Well... I thought that I would be nice and update. It's my birthday! Yay!
Thanks for all the reviews... and I'm still having a little trouble with the evil writer's block. I'll try to get rid of it.
No little quote thingy... too lazy to look for one.
I don't own GW or SM. On with the fic!
Heero found himself at the library, on one of the public computers that had virtually no memory at all. And it was slower than Duo in the shower. These two factors added together made a not so very happy Wing Zero pilot, as he continued to search for Minako.
After a few hours, Heero had managed to scrape together a rough portrayal of her life. It turned out that the blonde had once been an actor, and had since then tried for many talent shows. She had even won a singer idol show not long ago, but for some mysterious reason turned down the offer.
She was also a volleyball star in her old school, before she had moved to Japan. She had, in fact, moved around quite a bit, even going to China once for a movie shoot. She was socially active, and had friends from many different cliques. She had been known to be a little overenthusiastic, and even eccentric at times.
Her family was in England, and she was staying with friends in Tokyo. She had an apartment, but for some reason had left it less than a year ago.
She was currently living with some of her friends at a temple not far from their school. She had a busy job when she wasn't at school or at home. A decent job not underpaid and not overpaid. Which left to the imagination why she would need more money. Perhaps... was she on drugs? That would explain the high expenditure.
But it didn't seem to match with her character. Minako Aino was definitely not the type of person that you would expect to be a druggie. Not to mention Heero couldn't find any evidence that she was buying from questionable sources.
So then where was all the money going?
With a few clicks of the mouse, he printed out the temple's address. It was time to pay Miss Minako a visit.
Once stepping into the temple, Hakura immediately headed for the living room, to find the other three scouts asleep. Ami quickly nudged them awake, causing them to start. As Rei rubbed her sleepy eyes, she saw Michiru in the doorway. Feeling a chill that sunk deep into her heart, she was quiet, not knowing what to expect.
Minako and Makoto also quietly sat there, staring at Hakura, who was now working with the VCR. Sticking in the tape, they all waited with bated breath as the tape was slowly rewound. The low hum seemed to fill the air, making everyone uncomfortable.
The humming slowed, and then finally stopped, and Hakura bent down to press the 'play' button.
Black and white surveillance footage showed up on the screen. By this time, the scouts were already prepared for the worst, and took in the information quietly.
More silence as all eyes were on the screen.
Finally, Hakura spoke up. "You were caught."
Nodding slowly, Ami replied. "Yes, we were. I couldn't handle all of the cameras, although I did take out most of them. It was bound to happen sooner or later."
"Why?" Michiru asked from the doorway.
"Because we had to." Minako took over, ready to take all of the blame. "We had no choice. It was my decision, and as the leader of the inners, the others were forced to agree."
"We all joined with full awareness of the consequences... Minako would never do sometime like this unless there was no other choice. We all agreed." Makoto quickly put in, once seeing what the blonde intended. "There is no need to blame one person, when we were all at fault."
Michiru spoke quietly, "I'll ask again. Why?"
"Bills." Rei said from at the table, holding up a stack of papers.
"Bills?" Hakura questioned, harshly.
"Yes. Usagi's hospital bills. We had to pay them one way or another." Makoto said, looking Hakura in the eye, not flinching.
"You said that you had it all under control. We offered to help with them." Hakura replied, equally harsh.
"We lied. In the long run, this would have had to happen anyways. The bills are just too high." Minako said.
"We would have figured something out, Venus." Michiru said, her usually musical voice strict and hard.
"Maybe. I doubt it. It is the job of the inners to protect the princess at any cost, thievery included. This was our responsibility, and our responsibility alone."
"It is the job of all the scouts to protect the princess, outers included. You should never of had to resort to such drastic measures without consulting with us first. We are older, and therefore more experienced whether you choose to recognize it or not." Hakura all but shouted at Minako.
"No. It has always been the job of the inners, and like that it will stay. Please, Hakura, Michiru, leave this place. There is no further negotiation on this issue." Ami cut in, calmly.
