"Waiting." "What are you waiting for again, Enkai?" "For Professor Tomoe, of course. Don’t be stupid, Ririko. And it is Nami." "Don’t call me stupid! You’re the stupid one!" Ririko retorted, glaring at the aqua-haired beauty in front of her. "Ahh yes," Nami said, stretching on the windowsill like a cat, "I’m the stupid one. Don’t you have some futile search to go on?" She turned to stare at the diminutive girl in front of her, smirking as her face turned as red as her hair. "SHUT UP! Hikari is alive! Just because you’ve lost hope, and you sit around pining for that, that human day after day, waiting for him to come home like the pitiful little puppy you are—" Nami cut her off, her blue-green eyes narrowing into slits. "I have not lost hope. I KNOW she is dead! Pieces of her body now litter the depths of the Mother Sea! You are the one that still clings onto some long-lost hope!" "Are you two arguing again?" Both Ririko and Nami turned to face Professor Tomoe. He looked a little tired, and Ririko bit her lip, shuffling her feet. "No sir. You look tired. Are you alright? It is growing colder outside. Perhaps you should wear heavier clothing, so you won’t catch cold." Nami pulled Ririko’s long ponytail, and the red head yelped, glaring at her. "You...you...stupid..." Nami whistled innocently, twirling a loose strand of hair around her index finger. The professor blanched, looking at both of them. "Now, now girls, settle down. How was training today, Ririko?" Ririko absentmindedly moved her hand to a small cut on her cheek. "Not so good, sir. Kage is still unparalleled in skill." Tomoe smiled a little. "Yes, well, she is rather fascinating, hmm?" Nami sighed weakly, staring out of the window again. "Sir, where is Hikari?" Tomoe’s eyes grew troubled. "I...really don’t know. I have no idea why she would want to leave..." Ririko coughed, and bit her lip again, something Tomoe noted as a nervous gesture. He smiled inwardly. "Something on your mind, Ririko?" Ririko straightened up, turning to the window as well. "Is she dead?" Tomoe looked down, clearing his throat. "Of course not. She’s...somewhere. If you two will excuse me, I have to go see Hotaru." With that, he left the room. Ririko’s apprehensive expression morphed into a slightly manic grin as soon as he left. "HA! I TOLD you she was alive, Nami!" She raised her fist in the air in a triumphant sort of way, and Nami rolled her eyes, seeming amused. "How children are so easily pleased. And I knew that already," she finished haughtily, stepping off of the windowsill. "NO YOU DIDN’T, YOU LIAR! AND I AM NOT A CHILD!" Nami exited the room, chuckling under her breath. "Sure you aren’t, Riko-chan." "Don’t call me that!" ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ "Your big day is today!" Big day? Oh...that. How can she be so cheerful? The sun has barely risen. "Uughh...morning?" "Not quite! But still, modeling hours are a little rough. Up you go!" Minako tried to tug the cover off of Mitsuki, but the girl held fast. "Oh, come on! Don’t be a brat!" Brat? Hmm...what does that mean again? An unpleasant child, spoiled, not-well behaved. Was I just...insulted? "I am not a brat..." Minako laughed a little, watching as Mitsuki poked her head out from under the covers, looking hurt. "Aww, did I hurt your feelings? You really need to get up though." Mitsuki stretched and yawned. "I...don’t want to." Minako grinned. "Now you’re REALLY being a brat." "I am not." Minako sighed in exasperation. "Alright, alright. Just get up." Mitsuki reluctantly got up, and yawned again. She’s like a little girl, Minako mused, grasping Mitsuki’s hand and helping her up. "Come on, bath time! And we have to truck it, ‘cause we’re gonna be late!" "Don’t we get to eat?" "I’ll buy you a bagel on the way. Now come on!" ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ Beautiful. Only one word could be used to describe the simple, underappreciated grace of battle. One had to be skilled and precise in fighting. The clumsy and inexperienced died in the horrific beauty of battle, of war. Truly, only the strong survived. Kage, Kazuki, these names were insignificant when she was fighting. This is why she was created, why she was trained. This was her purpose. Even without an opponent, she seemed deathly calm and elegant while she practiced with her sword, the blade singing in the crisp, cool air of autumn. This is where Tomoe found his daughter. It disturbed him at a certain level to see her fascination with his creation. Of course, Kazuki was designed to be as a human, but still... "Hotaru dear?" The girl turned to her father, her cheeks slightly pink from the cold. It was