The Agent
It looked almost like a scene from a girl's manga as
they all walked down the street, the school girls
chattering happily, the cherry petals falling around
them, and in their midst was a single, most striking
figure.
Minako Aino almost seemed to glow as the blonde idol
walked with her classmates, chattering cheerfully
while the sun shone down on the students going to
school. The regular school uniform hugged her slim
form, a bit more mature than her fellows.
In their presence a smaller, dark haired figure walked
quietly, her manner oddly gloomy compared to the other
girls. Her long black hair shimmered like a raven's
wing, while her violet eyes looked around with a odd
sort of intensity.
"Hotaru," Minako turned to ask the girl cheerfully,
"what do you think of that new series, Secret Agent
900?"
'Aino, I wish you wouldn't keep trying to blow my
cover,' Hotaru thought to herself with some amusement.
"It wasn't bad," she said mildly, violet eyes giving
Minako a silent warning to not push on the subject.
"I would have thought you'd like it," Minako said with
a impish look, entirely unbothered by Hotaru's
annoyance.
'She's pretty brave,' Hotaru thought to herself wryly,
'though I suppose that's a big reason I'm here.'
Nearly a week ago special agent Hotaru Tomoe of
reported to her commander's office, dressed in her
standard work clothes, a simple yet stylish suit.
Colonel Haruka Tenoh and her aide Michiru Kaoru had
greeted her, then Haruka had explained what was going
on.
"This is Minako Aino," Haruka said, the boyish looking
blonde handing over a photo, "one of Japan's many idol
stars."
Looking at that blue eyed blonde in the photo Hotaru
wondered if she had been to a plastic surgeon, she
looked so beautiful in a innocent sort of way. "I've
seen her show, I think," she handed the photo back.
"It's the show that's the problem," Michiru said
wryly, the green haired commander handing another
sheet of paper over, this one detailing reports of
various threats.
As a frowning Hotaru read away Haruka nodded grimly
and said, "It seems that a certain extreme religious
organization has targeted Miss Aino as a corrupting
influence, and have sworn to see her dead."
Hotaru raised her eyebrow, "What did she do?"
"In a interview she called anyone who would use
bombings and terrorist acts cowards," Michiru said
with a slight smile, "and added that anyone killing
innocent people in the name of God was going straight
to hell."
"That would annoy certain people," Hotaru
acknowledged.
"Your assignment is fairly straight forward," Haruka
said briskly, "we want you to guard Minako undercover,
at least until we can find the terror cell that issued
the threat against her and take them out."
"She's still in school, right?" Hotaru read over the
file quickly, "Does that mean I'm going in as a
schoolgirl?"
Haruka nodded as she explained, "I have to confess,
part of why we chose you is that you can pass as a
teen." With a impish smile she pointed out teasingly,
"Why, no one would guess you're in your mid twenties."
"Don't remind me," Hotaru murmured with a frown of
annoyance, "I get asked for identification all the
time."
"We'll set you up with a cover as Minako's latest
girlfriend," Michiru said cheerfully, "it'll give you
a great excuse to stay close to her."
"Girlfriend?" Hotaru looked mildly surprised.
"You don't read the gossip mags?" Haruka looked
amused. "Miss Aino doesn't really hide her sexuality,
which is a yet another reason for them to attack her."
"This should be interesting," Hotaru conceded.
"Hotaru," Minako sounded annoyed as she took her hand,
jerking her back to the here and now, "if you keep
ignoring me, I'm going to get annoyed."
"Sorry," Hotaru smiled, unwillingly charmed by the
innocent sweetness that Minako could so easily manage
to manifest.
"It's all right," Minako smiled. She looked at the
others and asked, "Could you excuse us a moment?"
With a grin and a few laughs the other girls hurried
off, leaving Minako and Hotaru alone. "What was that
about?" Hotaru asked softly as Minako snuggled close,
the blonde drawing Hotaru almost uncomfortably near.
'Remember, it's all part of your cover,' Hotaru
thought as her heart raced.
"Sorry, news photographer," Minako carefully gestured,
"if I'm not seen being at least a bit affectionate
with you, they aren't going to buy that you're my
girlfriend..."
