Usagi had only been lying down about fifteen minutes when Duo came stumbling out of the same room, a rather stricken expression on his face, and collapsed onto the couch beside Heero. "Welcome back," the Japanese boy stated.

"Glad you could make it. I take it everyone got here?"

"Hai, Duo-kun," Quatre answered, emerging from Usagi's kitchen, wearing an apron that seemed too pink even for him. "How do you feel?"

"Exhausted. And I did not enjoy the way I woke up."

"What?"

"Imagine waking up in bed with one of your sisters, Quatre."

The faint sound of someone catching their breath immediately followed his statement, and he and Heero turned toward the sound. "D- Duo-kun?" Usagi's voice tremulously asked from behind the pair on the sofa. "Hontoo ni? Is that the truth?"

"Usagi -"

She was staring at him, and whatever she saw, she did not like. "Iie!" She bolted out of the apartment, nearly slamming the door on Quatre, again.

Almost automatically, Duo started to get up to go after her, before his body gave out from under him, and he collapsed back onto the couch. "Heero?"

"Hai?"

"Can you go after her? I'm too weak to protect her right now," Duo stated in a monotone, "but you're strong enough to protect her. Will you?"

"Hai. Ninmu ryoukai."

As the Japanese boy went out the door, closing it considerably quieter than the person before him had, Quatre took his seat beside Duo. "She'll be fine," he assured his friend. "Heero's turned this into a mission. He'd never fail now."

But Duo still looked worried.

~ * ~ * ~

Usagi was running. In some quiet, logical part of her mind, she knew it was silly of her to run from her own allies, but that was a very small part of her; the rest of her felt sorrowful, shocked, and a bit betrayed, and it was currently holding sway over her entire body's actions.

Faintly, she could hear someone coming down the stairs, but he was still several floors up. The quiet tread and the speed seemed to indicate it was Heero after her. She burst through the door into the lobby and ran for the outside door. She knew she was no match for Heero in the speed department, but if she could just get outside, into the Tokyo crowds, she could disappear completely from his sight until she was ready to return.

So much for those Tokyo crowds, she thought to herself as she hit the pavement in a dead run. I've never seen the streets so empty. I doubt I have the strength to invoke my power to get away. I -

Someone grabbed her, clapping a hand over her mouth, and dragged her back into an alley. She struggled, but her captor's grip was too strong for her to break. Heero stopped right at the mouth of the alley - and apparently looked right through them before moving on. Another god? her mind screamed. Who else could do invisibilty? But there aren't anymore gods around here but me, Duo, and Than -

She broke free by elbowing the other person and whirled to face them, ready to release the sword Hyperion gave her should this person attack. A familiar soft laugh, however, left her in total confusion.

"That hurt, Usagi-san," Relena chuckled, rubbing her sore stomach. "I was just trying to help."

"Relena-san? Gomen ne. I - You scared me. I didn't know it was you."

The other girl smiled gently at her. "It's all right. Why was Heero chasing you?"

"Because I ran away."

"Why did you do that?"

"Because. . . Duo thinks of me as a sister..." Tears threatned to overwhelm her, and she sank to her knees. She faintly noticed Relena kneeling beside her and patting her comfortingly.

"Daijoubu, daijoubu, Usagi-san. Boys are just like that sometimes. Heero told me the same thing a couple of years ago; you just have to get over them." She grabbed Usagi's chin in an unbreakable grip and forced her to meet her eyes. "You just have to learn to forget the pain. . . Selene."

In that instant, she felt herself falling into a deep abyss, which was the same shade of blue as Relena's eyes. She scraped herself up just far enough to do the only thing she could think to do: scream at the top of her lungs, "Heero!"

Then she fell into that navy blue-tinted endlessness.

~ * ~ * ~

He wasn't too sure what he'd expected to see when he turned that corner again, but it certainly was not the sight that greeted him: Usagi, unconscious, in... Relena's arms. "Heero," the Peacecraft lazily stated, "I'm so glad you could join us." She grinned evilly. "Unfortunately, Selene here and I have to be going."

"Relena, what are you doing?"

"Silly Heero. Thanatos and I made a deal. He gets Selene and the two treasures she's carrying, and I get to destroy the other gods, my wish come true." With a strength and ease that belie her small frame, she leapt into the air and hovered there, holding Usagi the whole time. "Well, sayoonara, Heero. We'll be seeing you."

And they vanished.

And the red light that had been swirling around Heero exploded, lighting up Tokyo for one terrifying instant.

And the earth trembled.

And a new god was born.

15 January 2001

Hehehe, that was fun!!!

Here's a little note to leave you with till the next chapter:
Ne, ne, just what is Relena up? And how can she be more powerful than a god?

Bai-bai!!