Is it love??? BEST FRIENDS: SECRET MISSION!

[Firechild]

"Another dreary day..." A sigh escaped Harue's lips as she stared out the window in her best friends office. The labs were closed for some secret project her uncle was working on, even though she was one of the most brilliantly minded among the many scientists at the Mallory Arms Corporation, she was still forbidden from even knowing anything about it. Figures right? As if that wasn't bad enough, Harue had, quite literally, nothing to do. She wasn't able to work on any projects like she wanted to, that including the new and improved Light Gems she had been working on for the past several months. Or the new spirit scanner she wanted to try out. Nor did she have any school work that day...needless to say...the young prodigy in the New World Order was quite bored. She sighed discontentedly as she turned away from the sun drenched window. Her amber eyes were half lidded, and her blue hair was falling in unkempt curtains around her face. It looked as if she had just gotten out of bed..."Wonder what's taking Marisa so long..." Harue wondered quietly to herself. Her cheeks reddened slightly at the thought of her best friend. Ever since joining her uncle's organization, Harue had grown very close to Ms. Traux, to the point where the only person she knew better was herself.

And of course there was that minor thing that was always on her mind...the fact that she was always agitated and nervous around the older girl. She always questioned herself why she felt that way, she couldn't put a finger on it. No matter how she looked at it, the butterflies that started flying around in her stomach whenever she was near could not be explained. "Ahh...it's so frustrating..." She said looking at the floor and swinging her legs.

[Mr. Butterfly]

The door the the office opened, and in walked . . . a stack of papers. More specifically, a large stack of papers needing to be filled out in a meticulous manner being carried by someone wearing a tight black dress. The papers hit the desk, and green hair was swept out of a face that was looking quiet annoyed. A mumble about her Boss came out, but tan eyes looked up to see a welcome sight of Harue. The expression on Marisa Truax's face lit up slightly, like someone who had stayed up for a few hours doing tedious work finally getting a coffee break. She gave a smile.

"Oh, hey, Harue!"

She hadn't expected to see her bestestestest (Copyrighted by Goldenkitten Industries) friend at the moment. She pushed the paperwork out of the way and sat on the edge of the desk, once again sweeping some green hair out of her face. She leaned forward a little, on edge of her desk, as if trying to get closer to her buddy. Her black slip ons dangles off her feet slightly in the back, and the cool air conditioning felt good on her soles.

"So, why're you here so early today? Not that it's a bad thing that your here, I love that your here and - Hey, did you get a haircut? It looks a tad shorter! - I was hoping to do something with you today. Boss hasn't told me anything lately - ooh, are you wearing a different perfume? Lovely scent - so I'm free for now."

She said this last bit while trying to hide the paperwork behind her.

[Firechild]

Harue giggled softly as her friend did her usual, she rambled. The niece of Richard Mallory stretched and pulled her legs to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and resting her chin in between her two knees. "Well...I'm off from school today...and Uncle refused to let me in the labs today...Which sucks cause I was hoping to work a bit more on the light gems of my suit...I have a theory that may allow me to teleport...but I'd have to actually do testing and whatever so blah blah blah..." Harue cocked her head as she paused. "But...obviously I can't do that today so...I decided to come here." Harue smiled, but only briefly as she noted the paper work on Marisa's desk. "But...it looks like you have work to do..." Harue looked down sadly, realizing she was being a burden to her best friend just by simply being there. Why did the one time she had nothing to do, finally a chance to hang out with the one person she liked the most in the entire world...no the entire universe have to be busy?

Unfurling her legs, Harue got up from the couch, or rather the love seat that she was sitting on. "I should probably let you get back to work..." She began moving towards the door, mentally kicking herself repeatedly. Why me...why me..."Because you are stupid!" I know...I know i'm stupid! Two sides of herself were arguing...one of them not really arguing with the other, but trying to agree, in her extremely confused state. What is wrong with me? "You're stupid!" No I'm not! "YES YOU ARE!" No! Okay...maybe I am... Harue finally reached the door, her over dramatic side getting a hold of her as a tear slid down her cheek. "I'll just...leave you be..." She said, obviously upset.

