Mistaken Identity

SUMMARY: Mayhem ensues onboard the Durandal when MOMO accidentally overhears, and misinterprets, Jr. confess something VERY startling about him and Gaignun.

GENRE: Humor/General
RATED: PG-13 / T
NOTABLE CONTENT: Brief Alcohol Usage, Language, and Sexual Humor/Themes
PAIRING(S): Contains minor mentions/hints of Rubedo/Nigredo and Jr./MOMO

COPYRIGHT NOTE: I don't own Xenosaga

STORY TAKES PLACE IN: Six months after Xenosaga: Episode II – Jenseits von Gut und Böse (most likely during Xenosaga: A Missing Year's timeframe)

COMMENTS: Hehe, here's another one of my U.R.T.V. comedies, except this time starring Jr. and Gaignun. This was originally meant to be a one-shot, but I found it a bit too long (especially if you're like me and read a chapter/one-shot in one sitting). Thus, I cut the fic into two parts to make it easier for people to read (and digest).

For the record, this story isn't a true-blue yaoi fanfic, but there are slashy/cest implications as you'll eventually see. This is also going to have a bit more hints of Jr./MOMO-ness than any of my previously published works, solely because I'm also a sucker for those two. So sue me. Still, this story really doesn't have any 'dominant' pairings, primarily because full-blown romance was not the intention here. Still, you'll find plenty of hints/implications (even a few extra, briefly mentioned, pairings not listed above. I'll leave you readers to pick them out ^_-).

I'm not sure if this story is as funny as my previous U.R.T.V. comedy, "You Count Sheep, I'll Count to Ten." However, I'll admit this specific story was very hard to write without incorporating angst/drama. Alas, when writing a fic that involves a few legitimate death connotations, it's very difficult to keep the atmosphere light (and I'm certainly not going to poke fun at the alluded deaths, either). Thus, this story has been dubbed another one of my Humor/General fics, with a balance of comedy and seriousness.

Lastly, for the random record, I love Alby! That dog is so freakin' cute! ^_^ Enjoy and please review.

- Special thanks goes out to The Original Oxymoron for proofreading this story! -

Mistaken Identity

Aiselne Nocturnus

PART 1

"Damn Gaignun," Jr. snarled angrily under his breath as he stomped into his suite on board the Durandal. The moment the door to his room slid closed behind him, the enraged redhead tore off his carmine trench coat and chucked it onto the nearest chair. Exhaling a puff of exhausted air, Jr. ran a hand through his bangs alongside rubbing his sore temples. As if the presence of his room held such power, the red-haired U.R.T.V. suddenly felt his energy drained, and he barely trudged to the master bed before collapsing facedown into a pillow. Slightly suffocated, but too tired to move, Jr. laid idle, only moving his arms to grip the pillow in frustration when his youngest brother crept into his thoughts. "Leave it to him to him to stick me with all his crap while he's off doing God-knows-what! Nigredo's gonna' owe me big time whenever he gets his ass back to the foundation!"

Until then, all Jr. could do at the moment was contend with the added responsibilities left in the wake of Gaignun Kukai's departure for Fifth Jerusalem. It had been around six months since the appearance of Abel's Ark, and more importantly, since Gaignun's disappearance. A recent transmission from the chairman stated that Gaignun was currently visiting Fifth Jerusalem for various 'government affairs.' Even Jr. did not know what these 'affairs' were, nor did he have the time to solve the recent mysteries regarding his youngest brother. With Gaignun away, Little Master's workload easily doubled to fill the chairman's absence. Between the paperwork, meetings with Miltian officials, and the regular overlooking of the Durandal, it did not take much to tucker Jr. nowadays. Even the redhead's seemingly-endless supply of energy occasionally ran low, especially during busy months like these without Gaignun around.