Hakura kept her gaze locked onto the Venusian. "This is the last time we will meet as friends, inners."
Michiru finished for Hakura, "Next time we meet, prepare to fight. We will show no mercy to those that have broken the sacred laws of honor."
"You may be doing what you think is best," Hakura continued, voice softer than it had been for the whole meeting, "but it is our job to make sure that all evil is destroyed. At this time, it includes you. I hope we never cross paths again, but we will continue to hunt you. I suggest that you run and hide, for if we ever find you we will be forced to strip you of you powers, and then kill you."
Sadness filled Michiru's eyes as she gazed upon the inners. "I'm sorry that it had to come to this. I pray that you will heed our warning, and hide. I don't want to kill you, but I don't have a choice if we meet again."
The inners looked lost for words, not believing that what they spoke was the truth. Finally, Minako spoke as the leader.
"We understand."
"Goodbye." Hakura finished, stepping out of the door. Michiru followed, silently.
'Goodbye.' Minako thought, as she heard the sound of an engine backing away from the temple.
An hour later, Heero found himself standing in front of the temple, a bouquet of roses in one hand. A light breeze swirled around him, and it seemed for a second that everything was at peace. As he climbed the steps, he was reminded of a lost memory, one that he couldn't quite grasp, but he knew existed at the same time.
Finding himself at the door of the temple, he rang the doorbell. A girl with short blue hair answered, looking confusedly at the flowers.
"Delivery for Minako Aino." Heero said in his monotone, holding out the roses.
Ami blinked. "Oh... I'm sorry. Minako doesn't live here anymore."
Heero looked at her, skeptic in his eyes. "Do you have her new address?"
"No. I'm sorry. She said that she'd be calling with it in a few days. Would you like for me to hold onto the flowers for the time being?"
"Yes." Heero handed her the bouquet. There was no card.
"Just one question... who do I tell her they're from?" Ami asked to the retreating boy.
There was a pause as Heero thought. "Tell her they're from Heero Yuy."
She had been lying. That much had been obvious to Heero's eyes... he hadn't been trained for years not to recognize a lie when he saw one.
She had been lying through her teeth. And everyone knows that someone wouldn't lie without having something to hide.
Minako must still be at the temple. But what reason could Ami have to hide her? Stepping away from the temple, Heero flipped open a small hand-held device and turned it on, sitting in a well-covered tree. There was the hiss of static for a second, but then the auditory bug he had planted on the roses tuned in.
"... for Minako." He heard the familiar voice of the blue-haired girl say.
"Who are they from?" A slightly gravelly voice asked.
"Heero Yuy."
"Whose that?"
"No idea."
"I'll put them in water."
There was the sound of rushing water, and the faint murmur of voices, but Heero couldn't' catch any of their conversation until the water stopped.
"... into hiding?"
Heero listened, rapt with attention.
"No... I didn't tell her yet."
"How do you think she'll take it?"
"Not that well. She lived for this life."
"With what the outers told us, we might be joining her soon."
"Maybe."
There was a pause.
"Ami... what's that dot on your computer?"
"... intruder. On the grounds. Not far from here." The previously soft voice became serious.
"I'm on it Ami. How far away?"
"Not far."
The door of the temple slid open, and a tall brown haired girl came staling out, looking around. Her gaze stopped as they focused on the trees.
The trees he was hiding in.
Oh damn.
Quickly, he pressed a button, hopefully signaling to the other pilots to come and help him. He realized, however, that it was hopeless. They would never make it in time.
Heero sunk low into the foliage and prayed that he wouldn't be found. Or else it would be the shortest stalking of all time, seeing as how he hadn't even seen Minako yet.
And Makoto drew nearer...
And that's what I call a cliffie. Sorry about it. There's a little OOC in the next chapter (Heero), and Relena finally makes her enterance.
Not that you're looking forward to that or anything.
Anyways... review! I love it when you do.
Love always,
Inverse-chan