The Missing Soldier
Chapter 11 – Won't be long now
Written by: Aya
Standard Disclaimer applies
Notes: Woo-hoo! 10 months hiatus! Back with this chapter after a long time of dwindling interest. I have some things to say before I can go on, however.
After all that character bashing, I've decided it's finally time to reveal exactly why Mamoru's the bastard he is. No, I didn't make him a bastard just because I wanted to, there is a reason behind it.
It also involves Tasuki, Hotohori and Usagi, so bear with me while these two non-SM and GW characters are dragged along for the ride. Unfortunately, despite the fact that Hotohori has been brought into this, he won't be with us for the rest of the journey. Why? Well, let me put it this way, there are different rebel cells, Mamoru's faction was just one of them and Usagi and Heero was assigned to his cell in particular. Hotohori and Tasuki have other ones that they need to squash out. (And if you must know...the only reason why I picked Hotohori and Tasuki instead of any SM character...blame my friend, J!!!!)
Besides, the true nature of Mamoru's operations have not yet been revealed, none of them know how dangerous he really is.
Oh and before I forget, I'd like to thank Kail Ceannai for her review, because it reminded me that I'm straying from my planned plot. Thank you very much for the CCs. I needed that.
There were a lot of things that Tsukino Usagi likes and a lot of things that she dislikes. There were only a few things that she loves, however and only three things that she loathes.
Among the three was one name, one traitor in particular, with the name of Chiba Mamoru. So, to say that Usagi was displeased with her current situation would have been overly understated. While she took in her surrounding and half-listened to the unintelligible babble that was coming out of Mamoru's mouth, one thought rang true in her head.
Soldiers—these bunch in particular—don't seem to like showers and toothbrush very much. At least, the way the place smelled, that seemed to have been the reason.
But what was she expecting, anyway? For it to smell like fresh-cut flowers?
That was hardly the problem at the moment, but for Usagi's clouded mind, it seemed to be the more pressing issue. It seemed more important than the fact that she's bound to a chair with a group of men who were perfectly willing and able to rape, torture and kill her. All in a day's work.
Suddenly, her head whirled, as a heavy impact landed against her cheek. There was a definite sting on her cheek, even as she carefully turned around, a disinterested look on her face. Anyone in her position would have burst to tears, prayed for their release or even had some sort of reaction to being slapped so hard, it felt as if the room was spinning. But of course, not Usagi.
A hand lashed out, fingers entangled themselves in her hair as the seething soldier nearly yanked those blond tresses from their roots. He was snarling and his eyes seemed to be shining with something akin to lunacy.
"Listen to me you little whore," Blue eyes were still oddly blank. "Give me the information I want and I'll spare your life." She blinked twice, only adding fuel to Mamoru's rage.
The soldier growled with anger, pulling her head forward and slamming it hard against the table in front of her. Her world exploded in stars and she felt something hot trickle down from her head, down her cheek. She could barely think, her vision slowly fading to black.
The last thing she heard were the string of curses flowing from Mamoru's mouth and the barked order for a doctor.
Meiou Setsuna didn't blink when the news was delivered to her, in fact, she didn't even look interested. She went on with her work as usual, causing the messenger to gawk at her in disbelief. After all, it's not everyday you are delivered news that one of your prized assassins/officers is captured.
Setsuna finally looked up from her work, looking expectantly at the young man. "Is that all? Or do you have further news?"
"N-no, Madam." He stammered.
"Then you're dismissed."
"What do I tell Hotohori-san?"
"He will proceed as instructed. And he will not take part in any rescue operations. The pilots are on their own, this has nothing to do with us. Yuy and Tsukino are well aware of our policy, anyone who is captured will be assumed dead."
"Yes, Meiou-san." The man said grimly.
"Oh, do tell Sai that it would be nice if he could provide them with some sleeping quarters." Setsuna added, knowing too well that it would only enrage her favorite agent.
"Yes, Madam."
"Dismissed."
Hotohori is usually a happy person. Well, not to the extent that Duo Maxwell goes, so happy that it's terrifying. Sai is usually quite content. He doesn't mind what he's doing and always accepts any mission without asking questions.
