The Masks v2

By: Deaths-child

Rating: Go figure.

Disclaimer: ??????(Nani?)????? (See chap 1)

A/N: (Like I said Fear them.)

Death-chan and Duo are playing cards on the floor. Quatre walks on and looks at both of them trying to figure out some thing.

"Death-san why are you wearing Duo's shirt while Duo is wearing your pants?" He innocently asks.

Death-chan looks up at Quatre as if she just had seen him. "Why Q-chan it is quite simple were playing poker and not just poker, strip poker with are own twist we switch clothes when we lose. And I'm winning." Death-chan smiles up at Quatre.

"That's only by two pieces of clothes and I have your pants." Duo yells.

"Tell me another sob story D-chan and fork over your second shirt." Death-chan says in triumph.

"Well it seems Death-san is occupied at the moment we should get on with the story." Quatre urges readers on to story.

Chapter 3

A few days passed and with some well needed sleep they started on the palace. Sweeping the grounds reveled no clues, sweeping the palace didn't reveled no clues and at Duo's constant wining that they shouldn't go in, he was surprised with the room but still it reveled no clues. Now they were getting nowhere and with no exits on the road to nowhere they had nothing to do but wait tell Friday and the concert.

Now the fact that at least once in their life all the Gundam pilots had to go to a formal gathering in a tux. What was a problem was getting said tux to fit, feel comfortable, and look good on all of them. So they were with Quatre's insistence, refitted. There was only one problem with it all and that was the long time of standing around.

Duo was not one to stand around it was even worse when he would get pricked with a pin or scolded for moving a bit. So he got poked a lot and found himself hit a few times over the head. Trowa and Heero stood still as a statue while Quatre was the perfect customer the tailor had ever had. Wu Fei already had a tux that fit him, so he did not need to be poked or prodded by the tailor.

Heero spent most of the time going over servalence tapes and guard records for the day Relena had slipped through his security system. He hadn't been away from his laptop to do more then sleep a few hours a day at the most. Duo who had been at first terrified of Relena's room avoided it even more now for some reason. Quatre with his gift spent some time trying to feel what was left in the room while Trowa who was accompanying him stared at the painting on the wall trying to figure it. Wu Fei stayed near or around the gym and only came out for food and sleep.

It seemed that Millardo had more on his hands then he had thought when taking up the position of ruler in Sank kingdom. For every action that he took he had to fill out a paper and that had to be done in triplet before the action could even be done. Noin knowing the procedure for it all helped the failing prince for the most part. Everyone tried or didn't to keep themselves busy tell Friday.

The two black stretch limo's Quatre had insisted in taking them from the palace to the conservatory where the concert was being held. Now most people that go to these events were at least in there thirty's if not older. But the people stepping out of two that had just arrived were five teens, three older women and a nine year old. There were weirder sights though.

With such a large group their seats were placed in a balcony for their viewing pleasure and a brief thought went through them on how much that would have cost Relena. Seating was as so but only to keep conflicts to a rare occurrence. It went: Mariemaia, Une, Duo, Noin, Sally, Heero, Quatre, Trowa, and Wu Fei. Keeping Duo and Wu Fei at opposite ends was Quatre's idea with Heero in the middle and every thing should go fine...hopefully.

As the lights dimmed and a spot light came on and centered on to the middle of the stage. Out walked what looked to be a teen about half a year older then them with violin in hand. She wore a long one piece silk dress, her silver hair was up in two heart shaped buns with the rest of it trailing down her back. As Une had said she was a site to be hold even with the small smile she held on her face.

When the crowed finally was silent she started to speak. "It is a pleasure to be performing for you all tonight. I hope you all enjoy it and that you hold your applause tell the end of the show. Many of the pieces I will be performing tonight are over a thousand years old and from the composer Kaioh Michiru. Now let me began..."

With that she started to play the first piece. The audience was captivated by her performance through out the night and even though Wu Fei would never emit it he now held something akin to respect for the violinist/Preventer. The music was soft and sad with a touch of something that couldn't be placed and lingered on the edge of ones mind. At the end of the concert the whole of the crowed stood up and applauded her even the G-boys and company.

A stage hand had been recruited to lead them to the violinists dressing room. Arriving at the door Une knocked and a light voice said 'enter' from behind the door. The room had vases of flowers paced on a large table in a corner while a vanity was placed on the far wall. Siting in front of it was the mysterious silver haired Usagi Tsukino.

