1/1:15PM Spying (Hotaru, Artemis)

[Tomoe Hotaru]

Rage and hurt coursed through her veins, her slender body trembling as she watched the last of her sisters and Luna slip into the conference room before the doors closed and two security personal stationed themselves on either side, effectively blocking the route.

So I'm a part of things, I'm to be included in senshi buisness, am I, Usagi-chan? she thought bitterly, her small hands curling into fists.

Oh, she could guess quite well why she had not been invited to the security meeting; she was the youngest of them all, the baby of the group that they had to protect. Whether she needed shielding or not, they were going to protect her from what normal thirteen year olds should never be exposed to forgetting the fact that she had never been and never would be normal.

Almost fourteen, she recalled dimly as she paced in the hallway, her brow furrowed. Her birthday was in just a few days, and she would be the same age Usagi had been when she had become Sailor Moon. The same age most of the Inners had been. Had they forgotten how young they were when they had awakened into their powers? It was not fair- they had no right to keep her out of this when it concerned her just as much at them.

Her feet carried her into the room just one down from the conference room, being careful to not draw the attention of the guards. It was a storage closet, but she paid little attention to the mops and buckets, moving swiftly to the wall seperating her from the meeting and resting her ear against it, holding her breath as she listened intently. A faint murmuring reached her ears- it sounded like Lucan's deep voice and she heard Usagi's answer, yet was unable to make out the words.

Hotaru frowned, pressing closer against the wall in an attempt to hear the conversation better.

[Artemis]

Artemis walked by still feeling a bit lost of directions of the rooms. Maybe I should get a map of the palace or at least some idea on where the rooms are. I guess Luna is right once again I wonder if there is a time that she is wrong. He knew Luna was in the meeting with the Senshi concerning safety precautions. He noticed Hotaru-chan with her ears to the door of the-at least what he assumed- was the room the meeting was taken place. She reminded him of Minako when she would try to listen in on conversations of classmates. He chuckled at this image of the youngest Senshi feeling left out. He used his paw to tap Hotaru-chan’s shoulder and cleared his throat.

“Hotaru-chan what are you doing with your ear pressed to the door?”

He knew what she was doing but he wanted to see if she would own up to it. He put on his best stern face but it was hard to keep it there. He was fond of all the girls but he could only succeed in being stern with Minako.

[Tomoe Hotaru]

Whirling at the sound of Artemis' voice, Hotaru felt her pale cheeks flush, glaring at him for startling her so badly. "I think you know perfectly well what I'm doing," she answered, taking a step back from the wall. "And I think I'm fully justified."

She was unable to keep the hurt out of her voice as she spoke softly, gesturing to the wall that separated her from the others. "They're keeping me out of things, Artemis. Things I have as much right to be a part of as the rest of the senshi." For some reason tears filled her amethyst eyes and she slid down the wall to sit there, her head resting back, still straining to hear any of the conversation.

[Artemis]

Artemis was not lost on the hurt in the youngest Senshi’s voice. He was at a lost how to handle her hurt reply. Yes it is wrong of her to spy but he could understand why she is hurt. He rubbed against her knees and tried to offer her some comfort.

“I don’t think the girls want to worry you. I don’t think spying is a good idea but maybe they need to discuss something more serious then what they want to revea right nowl.”

Artemis licked Hotaru-chan’s hand trying to get the young lady to cheer up. He is really a softie when it comes to females in pain. He has noticed Minako’s trying times and he hoped this would help in some small way.

[Tomoe Hotaru]

She understood what Artemis said, she truly did. But that didn't help the feeling of being kept in the dark, of being left out when she had proven herself time and time again. But it was the gesture of kindness the snow white cat offered that made the tightly locked dam of emotion spill out.

She leaned over to wrap her arms around him, pressing her cheek to soft fur. "I know they don't want me to worry- I know all of them are trying to give me the happy normal life I never had. But-" Breaking off, Horatu pulled away, giving Artemis an affectionate scratch behind his ears as she smiled with a tinge of sorrow.

