Chapter 9: Preparations

Minato counted his blessings that he survived a full day of travel under Elizabeth's control. She had gotten it into her head to push the limits of both the Persona and the carriage. All of his pleas to slow down were duly noted and willfully ignored. They rode at breakneck speeds over ditches, under low caverns and through thick foliage.

It was of little surprise to see just how much Elizabeth enjoyed their little trip. Even at their speeds, she took the time to gaze at the scenery, sometimes for lengths of times that rattled his nerves. Minato prayed for the strength of body and mind to survive the voyage. Missy held onto him for dear life. Man and feline were united in their terror of Elizabeth's enthusiastic driving.

When Elizabeth finally came to a stop, she puffed her chest in what he recognized as expectation of praise.

"That was beyond expectations. I can honestly say I've never experienced a ride quite like that," he said.

Missy snorted at him in what he was half sure was disbelief and disappointment. He refused to be ashamed. He couldn't simply ignore the way she had fluttered her eyelashes at him and smile assuredly. One may accuse Minato for being too weak willed against Elizabeth, but they clearly had never seen the sheer light that entered her beautiful eyes when she immersed herself in the experiences of life. If it would allow that expression to last a moment longer, he would gladly jump at the opportunity.

Missy huddled in the corner in blatant disgust at his attitude. Minato felt mildly insulted at the blatant dismissal.

"Now we must prepare for the next stage of our devious infiltration scheme," Elizabeth proclaimed with a sort of charisma that would fool others into thinking she was one step ahead of others. What she did next caused Minato's eyes to widen in shock.

She reached to the back of her dress and pulled down the zipper. Her dress fell down her shoulders revealing more and more skin towards him as well as revealing her brassiere. Elizabeth pulled the remainder of her dress down her body causing it to pool around her feet.

Minato coughed loudly, "There's a curtain you can change behind." This was more stimulation then he expected just before their plan.

Elizabeth simply hummed in understanding to his suggestion and proceeded to remove her leggings just before his very eyes. Her skin was unnaturally smooth and without a single blemish or mark that any human would naturally have. It was a state of being that he was sure others would murder for.

Arousal shimmered in him as he could not turn away from the sight. Minato's heart began to race in appreciation of the show he was shamefully enjoying.

Her eyes caught his directly and she showed no sign of admonishment or concern. If anything, her eyes conveyed a coy smugness that told him that she knew exactly what effect she was having on him and basked in it.

This brought his mind to that night that they had shared together in the privacy of his room. Minato could even see it now in his aroused haze. Elizabeth had lain underneath his gaze and her hair tussled beneath her with an adorableness that tickled his heart but a mature sensuality that demanded his full attention. She had spread her arms wide awaiting his full embrace.

Then and now his lips were parched with the desire to consume her everything.

"Having pleasant thoughts?" she teased with a knowing smile as she broke his delightful memory. Elizabeth's voice had a tantalizing edge daring him to lose himself even now. Her eyes gazed downwards and she released a pleased hum, "It must be very enticing considering your very healthy reaction."

She pressed a finger against his lips just before he opened them, "Do not apologize, my dear Minato. It's my privilege to push you out of the composure you are so well known for. I take pride in seeing the unrestrained you that only I am privy ro. This is a Minato I need not share with another and would not have you bury that part of you."

Minato felt disquieted about that portion of himself. His relationship with Elizabeth was easily one of his greatest treasures. One does not merely treat such treasures with reckless abandon. Experience had taught him well that no bond should be taken for granted. No one truly owes anyone anything. If not so, how could his own blood relatives isolate him so? Thanatos played its part, but he too pulled away from his baser wishes to better appease others.

Yet Elizabeth spoke as though she was flattered by this portion of him, the part of him that coveted her exotic beauty as though it was the most elusive pearl that only he may enjoy. A heat spurred inside of him that wanted nothing more than to hear the sweet passionate cries he knew she could make.

She pressed a soft kiss against his nose. Her bare hand brushed against his cheek and dragged downwards until her hand sat invitingly on his thigh. Elizabeth slowly rubbed his thigh and enjoyed his squirming under her delicate touch. Pressing another kiss just beneath his ear, she whispered, "It's a shame that we cannot hinder our current plans for such pleasantries."

Minato squashed the sense of frustration and disappointment that flooded him at her words. They were there for a purpose and he couldn't allow her to pull him so much into her pace. Elizabeth was showing herself to be an expert in the art of coaxing his very mind and heart to her whims. And a not insignificant part of him wanted to play along. He swallowed thickly.

She finally released her hold on him and finished her changing. Her disguise was similar to Lenalee's uniform with stylistic choices that she had been rather adamant about that made the uniform have a pseudo nun design. It was a rather poor approximation of a nun uniform considering the short length of skirt, stockings and visible garter belts.

"Now I present to you my figure for you to adore and desire. Is it to your pleasure?"

He eyed her from top to bottom to top again. Personally, he felt that her outfit was a touch too brazen for this period. It stood out so much and would grasp all sorts of attention, especially from the men. That was detrimental to the mission. Who was he to allow such risk to their goal?

"You look amazing, Elizabeth. But, don't you think it's too distracting for the mission? We don't want to grasp too much attention," he explained.

Elizabeth swayed towards him and kissed him on the cheek, "Fear not Minato, my heart and body are yours alone. None will come between us. Do not allow anxiety to gain ownership of your mind, my beloved." Her voice was near cooing at him.