Usually.
Tasuki, his best friend, would know this. It's a little amazing that these two characters can ever be best friends. After all, Hotohori is the refined and polite gentleman. Even during missions. He was so polite that sometimes it's unnerving. Tasuki, on the other hand...
He's the badass. No question about it. He's the gun-slinging, fan-wielding, foul-tempered assassin. He acts with his gut instinct, never by thinking it thoroughly. To him time wasn't a friend. It won't pause while you're thinking about what your next step will be. If you think too long you die. It was as simple as that.
So how is it that they've developed some sort of brother-like bond?
Because even though Hotohori is well mannered, he still has a temper. Even though Tasuki is the fiery one, he's the only person who stays cool in a dire situation. And when Hotohori gets pissed off, only Tasuki can calm him down.
Which brings us to the situation.
Hotohori was ranting, shouting at the top of his lungs while searching for insults to through at the "group of incompetent" who had failed to realize that the Dalian/Peacecraft Mansion was overrun by enemy forces.
"And you call yourself Gundam pilots." He spat.
Surprisingly, the one who lashed back at him wasn't the vociferous one from the group as Duo was sitting next to Mina, trying to console the distraught blonde. Wufei was too busy ignoring Hotohori and tending to the frightened Hotaru who had her face pressed to the side of Wufei's neck, all pretenses abandoned. She didn't have to act tough in front of Wufei, or in front of these people, they knew who she was after all.
It was Quatre, the normally polite blond that spoke up. "With all due respect, Sai-san, we didn't have much choice." He paused. "Besides, it was Usagi's decision, not ours."
Hotohori looked as if he was about to explode again, but Trowa cut him off. "There's no use playing the blame game. It won't save her."
Tasuki arrived during this scene, speechless when he saw his ranting friend. And then his eyes fell on the quivering girl in Wufei's arms. Wufei was acting like the protective older brother that he was, nothing at all like the pilot described in the files.
"Did I miss anything?" Tasuki asked, making sure that his smirk was in place when he looked at Hotohori. The longhaired assassin paused for a moment, blinking when he saw Tasuki.
"I thought you were going to be at the headquarters?"
"Setsuna told me to get over here cause I need to kick some people in the ass." He paused, scowling. "So it's true then? They got Sere?"
"Looks like it." Sighed Hotohori. Tasuki gave the room a quick scan. The other occupants looked wearied and worried, not to mention exhausted. He knew that Hotohori didn't mean to keep them there, but he was upset.
"Hey, I'm Tasuki." Tasuki greeted them. "I'm Sai's partner. I'm gonna show you guys where you can rest while we let Sai calm down, alright? He just didn't expect to be dragged into this mission when we have our own to think about." He didn't give them room to argue, even though they were all too tired to do that anyway.
"Thank you Tasuki-san." Quatre said politely.
"Hey," Duo said suddenly. "Where's Heero?"
"Oh, that anti-social dude?" Tasuki said, rolling his eyes slightly. "Don't worry, he's out in the hall, sulking."
"He's not anti-social, he's just worried about Usagi." Duo pointed out, slightly annoyed at Tasuki's words. The fiery-haired assassin shrugged, a sexy smirk appearing on his lips.
"You should all know by now that Usagi's a big girl, she can take care of herself." He said nonchalantly, before adding, "She can pack a punch and she's a tough girl. You just get some rest and then you can think of a plan. That alright with you?"
"Aren't you going to help?" Mina asked wearily.
"No can do, missy." Tasuki said, faking a sigh. "We've got direct orders from Meiou-san. This is Usagi and Heero's job and we're not supposed to get involved."
"But she might be in trouble!" Duo protested.
"We don't make the rules." Grumbled Hotohori.
"Sir, do we proceed with the proposed plan?" Mamoru looked up from the documents he was reading and nodded.
"Proceed with step 2." He said curtly.
"Yes sir." The soldier left the room in a hurry and by the sound of the scurry outside his door, the plan was beginning to take effect.
