Title:Trusting an Assassin.Part 2 Author:Tapestry Email:Shaddow_Cat@hotmail.com Standard Disclaimer Apply *denotes thought Esmeraude landed on the roof top quietly.It was a little after 1 am... Silence throughout Tokyo..... Unsheathing her katana blade and putting on a mask that covered the lower half of her face,Esmeraude jumped down into the Chiba Manor compound. Unknown to her....four people watched her slip into the compound. "Do we go after her???"asked one. "Not yet." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Esmeraude circled the manor. *There has to be some way to get in.*she thought to herself. Jumping up to the roof,Esmeraude searched for the fire chimney..... "There's the chimney....yuck...I hope the target cleans his chimneys thoroughly."said Esmerude to herself.Tying a long rope securely to the base of the chimney,Esmeraude threw the rest down the chimney. Luckily....it was clean. Sliding down the rope,she grinned through her mask evilly.Her green eyes flashing. "Now Serenity.....we shall see who is the better assassin."laughed Esmeraude to herself.Slowly...she walked along the hallways....though the manor looked westerned styled from the outside.The inside was a traditional japanese furnishing.The paper walls and wooden doors. A flight of stairs led upstairs. *Probably to the target's room.*mused Esmeraude to herself.Her katana gleamed in the soft moonlight. The moment she stepped onto the third level,a loud alarm went off... 'WOOP WOOP WOOP!!!!' "Damn."cursed Esmeraude. Downstairs.... "Great...she's set off the alarm."whispered a voice. "Shush."silenced another. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Endymion's bedroom..... Endymion sat up upon hearing the alarm."What the hell..-??" When he opened his bedroom door,he heard shouts and clashing of swords. Grabbing a katana off the wall display,Endymion ran down the hall muttering expletives.The Katana Assassin's were here again.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Esmeraude cursed under her breath.*Damn the alarms.* Malachite threw his katana forward's towards Esmeraude,which she easily avoided,however getting slashed on the arm by Makoto. Esmeraude winced.Her arm was gushing out blood.Pulling out a few shoten blades,throwing them at Zoiscite. Zoiscite dodged them.However....one blade had found it's way to his shoulder.Blood spattered on the floor. Minako attacked from behind,kicking her hard in the back. Esmeraude...angry at being surprised,jumped up to a beam on the ceiling. "Surrender Katana assassin!!"shouted Malachite. Esmeraude was badly injured...a gash on her arm, a bruise she could feel swelling on her back.Her left leg felt numb and her head was spinning.... Esmeraude then fell to the floor. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "What the hell is going on????"came a voice. "Endymion!!!Katana assassin!!"exclaimed "Jadeite. Nephlite and Jadeite were holding her in an iron grip.Esmeraude fought to stay conscious. "I won't say a word."she spat. "Katana assassins....all so stubborn."said Makoto. "More than you know,woman."said a voice cooly. "Who???!!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Two ninja clad women knocked Jadeite and Nephlite away.One of them catching hold of Esmeraude. Endymion eyed the women.They were dressed similarly...well except their outfits had sleeves,unlike the first assassin's. "We'll take our clan mate back,thank you."spat one of the women sarcastically. "How dare you!!"shouted Makoto glaring at the four women. The woman with ice blue eyes gave her a cold glare. "That's not up to you to decide." "Why you-" The woman unsheathed her katana.So did another with purple eyes. "Stop this!!We have what we came for."ordered the woman carrying the first assassin. The four women slipped away with the first green-haired assassin. "Stop th-" "Let them go,Malachite."said Endymion. "Endy!!Are you mad!????!!"asked Minako. "No....you wouldn't be able to follow them anyway.As a group,the assassins are a strong.You're are no match."stated Endymion. "But Endy...." "Just go to sleep."yawned Endymion walking back down the hall. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bruche and Coan fumed as they kept up with their two elder sisters. "Pattsu!!Why did you stop me????"asked Coan. "Because...we were only instructed to bring Esmeraude back."snapped Pattsu irritatedly. "Lord Dimando should have just let her die."growled Karaberasu. "Not our place to decide.Esmeraude blew her chance.Now it's Serenity's and Rei's turn. Karaberasu smirked."Was there any doubt Esmeraude would fail??"she laughed wickedly. Bruche grinned."Definately not,sister.We're almost on the last stretch of houses.We'll reach the secret entrance to the underground cavern soon!" exclaimed Bruche. The four sisters nodded. