(A/N: Hey all! Shinigami Goumon here! A little sad! Only one review last chapter. But oh well! ONWARD AND UPWARD PEEPS!)
Akane set down in an open field and quickly unstrapped herself, abandoning the parachute, whistling tunelessly as she went.
"Now…what to do first?" she thought to herself as she strode in no particular direction.
The skies were blue.
The flowers were in bloom.
She had her cigarettes.
The freaks were long behind her.
Life was fantastic.
Then she heard it.
Music.
Soft music with a fast, pulsating tempo that was rapidly growing louder.
"Ooo….good beat!" she grinned, dashing off in the direction of the rhythm.
"Yes…yes that's right sir." Domino said in fast, officious English over a com device.
"…"
"No sir." Domino sighed, "She pulled a 007 on me. I was completely in the dark."
"…"
"Yes sir." Domino said with a nod, "Thank you sir."
"I take it by the expression on your face you aren't in trouble?" Trowa remarked.
"No." the black man sighed deeply, obviously very relieved, "He merely told me to locate Miss Kakyoin as soon as I am able."
"Lucky duck!" Sora smiled, "Want help?"
"We know Aka-chan best after all." Hinode grinned.
"That would be wonderful." Domino said gratefully.
"You'll help too, right?" Sora asked the G-Boys.
"Count me in!" Duo grimaced, "Gotta get her back for that rock to the konk."
"I'll help too." Quatre smiled.
Hinode squealed in delight and glommed onto him.
"You're SUCHA gentleman!" she cried.
Quatre flamed red.
Trowa gave a slight inclination of the head, implying that he was in.
Heero nodded silently.
"I, too, will assist you." Wufei murmured, "If only to deliver swift justice upon that vile woman!" (Someone's a little pissy! Does he have cramps?)
"Now then, first things first!" Sora sang happily, "We ask the locals!"
"If they've seen her?" Duo asked, confused.
"Oh hell no!" Hinode laughed, "About music festivals and outdoor concerts!"
"As you've already seen, Akane loves to dance." Hinode smiled, "So that's the best place to start!"
"After that, check gun and knife shops." Duo snickered.
"NOW you're thinking!" Sora cried, clapping her hands together happily.
Duo's eyes widened slightly.
Wufei nudged him with his elbow.
"I thought you were kidding." He whispered.
"So did I." the braided boy chuckled, "Apparently not."
"Wow…The Auckland Dance Festival, huh?" Hinode grinned, "If ever there was a chance of find Aka, this is it!"
"Hey, isn't that that Jamaican artist Akane's so fond of?" Sora asked, "Oh, what was his name…Sean Paul?"
"I think you're right." Hinode said merrily, a smile spreading across her face.
The bodies all around them twisted, turned and writhed to the rhythm of "We Be Burnin'".
It was as if the song itself had transformed the entire assembly of people into decent dancers.
"Alright." Domino said sternly, not the least bit distracted, "We'll split up. Maxwell and Yuy? You go that way."
He pointed towards the stage were Sean Paul was taking his bows and changing up with Shakira.
"No prob." Duo grinned.
"Yes sir." Heero nodded.
The two took off.
"Aoki and Winner? You go that way." Doino said dictatorially, pointing to the right of the stage.
"Got it!" Sora cheered.
"On our way." Quatre smiled as the two disappeared amidst the masses of bodies.
"Sakai and Barton?" the 7' 2" bodyguard stated officiously, "You go that way."
"You got it!" Hinode cried.
Trowa smiled ever so slightly and nodded as they executed a vanishing act worthy of a circus performer.
"Chang? That leaves you with me." Domino said, adjusting his mirrored lenses again.
"Mm." Wufei nodded.
-Fifteen Minutes Later…-
"Any luck?" Domino asked, clearly exhausted.
"None." Was the group wide response.
"I can't believe it." Sora cried, "We scoured the entire grounds but no sign of her!"
"Umm…guys?" Duo said carefully.
"This is madness." Wufei growled, "How difficult could it be to locate one girl?"
"Guys?" Duo asked again, a little more urgently this time.
"I just don't understand it." Hinode mumbled, "She should BE here!"
"Guys?" Duo said again, growing a little impatient now.
"I'm gonna be fired." Domino moaned, burying his head in his hands.
"GUYS!" Duo shouted, finally gaining their attention.
"What Maxwell?" Heero growled.
"Yes, what is it?" Quatre asked.
Duo pointed.
"She's over there." He said huffily, pointing onstage.
They turned to follow his finger.
"He's right." Wufei said, a note of mild surprise in his voice.
Trowa nodded.
Akane was currently dancing, eyes closed, completely enthralled by an Indian/Arabic song called "Kiss Kiss", oblivious (or seemingly so) to the infuriated Domino who was currently making his way towards the stage, knocking down several dancers, food stands and souvenir stands as he went.
The G-Boys watched the spectacle, snickering quietly, while Sora and Hinode watched Akane dance.
"She eez quite good, yes?" a female voice beside them said, stating it as a fact, rather than a n actual question.
"Huh?" Duo blinked, pinkening because he had been watching Domino's rampage and had no idea what this woman was talking about, "Y-yeah."
"Sure." Wufei nodded, trying to play off the fact that he too, was watching Domino make a fool of himself.
"Whatever." Heero muttered, not even pretending.
"So forgeeve mah rudenass." The woman curtsied, Sora and Hinode followed suit by bowing, "Ah am Chloe Kakyoin. A pleazure to meet chu."
Everyone's eyes went wide.
"D-did you just say…Kakyoin?" Hinode asked.
"Oui!" the woman known as Chloe smiled, "Ah am 'eere weeth mah 'uhsband, Aogi Kakyoin. We ah' leaving foh Paris een zeh mohneeng."
"AOGI?" Sora thought wildly, "That's Akane's DAD'S NAME!"
"OHHH, I hope to GOD they don't meet!" Hinode moaned internally, "Akane swore she'd kill'em if she ever met'em. And his new wife is such a nice lady."
Domino was back, red in the face and sporting a black eye and a split lip.
"Where is she?" Duo demanded to know.
"She got away again!" Domino cried out angrily, "She screamed, '"RAPIST! RAPIST! SOMEBODY HELP ME!"' snatched my sunglasses, and escaped in all the confusion!"
"You've GOT to be KIDDING me!" Wufei cried.
"Oh dear." Quatre said worriedly.
Akane leaned back in the driver's seat of the car she had "borrowed", the "loaned" sunglasses shielding her eyes as she hummed along with the radio.
"Where to now?" she asked the sky, before breaking into the chorus of the song.
"Don't let nobody tell you, your life is over,
Be every color that you are,
Into the rush now,
You don't have to know how,
Know it all before you'll try."
They parted ways with Chloe and resumed searching for the gun toting livewire.
"Whaddya think?" Sora whispered, "Dya really think she coulda been married to Aka's-?"
"Welllll..." Hinode trailed off, "Kakyoin isn't exactlythe mostcommon surname, so..."
"Could we focus?" Wufei snapped, "We're looking for your friend idiots!"
Sora and Hinode teared up.
"You're MEEEEEEAN!" They sobbed.
"Woofer, quit being sucha tight ass, wouldja?" Duo said good naturedly.
"Please don't cry!" Quatre begged, patting their heads.
Wufei turned to Trowa and Heero.
"Why is everyone always mad at ME?" he cried.
Heero shrugged.
Trowa patted the Chinese boy's head.
(A/N: Is the Kakyoin Aogi Chloe spoke of REALLY Akane's dad? And speaking of which,where'd she get to now? R&R!)