He closed the file, tossing it to an empty chair. There really wasn't much to go with, the new prototypes were missing, Nataku was nowhere to be found—it didn't really matter anyway, she refused to work for them after he killed Helios—and the only plan they have is in the hands of a very stubborn yet utterly stunning assassin who would rather die than divulge the secret.
"I'm going through this all wrong." Mamoru said to himself, tapping his fingers on the table. "I know how this girl thinks." He paused for a moment.
He didn't like his life as one of Meiou-san's assassins, it was much too boring and he didn't have any influence on the missions or the targets. Not to mention, of course, he didn't have a chance in hell with the blonde goddess who had caught his eye.
Usagi is a paradox.
She's warm and friendly yet she is cool and distant. She is a very caring person and yet she can be merciless. She believed in truth and justice, yet she kills for a living. A very complex and paradoxical puzzle indeed.
"But there must be some way to crack her." Mamoru muttered. "There must be something she cares more in the world than the secret of her dead parents." He stared ahead, thoughts drifting in his mind as he tried to figure it out. He heaved a sigh, frustration beginning to grate away at his nerves.
"Big brother!"
His eyes widened, looking around frantically for the source of the sound. It couldn't possibly be...
But all he had to stare was a relatively empty room, no sign of the source of that voice. There was something inside of him that seemed to have been disappointed at not being able to see what he expected to see. A bitter laugh escaped him, pushing dark bangs away from his eyes.
And then he froze, because before him, a translucent eight-year old was smiling sweetly at him.
"Mamoru!" The young voice whined. "You said that we're going to leave an hour ago!"
He watched painfully as the young girl continued to pout, that all-together familiar frown on her face. He reached out his hand, knowing that he could never touch her, yet tried all the same.
Suddenly, his whole surrounding dissolved and in its place was an open field that seemed all too familiar.
He must have been around eleven, because she was only eight at the time. They were left in Meiou-san's care right after their parents died. He was unsure, not trusting this strange woman at all. His sister, on the other hand, was ecstatic.
"Isn't it wonderful? We're being adopted! Someone's going to take care of us, aniki!"
His only reply is to smile, ruffling her hair slightly. There was no need for her to know his worries.
"Mamoru? Rei?" A smooth voice called out, causing both siblings to look up. A beautiful woman with long dark green hair smiled at them, motioning them to come to her. Behind her stood three children, two boys and one girl.
One of the boys stood gracefully, a polite smile on his face, blissfully ignoring his muttering companion. The companion, a fiery-haired boy, was muttering under his breath, obviously displeased about something. He only quieted down when an elbow jabbed him in the ribs.
That elbow belonged to a beautiful young girl. She had to be around his sister's age, yet held a different beauty. Rei is a beautiful girl herself, an exotic beauty with ebony hair and violet eyes. Many have proclaimed that in due time, she will be the cause of many brawls and heartaches.
This little girl, however, was a classic beauty. Perhaps even the epitome of beauty itself. She had long, flowing blonde hair and clear, deep blue eyes. Her movement was graceful, not unlike the first boy, but it wasn't learned gracefulness. Many people are graceful because they are taught how to be, her sense of grace was inbred it seems.
But the reason why he thought of her as beautiful was because of her eyes. Eight-year-olds have innocent eyes, the kind of eyes that draw desire from the beasts that lurk the world. The kind of beast that would do anything to crush that innocence. Eight was where everything hung in a balance, because you know that soon, that innocence will be wiped away.
However, it wasn't so for this little girl. There was no innocence in those eyes. There was something deeper, something older. It was a quiet acceptance, something only grown-ups know when they finally realize the ways of the world. Something that should be seen in the eyes of a thirty year old, not in the eyes of an eight year old.
That wasn't to say, however, that there was no spark of innocence there. Her eyes weren't completely devoid of innocence. There were just other elements there that were dominant, a profound sadness that lingered even as she grew up before his eyes. But the rebellious streak stuck by her and that hint of mischief that never seem to be outgrown.
It wasn't fair, really, that his sister wasn't given the chance to shine the way the blonde girl did. It wasn't fair that Rei was the one who died, the one who faded away and was forgotten.
His thoughts returned to the quiet gloom of his office, a pained whisper cutting through the stillness.