Fortunately, Jr. still had Mary and Shelley, and the Godwins were a tremendous help. In fact, it was Mary who insisted Little Master take a much-needed break this afternoon before the redhead wore himself ragged. The Godwin sisters agreed to take charge on the bridge and Jr. fully trusted their capabilities. With the Durandal in safe hands, Jr. retired to the blissful comfort of his soft bed, nestling against its pillows and feeling a delighted smirk pull his lips.

Of course, the real reason Jr. smiled was because he could not wait for Gaignun to return. Then the older brother could give his youngest sibling a proper 'what-for,' Makarovs and all, Jr. grinned sadistically to himself, noticing how his said weapons were still in their holsters and just waiting to let off a few rounds. Baby brother's gonna' DANCE when he gets home!

Until then, Jr. took the current opportunity to savor his rest, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. Unfortunately, his nap did not come as quickly as he expected before a soft "Arf!" echoed through the bedroom. Knowing that familiar yip, Jr. turned his head to one side. At the same time, his blue eyes opened alongside another widening smile when he watched a blur of white jump onto the bed. Two seconds later, the redhead giggled as his face was bombarded with warm wet licks only a puppy could get away with. When the onslaught of dog kisses ceased, Jr. propped himself up on one elbow, wiping his wet face with the other arm before then patting the albino puppy's head.

"Hey, Alby," smiled Jr., scratching behind the pup's ears and causing Alby to affectionately lick his master's hand. Despite how Jr. craved sleep, Alby's visit definitely brightened the tired redhead's spirits. As the white pup energetically wagged his tail back and forth, Jr. chuckled again before flashing the dog a teasing look. "You' staying out of trouble?"

Of course, Jr. was well aware of how mischievous that innocent-looking pup could be. The droids, especially on the Elsa, could not stand Alby, since the dog was always causing trouble. Conversely, the Durandal's 100-Series Realians adored Alby and welcomed his presence on the bridge. Mary and Shelley never seemed to mind the puppy, either, and Jr. caught Mary playing with Alby in the park on a few of her breaks. Still, there was no denying that Little Master's dog tended to create mischief from time to time, just like his beloved owner.

Still, trouble or no trouble, Jr. loved that dog and gently stroked Alby's soft fur. Having a warm puppy next to him brought back very sweet, sometimes bittersweet, memories of when he used to cuddle with another small, furry animal. Unlike Alby, the past animal was both white and black, and was not a dog but a cat. To a young boy, there was something reassuring about nuzzling against a fluffy kitty cat, especially on cold nights. Plus, the companionship was a godsend on the 'cold' nights after an argument with his brother(s), which happened quite often in Rubedo's youth thanks to his lovely temper.

Dammit, Jr. missed that cat…even fourteen and a half years later.

- - - - - - -

MOMO had not visited the Durandal since the Abel's Ark incident six months ago. Thereafter, she had been happily living with her mother and enjoying occasional surprise visits from Ziggy whenever he was given permission to leave the Kukai Foundation. The pink-haired Realian loved her cyborg guardian, but after six long months, MOMO wanted to see all of her friends again. Due to Shion and Allen's busy schedule at Vector, MOMO was unable to visit them and KOS-MOS, so her next stop was the Durandal.

It had been about a half-hour since Ziggy picked her up from Fifth Jerusalem's spaceport and brought MOMO to the Durandal. Afterwards, the 100-Series Prototype giddily pranced off the Loop Line's orange shuttle and bounded for the red and white-painted corridors of the Residential Area. Skipping to an imaginary beat, MOMO's blue boots tapped rhythmically against the polished floors, while the white petal-like flaps of her sailor suit flowed behind her like wings. Occasionally, the pink locks framing her face and the ribbons from her beret tickled her cheekbones and broadened her jovial smile. MOMO almost forgot how much fun it was traversing the massive red dreadnaught, passing by the park and casino that contained various crewmembers and other 100-Series like her. There was a cheery aura encompassing the happy little Realian, causing other residents to smile and wave to the familiar girl.