She turned to them and smiled. "Marie-chan." She said and opened her arms as the small girl ran and leapt in to her arms in a big hug.

"Usa-chan..." Mariemaia snuggled her head deeper in to the older woman's chest. "I missed you."

"You two know each other." Duo said in shock, none of them had any knowledge that Mariemaia Khushrenada knew this type of person.

"So Une and the famous Gundam pilots come to visit me and I don't even know why." She had turned Mariemaia around on her lap and had her arms around the little girl.

"No, wait let me rephrase that I do know why you are here. Your looking for Relena, are you not." Her voice held amusement but her face showed nothing except a glimmer in her eyes.

"Yes we are and you would know where she is or else Relena wouldn't have sent us here." Une was wanting to get to the point knowing the others game.

"Yes, she would. You just don't know any more do you?" She had this slight smirk that mocked them all.

"No, we don't, she is unpredictable right now and I don't feel like playing your games." Une growled out and Mariemaia was looking wide eyed at her along with the others in the room.

"Yes I do play a nice game don't I. You can play hers though I think you will find it so much more fun than any of mine." With that she handed them a letter.

Looking it over before opening it she read it over to all of them.

"Hi peoples,

Hoped you in enjoyed the concert by my friend. She is so good don't you think, by the way if you want she can be a middle person for us. Now don't think she will talk but even you Une know that she wont even if Heero puts a gun to her head. If you really want a chase then here is a you're next clue: white of the night but blood dyes it during the day. That's it. Have a bit of fun on this quest.

Sincerely Relena"

Heero pulled his gun, pointing it at her. "Tell me where she is."

"Who knows. I don't. She gave you clues for you to follow not that they are clear but who knows you might be bright enough to figure them out." She looked straight at Une with nothing on her face and continued.

"Now I will give you some advice on this matter if you want. She has a plan for all of this so that means she has every thing done before hand. She will be spending three months abroad and stay in seven areas for two weeks at time. That gives you seven try's to find her with a clue each and that first clue for the last place she will be on the last day of the three months." She told them her hands had been around Mariemaia and where snaking around her to the girls sides.

With a quick motion the hands stuck. Making Mariemaia scream out in shock and laughter as the fingers worked their way up and down the girls sides. She cried out for her to stop and she did as soon as the little girl was out of breath. This action had not only shocked them but also confused them to hell and back. Only because 1. Mariemaia was a calm girl most of the time 2. It was exactly how Une had told them she was not what she looked like but every thing she was not suppose to be.

"Une..." Usagi spoke up. "I would like to take Marie-chan with me when I return to Japan. I would like for her to see some of the festivals that will be happening soon. And Marie-chan won't mind, do you Marie-chan?"

The looked down and Mariemaia nodded in agreement and said. "I want to go. Please Une, please." She let lose the puppy-dog eyes on them all.

"Normally I would agree Mariemaia but right now I cant not with trying to find Relena." Une told the little girl.

They both pouted at Une.

"Well if you say Une, but should you change your mind I will give Marie-chan my address for you and all of you can visit me if you pass through. Hopefully in the next week or so." She told them and turned around to her vanity to write her address down.

"Why then? Miss Usagi." Quatre asked wondering what was happening around that time.

"Quite simple Quatre, next week is the Sakura festivals that are held yearly in Japan." Heero raised an eyebrow at this.

"I'm sorry what is that about?" Quatre had no clue as to what she was talking about.

Usagi looked surprised at them. "Surprising. Well I guess the doctors crammed so much stagy and logic that they for got to put in some common knowledge in there. The festivals are to celebrate the falling of the Sakura blossoms and the coming of summer. There is also a legend on how they got their color."

"How?" Mariemaia was bright but still wanted to know.

"Good question. Long ago the emperor didn't like the color of the blossoms. You see they were originally white as white as the snow. So the emperor ordered that the body of a fallen warrior be placed at the base of the trees. The warriors blood was then absorbed by the trees dying the pedals their pale pink color that we see now." She held them all in suspense at her tale.

They had never known this, that was some thing that in all their years they had never been taught weather by the doctors or in Relena's school. But to one in the room it reveled a new light on the case. It could also be said that she had told them where their pray was.

"You just made a fatal mistake." Heero spoke up.

