a good night for a moonlit stroll," he said, glancing back at her unsteady hands. Her eyes had widened even further when she realized that he had understood her meaning.
"It does seem that way, doesn't it?" Ami said, waiting for his reaction. How could he be so calm? They were being stalked!
Wufei gave an almost imperceptible nod of his head. "Why don't you run back to the bathroom for a moment? I'm sure you want to freshen up before dinner," he suggested mildly.
Ami forced her gaping mouth to close. How could he suggest that she wash up at a time like this? She raised her eyes to his and automatically shivered. His eyes had gone cold again, the way they were when she had first met him. Thinking the better of protesting, Ami nodded her assent. She placed the steaming pot on a potholder and turned slowly toward the bathroom.
"Ami," Wufei's voice whispered silkily, darkly, around her, "don't forget to lock the door."
The teen's throat constricted at the dangerously smooth sound Wufei's vocal cords emitted. She could practically feel the death lurking just underneath the surface of his words. As she shut the bathroom door softly behind her, Ami understood that if anyone tried to harm her, her Chinese kidnaper would kill him.
Somehow, the thought of dead bodies anywhere near her did not make her feel any better.
The lock had just clicked into place on the door when she heard the splintering of wood. Shouts of men rang out, followed swiftly by gunshots. Over the rising din, Ami heard one man speaking clearly as through a megaphone.
"This is OZ. We have the cabin surrounded. Please surrender promptly."
Several men screamed in rapid succession. Ami shivered violently, wondering if Wufei was one of them. But that wasn't possible; he was so proud that he would never show such emotion to an enemy. Ami leaned against the door, hoping that everything was just a bad dream, and that it was all just a joke, and that Wufei would come and carry her away from all of this.
The scent of blood invaded Ami's nostrils and interrupted her thoughts. She glanced down and shrieked. Her hands clamped themselves over her mouth, but they did not shield her from the sight.
Blood flowed steadily from underneath the space between the floor and the door. It concentrated itself around her shoes, making her faint with horror. Fingers were curled around the underside of the door itself, making Ami wonder just exactly what was happening. She tried to step back, to regain her logic, but her shoes lost their grip on the floor and she fell into the warm liquid. She was screaming for real now; the screams wouldn't—couldn't—stop. Outside of the bathroom door, the noise died down enough for her to hear the sounds of a scuffle.
Suddenly the door in front of her shook violently on its hinges. Someone was trying to get in! They were going to get her! Where was Wufei?
The door fell inward as she scrambled clumsily away. Ami chanced a quick look up and bit her lip to keep from crying out. The man that she had seen through the window stood in front of her. Another man who seemed to be injured backed him. Behind the duo, a still form lay slumped on the floor. She was, her brain surmised, covered in his blood.
Nausea rolled through her at the thought. She was hoisted unceremoniously to her feet and dragged to the living room. A stained katana lay abandoned near the low wooden table. There were four more soldiers lying on the floor, but none were Wufei.
"Foolish woman!" a familiar voice yelled. Ami looked toward the desk and saw Wufei restrained by three more soldiers, all bearing the OZ insignia.
"Wufei?" she whispered. He was a mess. His hair curled loosely around his shoulders and was matted to his face by globs of things she'd rather not think of. His white pants were smattered with crimson, and his shirt and bare arms were stained with black. One of his eyes was half-closed, the reddened area slowly purpling before her eyes.
"You think I don't know that you did this?" he accused her furiously. She had never seen him look so angry before.
"I...don't know what you're talking about," she stuttered. Onyx eyes flashed in the overhead light.
"You pretend to be so innocent, but you're working for them! You lured them here—told them where to find me—and I was stupid enough to trust you!"
Tears stung her eyes. "No, no, Wufei, no! I would never betray you like this!"
"I hate you," Wufei whispered with deadly calm. "I hate you."
The soldiers looked amused. "Such a tragic love scene. Well, since she's free and we're ahead of schedule, I think I'm just going to spend some quality time with the little miss," stated the man holding her. Wide blue eyes glanced up in terror and then hurriedly shifted to look to Wufei. He had his head turned from her now, silently refusing to look at her.
Fear transformed into fury. With fury came calm, its icy fingers curling themselves around her heart. She was no one's plaything.
"Back away now."
Wufei raised his eyes at the frosty voice that resounded effortlessly throughout the room. His eyes widened a fraction of an inch, but that was the only sign of his surprise.
Little Ami was standing composedly in the midst of two soldiers. The only evidence of her previous fright were the faint tearstains streaking her rounded cheeks. Her shorts were soaked through with blood, but she seemed to have forgotten. The men holding her had laughed uproariously at her command but had otherwise ignored her. Behind them, frost curled in lazy spirals up a window.
"I repeat, back away now."
The temperature seemed to have dropped a good twenty degrees. The men guarding Wufei were visibly shivering.
"We don't take orders from skinny little girls!"
Blue light erupted from the motionless teenager. The two men abruptly released her. Ami's eyes snapped with anger. "Fools," she breathed. In her hands two icicles formed, each shaped like a dagger.
"Fools."
Pivoting, the small teenager struck. Her aim was true. The two daggers flew from her fingertips to embed themselves in the throats of her two oppressors. Wufei watched in stunned silence as the ice weapons flashed blue and evaporated.
With some trepidation, the Chinese warrior watched as the floor gained an unnatural sheen to it and recognized the ice from the Osaka base. The unnatural blue aura surrounding Ami grew in intensity. He could just make out her face as she turned her head to look at him.
Three columns of ice formed around him, sweeping upward from floor to ceiling before he had time to blink. The shield of solid water suffocated the screams of his captors. Wufei stared into the eyes of one of the soldiers, watching the life fade from the man's body. Their faces had to have been separated by six inches of ice, but it was enough to mean life for the Gundam pilot and death to the OZ soldier.
"Ami..." he began as he stepped with care toward her shimmering form, his attention shifting to the one person seemingly in control of the situation. "Ami, it's all right now. They're gone. They won't hurt you," he soothed. His foot slid a fraction and he steadied himself with the wall. "Come on, Ami, they're dead. They can't hurt us anymore. They're dead."
Ami heard Wufei's voice as through fog. She could barely make out his words, but he didn't seem to be angry with her anymore. She didn't want him to be angry anymore.
"Wufei," she sighed as she felt his warm arms fold her body into his. "Don't hate me, Wufei."
"I don't, Ami. I don't hate you," he said, allowing himself to breathe again.
"That's good," she sighed. Her sapphire eyes rolled to the back of her head as the azure glow receded into her body. Ami fainted.
I trust you to leave me with some insightful advice about what I can do to improve upon my ramblings. I truly want to become a better writer, and the only way to do that is to learn from my mistakes. Although I value your praise, I value your criticisms even more. Thank you for taking the time to review.