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Reaching the cavern....the Ayakashi sisters moved towards the main chamber of the huge underground cavern. "Is that Esmeraude????"asked Rei greeting them. Coan sighed regretfully."Unfortunately....it IS." Serenity gave an amused chuckle."Come,Lord Dimando is waiting." The Ayakashi sisters nodded.Carrying the unonscious Esmeraude to their clan leader. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next morning.... "That was the third assassination attempt.This is getting out of hand." exclaimed Malachite pacing around. Minako sighed.Fighting the assassins were getting tiresome...if only they knew WHO had hired the assassins. Zoiscite shook his head."I agree,it seems the Katana assassins's clan leader has decided to use the higher ranking assassins." Jadeite munched on an apple."What do you mean???"he asked confused. "Didn't you notice the ninja assassins last night bore more refined skills and reflexes than the first two attempts???"questioned Zoiscite. Nephlite frowned.He remembered the first two attempts on Endymion's life. They had been a group of ninja's dressed clad in black from head to toe. Their movements had been disorganized and hardly subtle. Zoiscite was right....last night's 'visitors' had been more organized and their movements more fluid and synchronized than the first two attempts. "So....the shidosha of the clan decides to send his best ninja assassins. That doesn't help our predicament."said Makoto. "If you all are done discussing about the assassins,it's breakfast time." drawled Endymion. "We're discussing this for your OWN safety,Endymion!!."exclaimed Malachite exasperated. "Well...explain it to me,next week,after I return from Kyoto.I have business there."replied Endymion walking away. "Endy....don't you think you should stay here where it's safe??"called a soft voice. "Ami...You cannot expect me to neglect Terra.Corp do you??"asked Endymion to his sister. "I'm scared for you brother.....at least let one of your bodyguards go along??"whispered Ami. Endymion sighed....he loved his sister way too damn much. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Somewhere else... "Serenity..." "Lord Dimando,"acknowledged Serenity kneeling. "My sources say Endymion is leaving Tokyo.It seems...he is going to Kyoto."said Dimando. "Kyoto....interesting.Lord Dimando,I have a suggestion."said Serenity. Rei stared at her friend. "What suggestion??" "Let me get close to him....we have tried three assassination attempts and failed...his bodyguards will be cautious."said Serenity. Dimando nodded. "Good....the client wants Endymion killed by the end of the year. He doesn't care how we do it,but he wants it done." Serenity nodded."Of course.Endymion Chiba won't even know what hit him." smiled Serenity evilly. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kyoto.... Endymion sighed...Malachite and Jadeite had followed him to Kyoto. "Is it necessary to check the whole room???"asked Endymion annoyed. "We never know if the Katana assassins are following you,Endy.One can never be too careful."warned Malachite. "I think I'll go take a walk."sighed Endymion."And NO....you CANNOT follow me."snapped Endymion,as he slammed the door shut. Malachite and Jadeite sighed. Endymion inhaled deeply....no bodyguards for once....having his friends around had actually been stuffy.He felt trapped...no place to escape to. "Hi...you look terrible."came a voice. Endymion turned to see the clearest pair of blue eyes ever,staring at him.They belonged to the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. "Oh??Probably the stress."sighed Endymion. The woman grinned."Yeah...you look like the stressful type."laughed the woman. Endymion grinned. "Who are you??"he asked. "Serenity Tsukino.I'm from Tokyo...you??" Endymion grinned."I'm Endymion Chiba...AND from Tokyo too."laughed Endymion. "Ohhhh!!You're the famous Endymion Chiba,CEO of Terra.Corp!!" "Right on the first guess,Serenity." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The two chatted for awhile.Endymion grew to like the woman known as Serenity Tsukino. "Listen...I have to go...my girlfriend is probably looking for me."smiled Serenity. "Wait!!Can I see you sometime??"asked Endymion. Serenity raised an eyebrow. "How about tomorrow night???Dinner...at 7.00pm.You can bring along your friend."said Endymion. Serenity smiled."Sure.Where??" "Hikono Restaurant."said Endymion. "That's an expensive place."said Serenity hesitantly. "Well...I'm paying the bill...so you don't have to worry."laughed Endymion. "Well...." "Please??" "If you say so."said Serenity unsure. "I DO say so." "Well...then I have to run.Bye,"smiled Serenity rushing off. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Serenity entered the room she shared with Rei. "Well???" "Everything is going perfectly..."smiled Serenity.However...she wasn't so sure....for awhile when she was with Endymion....she actually felt... happy....and she hadn't felt it for a long long time..and this scared her... Endymion walked into the hotel suite he was sharing with Malachite and Jadeite. "Where have YOU been???"asked Malachite sternly. "We were going to look for you."exlaimed Jadeite. "No where....I went for a walk and met this gorgeous girl."said Endymion. "Girl????"repeated Malachite dumbfounded. Endymion nodded. "Endy....you shouldn't simply just talk to strangers you know."said Malachite. "Don't worry....you'll meet her tomorrow night.I asked her out to dinner. She's beautiful,smart and charming."smiled Endymion. Jadeite sighed."He's got it bad...just like you went you first met Minako."laughed Jadeite. Malachite frowned and elbowed him in the ribs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Serenity sighed....this was confusing.....she actually had enjoyed talking to Endymion.But she was suppose to kill him..... "Mother....Father..."whispered Serenity,a tear trickling down her cheek. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tokyo... Esmeraude shrieked with fury throwing things against the wall as she had failed...well...she was going to make sure Serenity failed too..... Coan,Bruche,Karaberasu,Pattsu and Saffir watched as Esmeraude ripped a photo frame of the wall and smashed it to pieces...it was a picture of two girls standing next to each other....one was Esmeraude...the other... was Serenity... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next night.... Serenity wore a silver dress that slit at the knee.Rei wore a red dress similar to Serenity's except it was held up by a black choker and had a black design which streaked vertically on the dress. The two entered the restaurant. "Table,ladies???" "We're looking for somebody."smiled Serenity. Endymion's jaw dropped at the sight of Serenity.Regaining his mental functions,he raised his hand to wave them over. Serenity smiled and tugged at Rei's arm. Serenity felt her stomach doing flip-flops as she neared Endymion. Promptly,she squashed the feeling. "Good evening Endymion."smiled Serenity politely."This is my friend, Rei Hino." "Pleased to meet you...and so glad you could come,Serenity."smiled Endymion. Rei nodded. Endymion suddenly remembering his bodyguards,"Oh...I seem to have forgotten my manners....these are my friends, Malachite Shintaro and Jadeite Hikaru."introduced Endymion. "Pleased to meet you."smiled Serenity. Malachite understood why Endymion was smitten with the girl...she was lovely.But something just wasn't right about the both of them....and he couldn't put his finger on it... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jade smiled at Rei.His green eyes focusing on her violet ones. Rei stared at Jadeite.Her pulse racing....*Oh my....* Malachite rolled his eyes...Jadeite was always flirting....Rei was mysterious,he'd give the woman that....but it was Serenity that made his senses stand on the end.....she was a woman not to trusted.....but he wanted to...he really did....his instincts screamed at him to get Endymion far far away...yet looking at Serenity and Endymion both...they looked like they were made for each other.... "Would you care to dance,Serenity??"asked Endymion. Serenity smiled."I'd love to."she replied,her stomach was jumping now. Jadeite followed suit,asking the lovely Rei for a dance. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "So,Serenity....what are you here in Kyoto for??"asked Endymion staring at her eyes. "Just a vacation....I'm leaving Kyoto in two days,going back to Tokyo." smiled Serenity. "Oh....I'm only leaving in a week's time.How unlucky."joked Endymion. Serenity laughed slightly. "I bet all the women melt at your feet,sir." "Not all,....you haven't."pointed out Endymion. Serenity's eyes flashed something....then it was gone. "Can we go out onto the balcony for awhile??"asked Serenity. "Sure."said Endymion leading her to the balcony. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Serenity stepped into the cool night's air.Ever since her family had been murdered,Serenity wanted nothing more than to hurt the man who killed them. It was one of the main reason's why she had become an assassin. Another was that running through the night's air was invigorating....it helped her escape.....from the past... Serenity let out a sigh."I'm different,Endymion...."whispered Serenity. "Yes...you are...you're very different..."sighed Endymion. Malachite watched as the two held on to each other....Serenity was a mystery....she had been hurt before...despite her innocent and naive expression.....she had a secret.......and she couldn't be trusted.... *Endymion....what have you gotten yourself into???*asked Malachite to himself shaking his head in despair. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To be continued... Hee hee....I was going to have a kiss in the end here...but I decided that would be too fast.Well???????Email me!!! Or I'm sending the Ayakashi assassins after you to hack you up. :p Stay tune for Part 3. Visit my Shrine: http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Lights/5079 ( I have a Library there and also a Poetry corner...and...well...on April 2nd 2000, start casting your vote at the Hall of Fame.)