"Where are you taking me"
Duo smiled at Minako's curiosity. She was so full of energy it was almost difficult to keep up. Since she had woken the day before Duo had stayed by her side on Lady Une orders. They had taken blood tests from her for study purposes and after a physical examination discovered she was quite well despite being encased in crystal she was allowed to go with Duo to Quatre's Mansion. The others had been fine as well, except for the dark haired one, the girl Heero wouldn't let any of them near, she still couldn't speak. Duo and Minako were in the car on the way to Quatre's Mansion and Minako had her face pressed up against the glass staring open mouthed at the scenery. Duo frowned thoughtfully wondering briefly if this amnesia was just an act, but Minako seemed so sweet and innocent Duo felt she couldn't possibly be playing them for fools. She was gorgeous, she was amazing, she was perfect, she was a goddess…Duo was so busy watching her he didn't realise she had repeated her first question.
"To meet the others," Duo answered her question quickly trying to cover that he had been openly admiring her and Minako turned to look at him with those wide blue eyes, tilting her head to one side in a way Duo found adorable.
"Others?" she raised her eyebrows, digging for information and Duo nodded.
"There were three other girls when we found you," he confirmed and he thought he saw a flash of worry pass over Minako's face but it was gone in a second and was replaced by shock.
"Three? Only three?" Minako asked more to herself than to Duo and Duo was intrigued.
"Should there have been more?" he prompted her onwards and Minako looked startled as though realising she had given information away.
"No…I don't know," Minako said turning away from him and Duo would have liked to ask her more but the car had stopped and the chauffer had opened the door.
Minako jumped out of the car, eager to get away from Duo's questioning gaze. She liked the guy, fair enough he was gorgeous, but right now she wasn't sure she could trust him, even though she wanted to.
"Please follow me," a servant beckoned leading the way with Minako close on his heels and Duo following scratching his head. They were led to the library and as the door opened Minako's gaze came to rest on the ebony haired girl, curled up in an armchair by the window. A boy stood behind the chair gazing out of the window, their mood was sombre.
"Rei!" Minako cried out happily running towards her friend. Minako's pace slowed to Rei's reaction; or lack there of.
Rei turned to Minako, and there was a light in her eyes that quickly faded and Rei didn't even move from her spot. It was then Minako looked up and saw the boy behind her chair had pulled out a gun and was pointing it at Minako. Minako nervously looked at Rei, waiting for Rei to jump to her defence just as Rei had always done but Rei merely glanced at Minako warily before returning her gaze to the window again.
"Rei, its me Mina-chan," Minako risked a step closer to Rei but she stopped dead when she heard the safety of the gun click off.
"Woah, woah Heero, easy with the artillery," Duo intervened on Minako's behalf but Heero kept his gun trained on her, not moving.
It was only when Rei reached up and pushed on the top of his gun did Heero put it away and he turned to stare out of the window again.
"Rei…" Minako dared to edge closer and Rei stared her openly in the face but Minako couldn't read what Rei was thinking at all, and that was strange because Minako vaguely remembered that she and Rei had been best friends. Before anyone could speak the door to the room burst open and Makoto stalked in a furious look on her beautiful face.
"Mako what's the matter?" Minako asked never having seen Mako so angry. Mako opened her mouth to reply when a young man ran into the room, holding his eye cursing her loudly shaking his free fist at her.
"Injustice onna! This is injustice! How dare you insult my honour!" he yelled and Duo hid a chuckle behind his hand wanting to hear more.
"Injustice is having to listen to you!" Mako retorted rudely and the young man's mouth dropped open at her audacity.
"Onna, take that back!" Wufei demanded huffily and Mako turned to him raising a fist threateningly.
"Do you want a broken nose to match your black eye?" Mako hissed warningly and the boy took it as a challenge, pulling his hand away from his eye and Duo took one look at Wufei's bruised eye and split lip and burst into howls of laughter, interrupting the spat turning their attentions on him.
"Shut up you braided baka!" Wufei snapped at Duo who was rolling about on the floor with laughter clutching his stomach as tears of laughter rolled down his face while Minako giggled behind her hand, her shoulders heaving from the effort of trying to hold her laughing in. Mako's focus was entirely on Wufei and his eyes never left her face, a staring contest where neither was going to look away first. It was a matter of honour.
"You wouldn't get close enough Onna," Wufei growled and Mako punched her fist into her palm, wanting to take up the challenge.
"That's what you think," Mako replied grinning wickedly and Wufei stared back at her fuming.
"What is going on here"
Everyone in the room looked over at the doorway to find Quatre with Ami daintily on his arm looking at the scene unfolding with a confused half smile on his face, and the look on Ami's face was no different.
"She hit me!"
"He insulted me!"
Mako and Wufei jumped to their own defence immediately then glared at the other for having audacity to speak when they were.
"Liar!" they yelled at each other at the exact same moment and everyone bar Heero and Rei burst into laughter.