She continued her trek to the residential suites, where Kukai members of the highest stature resided: Master Gaignun, the Godwin sisters, and Little Master. MOMO already knew Gaignun was away, while Mary and Shelley returned to the bridge after their brief welcoming of MOMO and Ziggy at the dock. It was thanks to Mary that MOMO headed for the chairman's suite, where the blonde woman claimed Jr. was currently resting. All MOMO planned on doing was poking her head into the room to see if Jr. was in there. If he was sleeping, she already planned on letting him rest, but if he was awake…

…She could not stop a line of blush that ran across her cheeks. If Jr. were awake, MOMO wanted to run into his arms, just like during the last time she was on the Durandal. The embracing duet would spin around a few times, and thereafter, MOMO's amber eyes would be able to meet with Jr.'s sapphire orbs. MOMO thought about those cerulean eyes quite often over the course of six months, but there was a difference between thinking about them and actually melting into them.

The daydreaming, red-faced Realian barely noticed the door to Jr.'s designated suite, causing MOMO's boots to skid to a halt before bypassing the room. Double-checking the room number, the sailor-clad Realian then swallowed as she absentmindedly stared at the shut door. She could feel her heart pumping quickly, her cheeks flush, and her body skittishly shift its weight. MOMO did not need her sensors or Realian capabilities to know why she was behaving this way. The reasons for her actions were quite obvious as her left hand lifted to her pounding chest. From there, MOMO's amber eyes peered down to the hand, where the designed gap in her blue sleeve unveiled the bracelet Jr. gave her. As if the charm were made of fragile glass, MOMO's opposite hand delicately covered the antique bullet, pressing it to her heart as her eyes shut rapturously.

Jr., the smiling Realian thought. I missed you so much.

And she could not wait to tell him such! With an elevated jolt of excitement, MOMO's eyes flew open enthusiastically before her hands separated. A part of MOMO wanted to burst into the room and immediately throw her arms around Jr. However, after being brought up, and programmed, as a polite young lady, MOMO restrained her impulsive emotions for modesty's sake. After all, Jr. was the Kukai Foundation's leader, and he had an authority figure to uphold, especially in Mr. Gaignun's absence. MOMO did not want to jeopardize Jr.'s leadership position just because she could not control her unparalleled ecstasy of being able to see the redhead again. Such behavior would be very inappropriate.

So instead, MOMO respectfully took off her blue beret, freeing her short pink hair from its confines. Holding the hat to her still-fluttering chest, MOMO took another deep breath, released it, and then raised a shaky finger towards the door's opening panel.

The only reason her finger never reached the button was because MOMO could have sworn she heard something…inside the room. Blinking curiously, the Realian then paused before nearing her head closer to the door.

- - - - - - -

"This is nice, actually," Jr. had to admit, resting his head next to Alby's as the dog curled up beside its master. Continuously stroking the puppy's fur, a content smile found its way onto Jr.'s face as he felt various memories envelope him, thoughts specifically about one cat. "It brings back nice memories." Technically, it also brought back bittersweet memories, too, but Jr. came to realize a long time ago that for every 'good' memory there was bound to be one pint of bitter sweetness attached to it. The trick was learning how to accept and bypass the sad memories to embrace the happy ones. Such was a technique Jr. had been desperately attempting to master over the past six months, for more than one reason.

As Alby's mouth widened with a silent yawn, Jr. softly chuckled when the albino rested its sleepy head on the bed's comforter. Delicately running his fingers along the dog's soft fur, Jr. felt as though somebody tossed him back in time fourteen and a half years ago. Back then, the scene would have starred Rubedo, looking almost identical to his current form except clad in a U.R.T.V. blue and gray uniform. The redhead would lie in bed, albeit a cot far less luxurious and fluffy than those purchased by the Kukai Foundation. The room Rubedo was situated in would also be less glamorous, and instead dark, bland, and cold.