then that he noticed Kazuki’s coat wrapped around her small frame. He tried not to frown. "Hi Papa!" Tomoe smiled and ruffled Hotaru’s hair, watching Kazuki as well. "Hello to you. How have you been?" "I’ve been fine, Papa." Tomoe shrugged his shoulders. "I think you need a mother." Hotaru laughed, shaking her head. "I’m sixteen Papa, and I’m just fine." Tomoe spared a glance back over to Kazuki, and she returned his gaze, her cool jade eyes assessing him without even a trace of emotion. He felt a chill run up his spine, and it was not from the cold. "Hello Professor," she said, walking towards them and sheathing her blade, "I did not know you had arrived." Tomoe knew that she had, of course, and he frowned a little. He was not aware that she was such a smooth liar. Kazuki seemed to sense his wariness, and she smoothed it over by leaning over and tenderly brushing stray strands of hair from Hotaru’s face. Tomoe noted the blush that ensued. "Perhaps you should go back inside," Kazuki said to Hotaru, helping her up. The girl’s blush deepened, and Tomoe realized that Kazuki saw his daughter as more of an obligation than a friend. This made him sad, for some reason. Perhaps that is what they see us as, he mused, looking toward the house and seeing Nami peeking out of a window. But perhaps not. ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ "AHHH! I don’t know WHY Mom wanted me to bring you with me, you stupid kid!" "Don’t call me stupid, odango atama!" "I’ll make you pay for that!" Minako heard a thump, followed by a shrill scream, and she groaned, knocking on the door. "Usagi...Chibi-Usa...come on, open up. We’re running late, and I really have to get Mitsuki to work!" She saw Mitsuki tense, and gripped her hand reassuringly. "You won’t be late, sweetie. If I can just get this dumb blonde out of here..." "I heard that, Minako!" "Ha ha! Yeah, Minako, she is a dumb blonde!" Usagi opened the door, carrying Chibi-Usa in what looked like a chokehold. "Minako...you traitor!" She then noticed Mitsuki. "Hi! I’m Usagi!" Mitsuki blinked and extended her free hand to Usagi. "A pleasure to meet you, Usagi," her gaze traveled over to the struggling Chibi-Usa. "Umm..." Usagi chuckled under her breath. "Guess Minako didn’t tell you. This is my little sister, Chibi-Usa." She released the smaller girl, and Minako laughed when Chibi-Usa stuck her tongue out at her older sister. "I told you that I would cut off your tongue the next time you did that!" Chibi-Usa laughed and darted behind Minako. "Nyah, odango atama!" Minako rolled her eyes. "Come on you two. We need to get going." Chibi-Usa took off to Minako’s car, and Mitsuki followed after her, albeit at a slower pace. Usagi quirked an eyebrow and smiled. "Guess we’re going in your car, huh Minako?" Minako shrugged. "Guess so. But your car is nicer, you know." "Ahh, well, can’t argue with you there." "Geez, when did you become so mean?" "Getting you back for the "dumb blonde" comment earlier." "I guess I deserve that, huh? Come on, they’re waiting for us." ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ "So, um, let me get this straight. You’re a robot?" "Not necessarily. I’m grafted with cybernetic pieces. After the accident, my arm wouldn’t work for me, you know? Not to mention some other things. Dr. Tomoe really saved me, you know what I mean?" "I understand that, Tenoh-san, but we have reason to believe that the good Doctor is creating weapons of destruction." "Well, that’s your problem, isn’t it, Kino-san? I mean, since we aren’t on a first name basis anymore." A sigh. "I’m sorry Haruka. I’m just doing my job. You know how much I hate to interrogate you, but this is the government we’re talking about." "You think they’re keeping you in the dark about something?" "Maybe. You know, I always thought I’d end up being a chef..." "Ha...yeah, me too. Do you still talk to Ami?" "She won’t talk to me...she works for him, you know." "Ahh..." "..." "Well, I think Tomoe is a good person. I’d hate to find out he was the mad scientist you’re making him out to be." "Me too Haruka, me too..." ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ Well, that was painless. Makoto has a major part! *listens to screams of happiness* And before you get the wrong idea, she isn’t a bad...person(have to be P.C you know?) Rei will show up in the next chapter, and perhaps a few others. People like Rei, right? I mean, I do...well, anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I REALLY hope my original characters added to the story without taking it over. Tell me what you think, because I just LOVE feedback!
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