Chapter 25 – Unexpected

A/N: ENJOY!

Hunger was catching up to them as the group sat pondering about their next move. Dearka, unable to take it anymore, whined, "I'm hungry." A loud rumble from his stomach confirmed his claim. Athrun quirked an eyebrow while the two girls giggled softly. Yzak gave an exasperated sigh and glared at his blond friend, "We're on a mission. Thus, no food. Suck it up Dearka."

Shiho stood suddenly and rummaged through a crate, returning with some packed lunchboxes and juice boxes. She set them in front of a slightly gaping Yzak, a smiling Athrun, an impassive but understanding Miriallia and a drooling Dearka. No words were needed before the five inhaled their food; quietly and efficiently. Recharged and armed, the group sat down to make silent plans to find Cagalli. Shiho managed to sketch a very precise and neat map from her memory, informing the group where the kunoichis are placed and how to avoid them through her extensive knowledge on the hidden passages.

Miriallia heard the blonde beside her let out a whistle, "Now all we need to do is figure out where Marionette and Cagalli is." Yzak let out an exasperated sigh. That's all I ever do when near him. Yzak concluded, "Well I didn't know that at all." A glare was directed to him a few seconds after his sarcastic reply. Athrun patted Dearka and gave him a pointed look. Yzak rolled his eyes and nodded at his silent request.

"I remembered Marionette laughing at something yesterday while I was cleaning one of the hidden passages." Shiho recalled, a finger resting on her chin.

Flashback

Shiho fought down the urge to sneeze as she dusted the stairs. A distinct cold laugh that never fails to send chills down her spine sounded from the other side of the wall.

"The art of psychology. Beautiful yet deadly. First I lead you to my trophy room then to my carefully laid trap. Darling Cagalli, I would love to see the look on your face when I present to you my trophies. You're too emotionally bound to your mentors -snort-. It would be great fun to toy with your feelings. And yes I would love to see you die in front of my eyes. I would love to see the defeat of the greatest kunoichi ever produced by the Purple Blossoms. I would love to see the look in your eyes as you fall breathing in your last; the look that shows that you know what is defeat. Oh yes, I shall have my fun with you darling Cagalli. And NO ONE will stop it." A venomous hiss which ended with her laugh resounded in the room and into the passage.

A slight rustling of clothes sounded as the wall in front of her gave a small shake. Shiho gasped inwardly and immediately hid in the safety offered by the shadows of the passage way andthe concrete wall behind her as an extra ptotection. The click of footsteps sounded loudly in her ears before fading away. Shiho let out a small sigh of relief in her head. She turned and proceeded to tidy her Mistress's room. Only to be horrified by what she saw next.

End of Flashback

Miriallia stared at the ground letting her hate for her once called friend burn into it. Although she did not like her previous Master, he did not deserve to end up getting killed like how Shiho described briefly. The groupsat in silence.

"So sheis going to do to something bad to Cagalli.We have to stop her." Dearka said finally. His sentence had a collective number of exasperated sighs. Yzak gave him a pointed look, "I thought we've been through that? Now we're thinking ofhow to get to Cagalli you moron."

"I think it might be…" Shiho stopped. Her ears caught something then nothing. She shook her head and continued, "…wise for us to move to another place. The place where the trohpies are." This earned nods from everyone. Shiho gestured to herself and flattened her palm on the cool surface of the wall. Her hand slid over the surface and found the small invisible bump. She pressed onto it hard. The wall gave way as a small narrow passageway was revealed to them. Dearka let out a low whistle before climbing in after Yzak. The five of them came to a dead stop when a flurry of footsteps trailing from behind them infiltrated their ears. One single thought ran through all their heads at that time:

Shit.

Athrun glanced all around him. The passage was small and narrow thus they had no place to run or hide. Their only option now was to keep on moving forwards and pray for the best. This deduction seemed to be what the whole group was thinking about as their paces became faster. Athrun glanced worriedly at his back, seeing that no one was behind him; he turned back only to bump slightly into Miriallia. Muttering an apology, he returned his gaze to the front. A blond head. Athrun craned his neck and managed to see past the blond and silver hair. Apparently, they reached a junction. The clang of metal and shuffle of footsteps got louder and louder as they stood there, pondering which route to take. Apparently, Shiho had a mental block at this point. Athrun cursed as a voice hissed behind him, "Found y'all."

A woman with cropped bleached hair was staring smugly at them through her cold pastel blue eyes. She was tall and muscular but the objects of his attention were the gleaming metal nails on her fingers.