But in the middle of the uninviting ambiance Rubedo would lay in his cot with a particular black and white kitty nestled beside him. The rest of his youth had been spent being trapped in the synthetic world of the Yuriev Institute. Yet, there was something very relieving about being in that institute whilst sleeping beside a real cat that emanated true warmth in an otherwise 'cold' atmosphere. That cat was one of the few memories of Jr.'s past he actually recalled with a smile on his face.

The smile never lasted long, though, when Jr. recalled what eventually happened to that poor cat.

Gaignun…

But dammit, he did not want to keep bogging himself down with such depressing memories. Heavens knew Jr. did plenty of that throughout the past six months, and he was sick of it! One could only mope around so long before he had to pick himself up and move on with his life. He had his chance to drown in sorrow once and Jr. refused it, so now he had to accept his choice and live.

So Jr. pushed away the unwanted memories and nuzzled his head closer to Alby's, noticing the puppy's eyelids had shut by now. It reminded Jr. of how he originally came into his room to take a nap, too, and he did not want painful memories to resurface in his dreams. Thus, he warded off the pain via thinking only warm, happy thoughts about his very first pet.

"Ya' know something, Alby?" Jr. rhetorically asked, though knowing the puppy was already napping and could not hear him. Still, since the dog would not be able to verbally reply when awake, Jr. just took another deep, relaxing breath, before continuing to talk to the pup. "This reminds me of when Gaignun and I slept together."

- - - - - - -

MOMO's beret barely made a sound when it hit the floor. Then again, everything throughout the Durandal seemed to have gone mute as MOMO's eyes widened in unparalleled shock. Despite her inherent manners, the Realian's mouth hung open slightly, and her wide amber eyes stared off to nowhere as her highly advanced mind attempted to process what she just heard.

…J-Jr.…and…Mr. Gaignun…SLEPT together?!

No, no…that could not be right. MOMO just heard Jr. incorrectly, that was all. Manners aside, MOMO pressed her ear to Jr.'s bedroom door, focusing all of her Realian capabilities to listen inside and find a correction to Jr.'s statement.

- - - - - - -

"It was nice," Jr. smiled genuinely, enjoying one of the few peaceful memories of his otherwise hellish past. "Especially on cold nights. Gaignun would curl up beside me and I'd put my arms around him. We'd keep each other warm all night long."

- - - - - - -

MOMO's jaw practically hit the floor. "Oh my goodness…" she barely whispered, a shaky hand managing to cover her agape mouth. She could not believe what her ears were hearing; she simply could not believe it! But there had to be an explanation, right?! After all, Jr. and Gaignun were brothers, right?!

- - - - - - -

"He could always sense when I was sad, too," Jr. suddenly recalled, remembering quite a few occasions throughout his youth when he would be undergoing sorrow similar to now. "Gaignun would always come to me if I were upset about something. I'll bet…" he paused, biting his lip briefly before glancing away. "…If he were here today, he'd come to me right now and take this damn pain away. He'd probably jump right into this bed if he could."

- - - - - - -

A part of MOMO's heart went out to poor Jr., knowing he suffered very smarting emotional wounds lately. Alas, the other side of her could not help but feel mortified, and a little disgusted. Yes, Jr. was recuperating after a very painful milestone in his life, but…

…That's NO excuse for Gaignun to take advantage of Jr.'s fragile state! I thought Mr. Gaignun was a compassionate man! How cruel can somebody be to 'jump right into bed' with someone who's undergoing pain?! Poor Jr.'s probably so vulnerable right now that he'll accept ANY consolation.

MOMO wanted to cry. If only she never left Jr. six months ago!

- - - - - - -

"But some nights I'd bring him to bed with me, too," continued Jr., particularity remembering a more pleasant memory that relit his smile and optimism. "He'd squirm a little, but heh, I knew he liked it. But usually, he'd crawl into my bed on his own, not that I ever minded. I always liked it, so I always allowed."