Seeing that all the senshi were finally there Rei stood up and gestured for them to come together in a huddle in the middle of the room. The girls did as Rei gestured, clasping hands so that through their touch they could talk telepathically without anyone else in the room hearing. It was a gift the Silver Crystal bestowed on them the day Crystal Tokyo was created, the power of speech through their minds, but they found it most powerful when they were touching each other. The Gundam boys watched the girls curiously wondering what they were doing but the girls didn't notice, their focus was on eachother.
-Rei why aren't you talking? Are you all right?- Minako asked this worriedly and Rei could feel the worry from her and the other girls and she nodded her head quickly.
-I am okay, but not a single syllable must leave my lips, I need you all to listen to me, don't tell these people anything, nothing about Crystal Tokyo, Serenity, Endymion or Small Lady, don't say a word, don't tell them we were even senshi, pretend we were handmaidens to the king and queen, I cannot speak out loud, probably for a very long time, do not ask me why, just trust in me that I am doing the right thing, all will be revealed later,- Rei begged her comrades and Minako shrugged considering the request was fair enough as they knew nothing about these men. Minako knew Rei must have her reasons for doing what she was doing, and Minako trusted Rei explicitly. Mako nodded her head but Ami seemed a little reluctant but nodded her agreement to Rei's request as well.
-That's easy, I don't remember much, its like I know something happened but I can't remember what- Minako admitted shaking her head and Ami was nodding with her.
-It's the same with me- she confirmed and then her and Minako looked to Mako who shook her head regretfully.
-And me, I can't remember a thing, the last thing I remember was Crystal Tokyo being created then flashes of scenes I can't put together…and then nothing, its like our minds were erased of our memories from then on- Mako said shrugging her shoulders not knowing what to make of it and Minako turned to Rei noticing she hadn't spoken to say she didn't remember either.
-Rei do you remember?- Minako asked and Rei bowed her head so that they couldn't see her eyes.
-Do not ask me, I beg you, I cannot say anything- Rei pleaded her inner voice shaking and Minako squeezed Rei's hand.
-Then show us- Minako pleaded knowing Rei had the ability to show people the movie in her mind but Rei shook her head.
-Please do not ask that of me ever again, if I do some strange things in the days to come, please do not ask why, just support me, I do it for us, and I do it for Serenity- as Rei bethought her Queen's name a reverence fell over the senshi and all noticed the single tear that fell from Rei's eyes and all felt stunned when Rei blocked her mind against their thoughts.
-Rei, Rei don't shut us out!- Minako begged, too late though for Rei had already broken the circle of hands and returned to her chair looking out of the window once more.
-Minako, she has blocked us- Ami said to the blonde but Minako shook her head adamantly not believing that Rei would do such a thing.
-She can't do that, I am the leader and I command her to unblock her thoughts- Minako tried to project the thought to Rei but she couldn't get through the force field that Rei had put around her.
-Rei was always more skilful at this, she must have her reasons, we will just have to wait and see-Ami tried to pacify Minako who wasn't at all impressed.
-Ami's right, Rei has always done the right thing, we have to support her just as she asked we are a team right?- Mako said and when Minako didn't answer straight away Mako prompted the blonde, -Aren't we-
Minako didn't answer, she merely bowed her head in concession.
"Woah guys did you see that? It was weird, like they were talking with their minds or something because they weren't saying anything at all," Duo mused watching them as three of them were left still holding hands and Duo leaned over to nudge Wufei as he whispered, "should I be getting turned on"
Wufei replied to Duo's question with a smack upside Duo's head. The commotion of Duo's cry of pain and Wufei's snorted laughter interrupted the three remaining girls conversation and they broke the circle and moved closer to where Rei sat on the armchair. Minako knelt beside Rei's chair, Ami stood behind Minako and Mako stood opposite Heero behind Rei's chair. Minako reached up and placed a hand on Rei's leg and Rei looked down at her and gave a weak smile, but one so sad it near broke Minako's heart. It was then Minako knew that Rei remembered exactly what had happened that day, and Minako could feel from her hand on Rei's leg that the memory was killing Rei. There was something that was keeping Rei from telling them.
The library's quiet and solemn atmosphere was broken when Relena waltzed into the room with Trowa, serious as ever following closely behind. Relena beamed at the four girls who looked back at her without emotion on their faces. They were young girls, but they were also soldiers.
"Here you all are, welcome, I hope Quatre and the other pilots have been accommodating to you all," Relena said pleasantly looking at Quatre who nodded his head smiling. Duo rolled his eyes behind Relena's form miming gagging and Wufei smirked, despite himself.
"Who are you?" Minako asked loudly and Ami kicked Minako in the back discreetly but Minako's wince said it all and Duo chuckled, having seen Ami's foot move behind Minako.
"I am Relena Darlian Peacecraft, Princess of the Earth, or I was, I am now Vice Minister Darlian," Relena introduced herself, flicking her long braid over her shoulder and standing proudly.
At Relena's words Rei stood up quickly but then swayed unsteadily on her feet and worriedly Heero reached out to steady her with a hand on the small of her back. Minako, Ami and Makoto all felt a strange feeling run through them but none could remember why. There was something about this Princess, something about her name, but only Rei knew for real what it was and Rei wasn't sharing.