He failed to stop the look of mortification from being blatant on his features, "That's not what I meant."

Elizabeth pulled him to her bosom and caressed his head, "No need for embarrassment, my dear! Your lips were cool but your features were quite marred with jealousy. Fear not, I am not offended by your desire. There is never jealousy where there is not strong regard." She wore a pleased smile as she pulled away from Minato.

He coughed awkwardly, "I'll keep that mind. If you're finished, I'll change now."

Minato went to pull at the curtain to change, but Elizabeth rebuffed his efforts with her own hands and a too sweet smile.

"Oh my, your collar looks a touch too tight. Let me help you," she purred and begun to unbutton his shirt. Her hands were a deliberate speed that allowed her to caress his chest with little reserve.

Minato froze through the whole process. He finally came to himself when she finished with the last button and her hands began to wander to his belt. Catching her hands, he said, "Thanks for the help. I can do the rest."

"Of course, of course," she said with a smile and shamelessly stepped away from him and took a seat as his previous spot. Elizabeth gestured for him to carry on.

With a wry smile, he continued to change with his audience. Minato didn't really have the right to admonish her since he had been doing the same exact same thing not too long ago. From the dreamy look that was in her eyes, she was losing herself to fantasies as badly as he had been. Still, he could've done without the wolf whistling and cheering when he pulled down his pants.

He changed into a cream jacket with a hood that followed the design of the Order. Minato patted himself down to make sure there weren't any issues with the stitching. Satisfied with his state of dress, he addressed Elizabeth, "We have our disguises so now we now need to focus on the next step. Were you able to make fake Innocence shards?"

Elizabeth shook herself out of her pleasurable daze and tapped her cheek in thought, "Nope."

"Why not?"

She rose from her spot and stretched her arms out with a yawn, "We shouldn't walk around with too many counterfeits lest our fair Order starts to connect dots. Worry not my stalwart strategist; I was not remiss in my duties. Behold my splendor!" Out of nowhere a small pile of shards filled her hand.

Minato was flabbergasted at her inventory.

Elizabeth puffed her chest and she answered his unasked question, "I found them during my walks with Missy. The poor dear kept mistaking them for cat toys. Her roughhousing near damaged them a number of times. I suppose one cannot expect too much from such a simple creature."

She gave a smug smile that caused Missy to hiss at her. Elizabeth chuckled at the aggression. Passing the shards his way, she went towards Missy and caught her before the cat could leap away. Missy was in quite a mood considering how much it was thrashing. Pulling it close to her lips, Elizabeth began whispering something in its ear causing it to cease any further jerking. Elizabeth patted the cat, "Now that's a good girl! We can't have you being naughty, can we? Think of poor Minato and his accumulated stress! I'll never forgive you should he get grey hairs. Though a grey haired Minato would look quite distinguished indeed."

With a cheerful hum, she tapped the cat holder with her ankle and rolled Missy into it before closing the front shut. Missy had an especially aggrieved expression.

Despite the odd relationship, Minato thought having a pet was doing her some good. Every time she was with Missy, she had an air of ultimate mirth. She was fairly responsible for it too. Rare was Missy out of Elizabeth's sight or thoughts. Whenever Missy was fussy, Elizabeth was quick to rectify it out.

"With all the nuisances out of the way, we can march forward and demonstrate our great and glorious guile," Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his and pulled him forwards. "Let us treat our walk as a pre-mission rendezvous."

As with most things she said, Elizabeth kept true to her words. Their travel to the Asian Branch was more like a romantic hike as opposed to a solemn precursor to a mission. Minato found that he rather preferred this distraction. For one, spending time with Elizabeth was always a treat. This time she would regale him about different myths surrounding forests and plants that they happened upon. Some of the stories were from civilizations he had never even heard of. In addition, he was feeling a bit too tense about this mission of theirs. So many things could probably go wrong but he needed the information, badly.

The thought of never seeing his other loved ones left an ache that burned his very being. What was he without everyone that helped mould him into the person he was today? Would he slowly become as detached as he was before? Could Elizabeth bare such an empty version of him?

They traversed the forest in good time despite their insistent flirting and distractions and reached the Black Order's Asian Branch. It was a vast structure that was nestled in the side of a cliff surrounded by waterfalls with a lake just before the building. Two guards stood stalwart before the entrance.

Elizabeth released her loving hold on him and strolled towards the guards with a haughty confidence while Minato withdrew into himself and attempted to attract as little attention as possible.

"Hold it," one of the guards demanded.

Elizabeth raised a single eyebrow as she crossed her arms in annoyance, "You would get in the way, little guards?"

The two guards frowned to each other and Minato took the chance to step in. He fiddled his hands nervously and stared at the ground, "My apologies, Lady Exorcist is merely annoyed by the current happenings. We have brought shards that we've found in our recent missions. Due to the increase in attacks by the Noah clan, there was concern that the shards would be destroyed. Lady Exorcist believed it would be prudent to bring the shards here lest something happened to them."

"Are we quite done here? I would like to rest some more before continuing on my way," Elizabeth tapped her foot impatiently.

Minato laughed awkwardly, "Please Lady Exorcist, there are procedures. It shouldn't be too long."

She rolled her eyes, "So you say. Please bring the chief and push this whole thing along."

Minato silently bowed in apology to the two guards who shot him sympathetic looks.

"We'll check in with the chief. We apologize for the delay," said one of the guards as the other made their way inside.

Now they waited.