- - - - - - -

Just before her sympathetic tears could fall, MOMO's eyes blinked them away upon hearing that next tidbit of information. Jr.…LIKED it?! He ALLOWED it?! Perhaps Jr. was not as innocent in this matter as MOMO originally thought. Yes, she was aware that Jr. was actually over twenty-six years old, even older than Gaignun, no less. MOMO understood that adults had, er, 'desires,' but…

…To do…THAT…with his…BROTHER?!

No! No! MOMO could not believe it! Jr. may technically be a man but he was not that kind of a man, MOMO was sure of it! Then again, she never though Gaignun was that kind of a man, either, especially since Mary and Shelley were always around him. Unless he went both ways… What if Jr. was the same?! Gack! Even MOMO, an advanced 100-Series Observation Realian, was getting so confused!

"MOMO? What are you doing?"

Shrieking like a surprised puppy, MOMO jumped in shock upon hearing the deep voice come out of nowhere. Due to her current, er, dilemma, MOMO's sensors never detected anyone nearby, which was probably how Ziggy managed to 'sneak up' behind her. Spinning around skittishly, the blue-clad Realian looked back up at her cyborg guardian, staring down at her with a nonchalant expression tinted with discreet curiosity and suspicion. Gulping soundly like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar, MOMO once again started shuffling her boots nervously.

"Um…I…uh…" stammered the pink-haired girl, chewing on her lip in between words. MOMO had no reason to keep secrets from Ziggy, but she wondered if she was at liberty to divulge what she just overheard. Then again, the cyborg was a male, so maybe Ziggy could better understand, and ultimately explain, what the hell Jr. was talking about. MOMO really did not want to believe the boy (well, man) she had been dreaming about for the past six months did that with his own brother!

"Ziggy…" MOMO squeaked, suddenly feeling liquid stinging come to her amber eyes as they glanced up into Ziggy's blue orbs. She felt so confused right now, so unsure what to think about Jr. and Mr. Gaignun. The pink-haired Realian always assumed the brothers 'loved' each other, but…MOMO did not think it was that kind of love! "Oh…I think Jr.'s been involved in something…" Dare she say it? "…Indecent!"

Naturally, the cyborg's first instinct was to blink. Of what emotion there was on his face, Ziggy's expression minutely morphed from curiosity to perplexity. If he was still human, he might have exclaimed incredulously "what?!" However, the hardened solider inside Ziggurat 8 overrode any 'jumps to conclusion,' and instead kept his face neutral. "MOMO, what are you talking about?" Ziggy dared to ask.

The little girl did not relish the responsibility of explaining Jr. and Gaignun's…er…was 'relationship' the word? Technically, just because people engaged in intercourse did not necessarily mean they were in a relationship like MOMO's parents once were. There were such things as 'one-night-stands,' and…oh dear lord! Why was she thinking this way?! Relationship or no relationship, having two brothers do…that was categorized in MOMO's data banks as "wrong"! Well, technically it was categorized as "incest," but…aaaaaahhhh! MOMO could not believe she had data on that! Learn something new everyday. Why in God's name did a 100-Series Realian (in a twelve-year-old's body, no less) need that kind of information in her data banks, anyway?!

Confused beyond belief, one of MOMO's hands held her throbbing head. It was very uncommon for a 100-Series Observational Realian to get this bewildered. MOMO could effortlessly comprehend complex calculations and coordinates, but when it came to…this…MOMO was not built for this! "Oh Ziggy!" MOMO discreetly whimpered, confused and a little sad and scared at the same time. Lowering her palm from her head, MOMO noticed it happened to be her left hand, still showcasing the bracelet Jr. made her. She did not want to sound selfish, but…deep down, MOMO always hoped Jr. would be the kind of man to return her affections for him. Knowing he was not…

…Technically, even that should not have mattered. Orientations aside, that did not trivialize what Jr. and Gaignun did! The bottom line was that they were brothers, and according to MOMO's data, brothers should not do that! Besides, blood-ties aside, even if Jr. was technically the older brother...his body was that of a twelve-year-old! Gaignun's body was that of a...twenty-six-year-old! Twelve-year-olds and twenty-six-year-olds should not be doing those kinds of things together! MOMO did not think couples like that should even date...!