"Right," Hotaru looked up, a bit embarrassed that
Minako had seen the man first. 'Then again, this is a
life she's used to,' she thought, covertly gazing at
the man with the camera, taking in his stance and
manner in a single glance.
"Eeek!" Minako squealed in shock as she was pushed
behind a nearby car, the first shot ringing out even
as Hotaru dived in behind her.
'A gun hidden in the camera.' Hotaru thought as she
yanked up her school skirt, drawing the pistol she
kept strapped to her thigh. "Stay down," she ordered
Minako even as she sighted over the hood of the car
and fired.
"He's shooting at us!" Minako actually sounded
offended by the whole idea even as the bullets whizzed
on by them.
"Not very well, thankfully," Hotaru scowled as the
windshield of the car shattered, showering them with
fragments of glass.
"My hair," Minako growled, "do you know how long it
takes me to Do that?!" She looked ready to leap up and
go after the assassin herself, "Damn it!"
'Remind me not to annoy her,' Hotaru thought wryly,
taking another shot and this time successfully hitting
the camera/gun that he was using, sending him reeling
back. "Stay here," she ordered as Hotaru raced from
cover, shouting towards the man, "Hands up!"
"Never, godless harlot," he snarled, his face twisted
by anger. From a concealed sheath up his sleeve he
drew out a wicked looking knife, the edge gleaming
dangerously as he said, "The whore must die!"
"That's no way to talk to a lady," Hotaru rushed
close, kicking out wildly to force him backwards. Once
he was off balance she fired again, aiming with eerie
precision into his knife wielding shoulder and forcing
him to drop the blade.
"No," he reached into his bulky jacket and pulled a
cord.
It was the soft click that tipped Hotaru off, sending
her kicking him backward, wheeling about and then
sprinting towards the car and Minako as fast as she
could go. "Duck," she yelled at her as she leapt right
over the hood of the car and sprawled into Minako,
sending them both crashing to the ground.
"Wha...?!" MInako started.
BOOOM!
The shock wave of the explosion sent debris flying,
shattering what was left of the morning's calm and
leaving a eerie stillness in it's wake. Hotaru was the
first to rise from where they crouched, taking in the
smoking crater where a man had once stood.
"Are you all right?" Hotaru asked Minako, looking at
the younger woman with concern.
"I think so,' Minako managed weakly. She looked in
shock towards the center of the blast, "He really...
they actually tried to..."
"I'll call for help," Hotaru said to her gently, "just
stay still a moment, all right."
"Right," Minako managed weakly.
Radioing in about the attack Minako was quickly routed
to Haruka, who ordered both the police and national
defense forces out. "Stay with Minako," Haruka
ordered, "they may yet take another shot at her."
"Right," Hotaru nodded crisply, signing off.
Minako looked her over worriedly as Hotaru walked back
and asked, "Are you okay? I saw him pull a knife on
you..."
'I'm fine," Hotaru reassured her even as the first
emergency vehicles began to arrive. Using her
authority she quickly gave a statement then got
herself and Minako clear, heading back to Minako's
home rather than continuing with school.
"Welcome home," Setsuna Meiou greeted her adopted
daughter Minako with a hug, then gave Hotaru a hug
too, startling the girl. "Thank you," she said to
Hotaru softly.
"You've heard?" Hotaru asked with a faint blush.
"No details, just a failed attack," Setsuna confirmed.
Minako grinned at her mother, "You should have seen
it, Hotaru was just incredible!" With that the bubbly
starlet proceeded to give her a blow by blow account
of the incident, with sound effects included.
'Oh god,' Hotaru fought down a blush.
"Nicely done," Setsuna agreed, eyes twinkling with
amusement. "So," she looked at Hotaru, "do you think
this was the man making the threats?"
"My superiors think it was a organization," Hotaru
said a bit apologetically, "it looks like I'll be
sticking around for a bit until we're sure Minako is
safe."
"Good," Minako smiled, giving Hotaru a look that could
almost be called predatory.
'Uh oh,' Hotaru thought.
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