Holy cripes, this is a long one! But....a good one. Hmm...Kihou, for those who do not know, means 'bubble' or 'air' a kind of tease about Minako's fluffiness...And...thank you Hoshimare...and I think that is it...well...I am not going to repeat the disclaimer, if you are absolutely dying to read it, go read a previous chapter...
Aino Minako skipped cheerfully down the street, convinced that the day could not get any better than it already was. She had no homework to ruin her weekend, she had a whole host of activities lined up for Saturday, and she was positive that a certain captain of the soccer team had been checking her out in math. Life was, indeed, good.
She paused as she passed a shop window, reading the poster that had been hung up in the window. Seconds later, she was squealing, and leaping up and down.
"Oh my gosh! A chance to audition for NG records! And win the chance to be signed as an artist!" That cemented it; it had to be the greatest day of her life.
"I wouldn't get too excited, if I were you...everyone knows that those contests are damn near impossible to win." A cool voice broke into her elated thoughts, and Minako turned to see a blonde guy looking down at her in amusement, his pale blue eyes twinkling.
"How would you know?" she demanded, annoyed that this stranger thought he could just waltz up and steamroll her dreams. "Have you ever entered one of these contests?" The boy shrugged, and nodded at the poster.
"Imagine your chances...one out of...how many young aspiring popstars will be trying out for this?" Minako made a face, valiantly dismissing the little thought that had wormed its way into her head, and turning back to gaze starry eyed at the poster.
"I could make it...I will make it!" she declared triumphantly. Her companion looked less than impressed.
"I'm sure that if you are looking for someone to poke a hole in your bubble, than yes, you will accomplish that. Besides...I thought everyone was over the pop chick sensation...aren't they looking for someone a little more...hardcore?" Minako's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Are you trying to suggest that I am not hardcore?" He shrugged, and smirked. Minako was hard pressed to ignore the nice contrast that his pale eyes and hair made with his dusky skin.
"Of course not...I barely know you after all." She cheerfully stuck out her hand, and smiled brightly.
"Aino Minako...better get used to it, you'll be hearing it a lot!" she winked at him. He slowly took her hand, and Minako repressed a shiver; he was freezing!
"Hakuchou Hyoga. It's a pleasure meeting you." Minako opened her mouth to saw something to the same effect, when a loud meow came from somewhere above her head. Without warning, Artemis had thrown himself down into her arms, and was busy appraising Hyoga.
"This is Artemis," she announced, holding him out in all of his cuteness. "Artemis, this is Hakuchou...he was shooting down my dreams of becoming an up and coming teen pop idol." The cat mewled, and shot a look similar to agreement at Hyoga.
"Well..." he began. Minako noted how pleasant his gravelly voice sounded. "I have got to be going...things to do, people to see, places to go...the whole bit."
"It was nice meeting you, Hakuchou." She replied automatically, picking up her satchel, which had fallen to the ground when Artemis had decided to play Kitty Olympics.
"Ditto," he said, turning away. "See you around...Kihou..." Minako flushed bright red, mostly with anger.
"Artemis...did you...did you hear that?!" she demanded between clenched teeth. "Kihou...he called me Kihou!"
"I think he likes you," Artemis replied slyly, tail twitching. Minako began to stomp away, her mood ruined by the hotshot who had just called her a bubble. Artemis, during the interim, had leapt out of her arms, and with a short farewell, was gone...probably chasing something or other.
"Kihou...who does he think he is?" she muttered. "We just met, and he assumes that it's okay to call me Kihou...I'll show him Kihou, with a side of Love Me Chain." Minako made a turn down a rather deserted alleyway that cut put onto her street saving her from having to walk around the entire end of the block.
It was then that she knew that something was not right. She tensed immediately, but a hand suddenly closed around her throat, and she was pressed up against the wall. Minako tried to scream, but all she managed was a weak cry. A finger stole up to trace her cheek bone.
"Child of light..." a voice simpered, the finger lingering on her face. "Child of light...do you ever despair of it all?" Minako struggled, determined not to listen to the voice. But for all her efforts, she was just pressed against the rough brick harder, the uncomfortable surface scraping her skin through her uniform.
"Let me...go," she murmured. But thing (for Minako was convinced that it was not human) did not let go.
"Do you ever grow weary of the light...ever wish to stray away into the dark night..." Minako made a sound akin to that of a strangled kitten. Two eyes burned through the pitch black alley (when had it become so dark?!) Black flames danced, and Minako felt dizzy...
"Soothing darkness," it purred, eyes widening. "Velvety, dark, comforting darkness. You are alone..."
I am always alone, her mind suddenly wailed.
"Oh...but it in the darkness, it's so much nicer to be alone. Don't you feel it, child?" Minako felt weak...her body slumped against the wall, her eyes still on the burning ones of whatever it was that was holding her. "The bitterness is choking you already," it commented, sounding observant and detatched. "It won't be long...until then, you must hold this..." something flashed in the meager light. "...close to your heart. And when you are ready, Circe will be waiting for you..."
Minako shrieked and twisted as something icy cold was forced into her chest just below her collar bone, right above her heart. It was sharp and unyielding, and it went farther into her skin until her captor made a satisfied snort...
'The light...it's back..." Minako observed in a dazed sort of way. She was sitting on the ground, back against the wall. She frowned and looked at her watch.
"Oh, no...I am so late..." shaking herself, she stood and reached for her satchel. "I have really got to stop sitting around and day dreaming...and in alleys of all places! I am starting to get just like Usagi..."
But just as the blonde was about to step out of the alley, she could've sworn she heard low laughter. She whipped around, but no one was there. Her hand reaching up to massage an area directly below her collar bone, she left...feeling bothered for some reason.