...And when she just realized what she said...MOMO wanted to cry again. If MOMO believed a twelve-year-old body should not have relations with a twenty-six-year-old, that negated any hopes she had of her being with Jr., did it not? Jr....

MOMO did not know what to believe anymore. "Ziggy…I…I just…" she stammered to speak, tripping over her words too clumsily for a 100-Series. Her head still felt like a merry-go-round. It spun faster and faster as too many dirty mental pictures of Jr. and Gaignun started materializing in her imagination. No! No! MOMO felt so naughty for thinking this way, even if the thoughts were against her will. As if she may explode, the pink-haired girl blurted out everything in one fast ramble whilst pointing to Jr.'s shut bedroom door. "I just overheard Jr. say he slept with Gaignun!"

Naturally, the 'hardened solider' side of Ziggy kicked in first. "MOMO, you should not be eavesdropping on people's conversations," the cyborg spoke matter-of-factly before shaking his blonde head. "You are picking up bad habits from Jr.-"

MOMO calculated that it took 2.07 seconds more before Ziggy's shaking head came to a sudden stop, as if the cyborg was frozen in ice for a moment. As MOMO's words sunk into his own data banks, Ziggy's eyes blinked a few times, processing what the little girl just told him. Technically, a vintage cyborg's data processing was not as efficient as a 100-Series Realian's, so Ziggy wondered if he misinterpreted the rest of MOMO's sentence.

Jr. and Master Gaignun… No, that could not be right. Ziggy must be malfunctioning, that was all, perhaps a side effect from life-extension experimentation. Damn life-extension must have been messing with his head. God only knew what those half-assed doctors farted around with while he was under. Ziggy would have to report this problem to the SOCE come his next maintenance. Shaking his head to reassemble his thoughts, the blonde cyborg returned his gaze to MOMO, doing his damnedest to maintain his typically nonchalant demeanor.

"MOMO…" started Ziggy, taking a careful step closer to the equally confused Realian. "Are you…positive?" Technically, Observational Realians were rarely incorrect when they 'observed,' meaning if MOMO answered "yes" to Ziggy's question, then… Oh God… Did Ziggy really want MOMO to answer his question? "Are you certain you are not jumping to conclusions?" Frankly, Ziggy could only hope they were jumping to conclusions. The old cyborg did not want to ponder too deeply the possibility of Jr. and Master Gaignun…two brothers…doing…

"I'm positive, Ziggy!" MOMO swore, hopping once for emphasis. MOMO might be a young girl but she was mature enough not to goof around and say things like that for no damn reason. The Realian was well aware of the severity within the topic she discussed, but…it was not like MOMO was lying, either. "I heard it with my own ears!" she declared, before waving a hand for Ziggy to come closer to the bedroom's shut door. Discreetly, the girl pressed her ear back against the cold metal, sending shivers through her little body. Jr. was still in there and still talking, encouraging MOMO to coerce Ziggy to join her and hear for himself. He was obviously not going to believe this seemingly ludicrous matter unless Ziggy heard Jr.'s words with his own ears. "Listen!"

Ziggy was never a fan of eavesdropping, namely because such was downright rude. Plus, he knew the Durandal was constantly under recorded surveillance, especially near the chairman's suites. All Ziggy needed was for Jr. to unearth some video footage of the old man eavesdropping and Ziggy would never hear the end of it! Aside the fact, Ziggy doubted he wanted to hear the type of conversation Jr. was having in there, especially if the topic involved him and Gaignun. Ziggy was a firm believer that whatever went on behind closed doors should remain behind closed doors. "I'd rather not, MOMO."

Fortunately, and unfortunately, Ziggy did not need his ear pressed against the door for his and MOMO's advanced ears to hear inside Jr.'s bedroom.