"Rei."
"Hey, Usagi mentioned something about Mamoru being a traitor. What's the story anyway?" Asked Duo, while the others were discussing plans of attack. It was really Hotohori suggesting ideas that are quickly dismissed by Heero. Duo tried to prevent a real fight by changing the subject altogether.
It worked, because immediately Sai was quiet, exchanging looks with Tasuki. When he spoke up again he sounded weary. "In order to understand his betrayal, you have to understand the history."
"At least, understand why Sere is so angry with him for switching." Tasuki muttered, not looking up from the magazine he was reading.
"Yo, Heero, what are they talking about?" The perfect soldier seemed unwilling to answer and for a while, all he did was stare at Duo with a blank expression. It wasn't until Duo was ready to give up and try asking Sai again that he spoke up.
"Usa, Tasuki and Sai knew each other since they were kids." Heero said, keeping his voice leveled even though he was ready to deck the handsome man sitting across the table from him. The perfectly smug smile that Sai had on his face was making his blood boil.
It was a reminder that no matter what, Sai would always be a part of Usagi's life, because he's a part of her childhood.
"We can't really blame him for choosing sides, you know." Tasuki said quietly, immediately eliciting an outraged cry from Hotohori and a glare from Heero. "Sere knows this."
"Tasuki." The sharp tone that Hotohori used caused the others' attention to shift to him, but the fiery gaze that Tasuki directed to his best friend was scorching. Still, despite the heat of his gaze, the room temperature dropped by a couple of degrees because of their behavior.
"Villains aren't born, Sai. They're created." Tasuki continued, relentlessly. "Rei's death taught us that."
"Who is Rei?" Asked Duo, though he noted the blonde beside him was suddenly very still. "Mina?"
"You remember Rei, don't you Minako?" Hotohori asked the oracle gently. Mina nodded miserably, how could she forget the raven-haired firestarter?
"I've met her once."
"You only need to meet Rei once." Tasuki said with a small, sad smile. "She leaves an imprint."
Duo was about to speak up again, but a firm hand settled on his shoulder. He looked at Wufei for a moment, confused. But pilot 05 shook his head, knowing that this was something best left untouched. This was beyond them and it should remain that way. Meiran's death taught him the meaning of loss and he knew that some things are best left unspoken.
Ghosts, no matter how old, will always haunt you whenever their names are spoken.
The cell wasn't that bad, really, there were worst places she could be. It was certainly dark, but it was nothing she couldn't get used to. Usagi was used to a lot of things, she had the chance to get used to them.
However, dark places always remind her of an old memory. It reminded her of sweaty little hands in her own, the sound of chattering teeth and the faintest of shivers. It reminded her of the soft voice next to her, praying for a way out, whispering to a brother who would arrive too late.
It reminded her of that and more.
It reminded her of a hole in the middle of the forest, deep enough to block the sun's rays. And unknown, because it took three days for them to be found and by that time it was too late to save the girl whose hand she held tightly for 72 hours.
She shouldn't blame Mamoru for changing sides, but she did and she still does. She hated him for betraying them and for using Rei's memories to justify his actions. No one was to blame for the accident. They were nothing more than a bunch of kids who didn't know better. And his own reasons for using his sister as his excuse didn't make sense.
What Mamoru didn't know and what her friends and even her lover didn't know, was that the guilt remained through all the years. That was why Usagi refused to die, because if she died, that means Rei's last memories would die with her.
But maybe it was time for things to change, for her life to be different.
"I'm sorry, Rei." She whispered slowly. "It looks like I might join you sooner than expected." The small box was poking into her side, but she left it alone. "I'll try to get your brother out of this mess, even though this is his fault really."
Shorter than what I planned and certainly you all deserve a longer chapter after the long hiatus. Unfortunately, this is all that I can manage for now. I apologize. We're 2 or 3 chapters away from the ending, folks, so you can rejoice. As to when I will update...shrugs It won't be another ten months, I can promise you that.
On a different note, this site's new Quick Edit system is somewhat of a pain in the butt. And what happened to all the symbols?
Well review and let me see how many of you are still with me, hmm?