"Like em? I'll introduce ya to my friends." Her voice came out, mocking. To emphasize her words, she held up her hands and wriggled her fingers. The brunette behind him tugged at his shirt. Shiho recognized which route to take. Athrun thought to himself. In an instant, a smoke bomb was thrown at the woman and he was being dragged away. Miriallia has more strength than she looks. Athrun thought quietly again. A faint screech of anger and footsteps were all he heard as he walked. The group stopped when voices were heard. Only in front of them, through the wall. At least there is enough space for a horizontal line-up. Athrun thought gratefully.

"He tried and failed. What makes you think you can win Cagalli?" A voice, obviously belonging to Marionette rang out. We're at her room? Athrun thought.

"Because I'm not a bitch?" A biting remark which was no doubt spat by Cagalli. A small chuckle came from the brunette in front of him. He surveyed the people with him. Shiho had an impressed look, Yzak a smirk, Dearka having what seems like a snigger-attack and Miriallia an appreciative look. A loud slap sounded and Athrun winced inwardly.

"You'll regret that you ever said that to me Yula." Marionette hissed. Yzak snorted softly.

"And so it begins my lovely lovely Cagalli." Marionette voice sounded again before a hiss then a spine-chilling laugh. A literal spine-chilling. A shiver was shared within the group.

Cagalli bristled. Her muscles were tense and every fiber in her being screamed at her to consider her next actions. She lunged immediately at Marionette. The woman smiled deviously and side-stepped her attack. Cagalli smirked. She twisted her body almost immediately after her jump and wrenched her hands up to blast the woman to smithereens. She fired about three times at Marionette's abdominal area. The impact of three bullets threw Marionette onto the floor. Cagalli smirked. Never saw that coming huh? Cagalli thought. A logical part of her mind told her to be wary of the motionless woman. She was about to lift her gun at Marionette's head when a perfect aerial kick sent her flying back and crashing into a table. Cagalli reeled. She was that fast? I didn't even see her! Cagalli blinked her eyes rapidly to clear her vision. A pointed heel was brought down at her stomach forcefully. The attack had fresh blood rushing to her mouth. Although blurry, Cagalli could see the gun being pointed at her. Rolling the instant Marionette fired the gun; she was rewarded with only a small graze at her right shoulder.

Cagalli immediately brought her guns up and fired at the woman, haphazardly. When her vision returned to normal, she noticed the table with smoking holes. Cagalli cursed. If Marionette was that fast, there was no way she could defeat her. Cagalli backed away quickly, stopping only when her back hit the wall. She would leave the fighting to Marionette herself. A blur was all she saw when a fist came crashing at her. It missed when Cagalli moved away immediately. She was however, kneed in the gut. Cagalli doubled over and had an elbow implanted in her back. A new round of blood came to her mouth as she hit the floor. Hard. She anticipated and countered my plans… Miyu has definitely gotten better over the years… Cagalli thought bitterly.

"I thought you are the best? Why? Why are you so weak and pathetic? Look at you bloody and hurt. Do you want me to stop? To pause our fight for you to get regenerated." Marionette said mockingly. Her hands moving over to the three holes in her abdomen. She removed the bullets and smirked at a glaring Cagalli, "I knew you would use guns… because I would too if I were you…" Cagalli tried to focus her gaze only on Marionette and not on the five moving figures behind her. Cagalli swallowed the metallic taste of the blood in her mouth, "I never remembered being a bitch like you…" Marionette glared darkly at her. She raised her right fist and prepared to plunge it down at her. The black-haired woman changed her direction by making a sharp swerve at the back; effectively hitting the head of Dearka, sending him to crash to a bookshelf.

A grin lit up on her face, "I never knew I had so many guests. How can a hostess forget them? Hmm?" her question's obvious meaning practically danced naked in front of them. So much for the ambush… Athrun thought. He glanced at the groaning heap that was Dearka for a second before surveying the still grinning Marionette. She licked her lips, "It's going to be so much fun." Miriallia felt something snap in her, "You sick bitch!" she screeched as she pointed her gun at Marionette. In an instant, a hand flicked her gun away and did a perfect side kick at her. Miriallia felt her head wound pound harder as she groaned softly, sprawled in what seems to be a broken chair.

So fast! The same thought ran over the newcomers as they watched. Magically, they all had the same following thoughts. This means we have to divide her attention by attacking together. A second passed and then, all of them leaped to life. Shiho diving at Marionette with her knives and Yzak with his fists. Athrun and Miriallia served as the back ups for them both while Cagalli took care of the unguarded areas.

Yzak managed to land his fist at the head and Shiho managed to knife her shoulders. The minute they leaped away, the three back ups fired at will. As if by magic, their guns ran out of bullets at the same time. The dust they sent flying cleared a bit to reveal Marionette…

Still standing?

NO WAY! Shouldn't she be reduced to mince meat? Cagalli thought, shocked and paralyzed with slight terror. What is she?

A/N: R&R… Expect another fast update…