"Oh..." She looked at him with quite curiosity, "have I. I remember making no mistake, after all it is just a game. For me."

"Uh... Heero what mistake did she make? Fill us in will you." Duo looked totally confused and looked to see most of the others in the same state.

"The clue 'white of the night but blood dyes it during the day' pertains to the story that our host just told us about the blossoms. Which means Relena is in Japan." she couldn't help but smirk at his deduction.

"It seems that you have figured out the game Mr. Yuy. She holds the cards, I hold the clues and you five are always a step behind in the game." Her smile seem to taunt them all. "Now I must bid you all a good night I have a long flight tonight and an early morning planed for me, in Tokyo." With that she placed the half asleep Mariemaia on her feet.

Thinking that they would get nothing more out of the night they headed back to the palace in the two limo's before it got any latter then it already was. Most stayed up for the rest of the night while a select few slept the night through. And it would not help them that they had a meeting the next morning with Milliardo.

The morning came too fast for the likes of the G-boys and a few the Sank Kingdom palace that had to head to Preventors local head quarters.

"Please tell me yawn someone got a good night yawn sleep last night." Duo begged but noticed the drooping eyelids. "I guess not."

"You can all sleep on the plane if Heero's suspicion is correct." Une told them and they all looked to Heero for some answers.

"Japan." Was all he said.

Mariemaia let out a cry of happiness and started to chant as she marched around the room. "We get to go to a festival. We get to see Usagi."

"Then it is settled we will travel to Japan and stay until we find Relena or the next clue to where she is headed." Une concluded and dismissed them to get ready for the trip to Japan.

It didn't take them long to get ready packing and board the privet jet to Japan. Now it should be said that plane rides are long not to mention very boring when you are the only one awake. That is how it was for Mariemaia. She had slept during the ride home and all night unlike the other occupants of the plane.

Half or what Mariemaia thought was half way through the plane ride Duo had woken up now she wasn't the only one awake. Duo started it off by entertaining Mariemaia by bugging Wufei until a chase would start. The chase would soon stop when Duo would run behind ether Une or Quatre. This happened a lot during the rest of six hour flight sometimes Heero would join in the chase and Duo would have to hide and lock himself in the bathroom.

Quatre had arranged for a few limos' to take them from the airport to Usagi's house. Duo and Mariemaia had fallen asleep a few minutes into the thirty minute ride. But the two did wake before the end of the ride to the disappointment of the others. At the end of the ride they were greeted by a long flight of stairs.

"Mariemaia are you sure this is the right address." Duo asked looking over the little girls shoulder to the piece of paper she held.

She looked from the paper to the stairs and nodded. "Yes, it says she lives at the top in the directions she gave me." With that they started up the steps.

The hike was one that put them all with less breath then they had starting at the bottom of the steps. But what they saw at the top made it worth their wild to climb the evil stairs. The sight they beheld was one that even Heero who had gotten the address off of Mariemaia and looked the area up was surprised.

It was a large spraling temple of the early age. Trees lined the walkway as they walked towards the main building. They passed smaller shrines and shrine trees. Every thing was in done in the traditional way during the young age of Japan many thousand of years before.

Duo couldn't help but whistle at the sight it made. "Who would have guessed that she had something like this up her sleeve. It might even top some of your houses Q-man." Mummers of agreement came from a few people before Duo added. "I wonder where she is?"

Mariemaia ran off leaving her bags on the ground and reached the main doors to open them slightly then yell back at them. "There's a big fire in here." At hearing about the fire they all also dropped their stuff and ran up to were Mariemaia was peaking in.

Opening the door more so the others could see they did find a large fire that was purposely placed in the middle of the room and a figure in front of them.

"Usagi?" Mariemaia cried out and made a movement towards her but stopped when the flamed roared up, lighting the room in its fiery glow before quieting down once more.

Usagi had turned to them and the eyes that they were confronted with were dull and hazed. And her skin was a deathly pale shade that made her look really unhealthy. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out tell a minute later.

"Truth are lies and lies are the only truth in a game of lies." Her voice seemed dead and sent chills down all of there backs as she spoke this before she collapsed to the floor looking like a rag doll with no movement from her and her hair all around her.

"Usagi!" Mariemaia yelled and ran to her side before anyone could stop her. "Someone help her, please!" She was still holding her hand as a few stray tears fell down her face.

That's the end of this chapter so what do you think. R&R

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Deaths-child