"That can never be. I know spying isn't right, but I have to know. It's my duty to protect Usagi, and I can't do that if I don't know what's going on."

Fluidly she rose to her feet, and looked up at the air vent above her head where the voices were coming from much clearer. Her eyes then shifted to a stack of boxes, and she moved toward them quickly. It was a good thing she was still so small and slender for her age- it would help her wiggle through there easily enough.

[Artemis]

Artemis was at a loss on what to say to Hotaru-chan. As much as he would hate to admit it, he is a softy when it comes to females and tears. He watched Hotaru’s actions as she spoke and when she mentioned duty it reminded him so much of Minako. He walks over by a near-by vent and you can hear talking through it. He let out a sigh knowing he would get scolded for aiding Hotaru-chan to listen in their conversation. He only knew about the subject of the meeting. Luna’s reasoning would be that it was wrong so therefore Hotaru-chan must be scolded but he didn’t see that.

“Hotaru-chan instead of trying to climb over the boxes or squeeze in the door there is a vent on the right side of the door. I can tell you this they are discussing safety precautions of not only Usagi-chan but all the Senshi too. You will be included but maybe not right away.”

Artemis knew he would pay dearly for this later but right now he was concerned about Hotaru-chan’s feeling of rejection by Usagi-chan and the Senshi. Artemis could here the hushed voices as a revelation of something important occurred not to long since he arrived. When he heard Minako’s question, he knew that Usagi-chan had told them something shocking. It was as he told Luna we all have different reasons of keeping information from one another.

“Hotaru-chan I don’t think any of the Senshi would do anything to hurt you. I think that they want to understand what is going on first before they tell you. I think something has happened to Usagi-chan that even the Senshi did not know about.”

[Tomoe Hotaru]

Hotaru's eyes flicked to the vent much closer to the floor that Artemis had drawn her attention to. Much better. This way she wouldn't have to worry about falling through the ceiling right into the middle of the older senshi.

"I can't wait for them to include me," she said softly as she knelt by the vent, carefully unscrewing it from the wall and prying it away. It would be a tight fit, but she could manage. "I've been in the dark for too long- I can't let them decide when the appropriate time is for me to know about things. I deserve to know when the rest of them do."

Her head turned, black hair swinging with the motion to gaze at the white feline. "I know they aren't trying to exclude me, Artemis. They're trying to protect me, as they've always done. If something happened to Usagi, I need to know, otherwise I am not doing my duty to her." Lightly she touched his head, fingers smoothing along his neck to his back. "Thank you- you shouldn't let them know how much you've told me. Luna will scold terribly if she finds out, and it will be bad enough with me being in trouble without you being so as well."

Taking a breath and suppressing images of spiders, dirt and cobwebs that could be filling the vent, she crawled into the metal chute, inching her way as quietly as she could through it, the voices growing louder until she could clearly hear Usagi's voice. Pausing, she peered through the metal grating, leaning against the vent to catch glimpses of the senshi's legs from where they sat around the table, listening intently.

[Artemis]

Artemis could just feel the dread exemplify when he heard a man’s voice just around the corner. He had not expected Hotaru-chan to go inside the vent; he thought she would just listen through the vent. He has grossly underestimated her desperation to be involved with the Senshi. All thoughts were halted when this man said his name in a cordial manner and Artemis assumed the Q…Usagi-Chan had mentioned his name. When the man found Hotaru-chan in the vent guilt filled his heart and responsibility took over.

“Sir, if I may, I will join you and Lady Saturn to see the Queen. There is a matter that needs to be addressed. It is true what she was doing is wrong but this was my suggestion so I must take responsibility for this situation. I take it your name is Lucan correct?”

This whole situation was awkward and Artemis being a man or cat in this case of honor. He would assume responsibility for Hotaru-chan’s action and as much as it was an illegal action the intention was not malice. Still the saying that the way to hell is paved with good intentions seems to fit in this situation.