That was when the voice of Richard Mallory sounded off over the intercom and his face appeared on the hidden view screen that slid out of the wall next to Harue. "Ah good...you're with Ms. Traux..." A vein twitched in his temple at the thought of the two being together. Taking no notice of Harue's borderline upset face he immediately headed into his point for calling. "The two of you are to go and find a group of the ones called Bount. They've been hiding on the west outskirts of the city, flush them out...if they fight back...You know what to do. This is a stealth mission, do not let the Shinigami get wind of your pressence. When you reach the outskirts, contact HQ to get the exact coordinates of where we got the readings from." The view screen shutoff, and the panel slid back into the wall, completely hidden as Harue blinked rapidly in surprise.

[Mr. Butterfly]

Marisa saw how her dear friend was saddened so easily. Why would she get this way? Marisa just offered to put all the work off to spend time with her favorite person and there Harue was, leaving. Well, if she wanted to go she could, but she didn't have to look so sad. It put a bad taste in Marisa's mouth.
"Harue, c'mon, stay for a whi-"

Just then, a voice surprised her from behind, and she turned to see it. It was her boss, of course - still as irritable as usual. She had never had a better boss though. Even if she had never had another boss. . . but at any rate, it was a relief to see that her friend would get to go on a mission with her.

"The Bounts . . .? Sounds like another crazy cultist society to me . . ."

Marisa turned to her friend. She nodded once, signaling that they should move out to go get suited up. They would walk the corridors together to the equipment station, pick up their stuff and then suit up like usual before heading out on the mission. She hoped Harue would talk to her along the way - it still felt like forever since they had talked.

[Firechild]

Harue cocked her head at the panel as it slid shut. She was expecting a very dreary afternoon...and here she had a mission...with Marisa Traux? Life couldn't get better than this. Her face brightened up considerably and she opened the door, bowing with a long sweeping arm. "After you Ms. Traux." Harue said playfully with a smile, before follloeing her friend out of the room. The first couple minutes were in silence as the two walked down the corridor, in which Harue fidgeted nervously because of it. A real mission...with her...am I dreaming? "Marisa...have we ever, been on an actual mission together?" It had just occurred to the prodigy scientist that she hadn't been on a single mission with her best friend. It came close to happening once but...she ended up getting very sick and couldn't go. I must be dreaming... They reached the elevator to take them down to the equipment station, and Harue was fidgeting more than ever. She entered the elevator and while it was heading downwards, she side stepped back and forth in anticipation. It's official...I'm dreaming...

The door opening into the equipment station, revealing several people walking about and taking care of various things. Harue was able to calm quite a bit in the more familiar atmosphere. "It's always fun to be down here and look at all the technology we have amassed isn't it?" Harue asked her friend. "I-I'll...wait outside the locker room while you c-change shall I?" Harue stammered with a slight blush creeping into her cheeks.

[Mr. Butterfly]

As they walked down the hallway, Marisa noticed that Harue seemed a bit tense. Was she nervous about the mission? Or maybe it was something else. At any rate, she was quiet, which worried the emplyee of the New World Order. She swept a bit of hair out of her face as Harue proceded to ask her a question on missions and their involvment.

"Um . . . yeah . . . this is our first mission together. Huh."

Marisa thought it was odd - for the entire time they had been working together, they had not worked on the same mission. Well, today was the day to get that done and fixed. Marisa smiled as the elevator opened for them and they stepped inside for the ride. Marisa blinked once, noting how much moving harue was doing. Maybe she had an energy drink or something. Marisa decided not to say anything about it, instead dwelling on what shampoo should she buy later, as she had used up the last bit of her current supply that morning.

The door moved aside to reveal the equipment station, and she entered in with Harue. She saw some of the management people and scientists roaming about, doing their duties, but no one of specific note. Marisa was about to enter the locker room when Harue spoke up.

"Um . . . you don't have to Harue. It's not like I have anything to hide."