- - - - - - -

"It was always nice laying there with him," Jr. whimsically reminisced, still stroking Alby's head despite the pup had long since drifted to slumber. Even though nobody was listening to him (of what Jr. was aware of), the redhead enjoyed recalling his pleasant times with that black-and-white kitty. "When you're little, simple stuff cheers you right up. If I was sad, all Gaignun had to do to make me happy was give me a little kiss. Heh, of course, we called it a 'kiss,' though the way he always did it was more or less him licking his tongue all over me," Jr. added, pointing a swirling finger across his face where the cat used to lavish him with affection. "God, I loved him."

- - - - - - -

At this point, Ziggy was almost hoping Dr. Mizrahi or anybody would call and give the cyborg some death-defying task to perform…anything to get away from this! "MOMO, you should not be listening to this!" I should not be listening to this, either! Ziggy declared, soundly stomping over to the appalled Realian and physically pulling her away from Jr.'s door. Too stunned to put up a fight, MOMO was easy to move, while Ziggy led her down the corridor. Ziggy learned many things throughout the hundred-plus years of his existence, but even he did not know how to handle this situation. His best, most legitimate solution was "What Jr. and Master Gaignun do together is their business."

What Ziggy said was absolutely correct. However, as reality sunk back into her, MOMO could not bring herself to simply leave the problem unsolved. True, there was no reason to assume there was a 'problem,' per se. Jr. clearly did not sound upset by what he and Gaignun did, so there was no reason to assume anything 'indecent.' Jr. said it himself; he loved Gaignun, and he was obviously not ashamed. MOMO did not know Mr. Gaignun's opinion on the matter, but as long as Jr. was happy, MOMO was also happy.

For far too long, MOMO's happiness was Jr.'s top priority. She always wanted to return the favor to the protective U.R.T.V., but never knew how. Although she loved the gifts Jr. gave her, especially the bullet-charm bracelet, MOMO was not the type to lavish others with material presents. Besides the fact, MOMO doubted she could buy Jr. something he could not purchase with the Kukai Foundation's seemingly endless supply of money. Presents aside, MOMO was only a 100-Series Observational Realian. Though she was inherently smart, MOMO's battle skills were not up to par with a combat model Realian, never mind a military U.R.T.V. Thus, MOMO knew the chances of her 'helping' Jr. like he 'helped' her out of crises were slim. What else could she do for him: rattle numbers and gate-jump coordinates for the rest of her life? Her cooking was nowhere near as perfected as Shion's, either, dubbing MOMO an average cook at the moment. MOMO was sure Jr. would appreciate anything she did for him, but the Realian wanted to do something extra-special for her red-haired knight. She wanted Jr. to be happy.

But…Jr. was happy. He and Gaignun were happy together, so who was MOMO to stop them? Yes, she…liked Jr....very much, actually. In fact, MOMO liked him so much she was willing to step down for what truly mattered to Jr. The girl could only wonder if what she thought and felt for Jr. was what Gaignun felt, too. Truthfully, MOMO would be lying if she said she was not a tiny bit sad to know Jr. would probably never feel for her the way he felt for Gaignun. Nevertheless, she refused to be selfish, especially after all the sweet things Jr. did for MOMO and her family over the years. Especially considering the tragic events of six months ago, never mind what happened to Jr. over fourteen years ago, how could MOMO possibly deny him happiness?

The answer was simple: she would not deny it. If Jr. and Gaignun were happiest together, MOMO would not interfere. In fact, she would do just the opposite! She would be happy for them, and encourage everyone on the Durandal to be just as happy for Master Gaignun and the Little Master!

First things first, MOMO had to report this glorious news to Mary, Shelley, and the rest of the Durandal crew!

To Be Continued

A/N: Hehehe, I'm sure you can see where this is going. If you ask me, situations like this where Gaignun Kukai and Gaignun the cat get mismatched are long overdue! ^_^

I hope you're enjoying this so far. Feel free to read on or take a moment to post a review.