[Tomoe Hotaru]

Hotaru’s heart froze within her chest, feeling as if her very breath had stopped as the muffled sounds became crystal clear and she suddenly understood exactly what this meeting had been about. Usagi, her Queen, her savior, the mother of her friend, had been in life threatening danger. And she hadn’t told them. Hadn't told her. The hurt mixed with her already confused feelings regarding the information about the break up to make her feel as if she were being burned and frozen simultaneously. Her head fell foreword to rest against the cool metal of the chute, her hands clenched into fists as she stared blankly down.

Was this more of her being a child, too young to understand? Or were they trying to protect her, thinking she would be more content and happy if she didn't know of the danger? Or was she simply not trusted enough for this? She didn't know, didn't really want to know. It hurt so violently it made her body shake, lips quivering with emotion.

“Usagi. . .why?” she murmured, tears stinging at her eyes, completely losing touch with her surroundings until a hand around her ankle caused her to jerk and give a muffled shriek.

She found herself pulled backwards out of the chute, and into the storage room once more. Blinking in the florescent lighting, she stared first at Artemis, then looked up into the face of Usagi’s head of security, Lucan. Her cheeks burned crimson as he set her carefully on her feet, unable to keep the scowl off of her features even as she crossed her arms defensively across her chest.

“I would do anything, no matter how illegal, when it concerns the safety of my Queen,” she answered, wishing she was taller to make more of an impression or to at least appear less of a silly child .

A dark eyebrow lifted at his mention of Berlin, the only sign of how impressed she was. She couldn’t help be slightly taken aback at the thought of this man doing anything like what she had done, but she could see it perfectly in her minds eye: a young boy with those startling sapphire eyes sneaking in and out of a war torn country.

She couldn’t help sighing at his statement of seeing the Queen; a scolding. Just what she needed. “I understand, though I believe I’m fully justified in having to result to such an undignified means of gaining information.”

Artemis’s statement completely took her by surprise, staring at the cat before shaking her head at him. “Artemis- I appreciate what you’re doing, but please. Even if you had tried to stop me, I would have found a way to listen in. I’m not your responsibility- you don’t need to be in trouble as well for my actions.”

[Artemis]

Artemis respected this man’s no nonsense approach of keeping the queen safe. He would not want to cause any unnecessary commotion for the queen. He still couldn’t help but feel responsible for the situation. He understands his position though and was regretting the circumstances were less than favorable. He suspected that this man would earn a good deal of respect from him but now was not the time to ponder on that. He walked over and licked Hotaru-chan’s hand and gave her as much reassurance as possible that he understood her point. He examined this Lucan Felix and concluded that he would like to have a genuine discussion with him. Of course in the current circumstance that would not be possible.

“I can tell you are a man of honorable intentions concerning the queen’s safety and all. I only ask that you make sure h…Lady Saturn’s voice is heard and I will respectfully wait for the queen to discuss matters with her.” Artemis waited to hear his response.

[Tomoe Hotaru]

Hotaru eyed the tall man, her lips tightening further. She could only imagine what thoughts were going through his mind, and none of the ideas pleased her. Probably some nonsense about how it was something young adolescences did, and it would just be a phase. The scowl on her pale brow deepened. Did no one remember she was not a typical teenager? This wasn’t some silly thing she was spying on- this was about the safety of her Queen, the woman she had pledged her life to. Certainly the elder senshi wouldn’t be accused of being over dramatic or being silly young people if they had done what she had.

Lifting her chin, she nodded quietly in response to Lucan’s words and forced her feet to move forward and step through the door to the hall. She was not looking forward to this confrontation, but she could not sit by in the background and let the others make decisions with out her. She was as much a part of this as they were, and she was determined to be involved whether they liked it or not.

Her heart clenched at Artemis’s words, deeply touched by his loyalty and support for her. Her fingers reached down to smooth the silky soft fur on his head, lightly scratching behind his ears. “I cannot tell you how much your support means to me,” she murmured quietly, her amethyst eyes bright with emotion. “Let me know if I can ever return the favor.”

Straightening, Hotaru looked at Lucan again, inhaling to steady her jumbled emotions. “Let’s get this over with.