Disclaimer: I do not own Macross Frontier. I am merely borrowing the characters.
Hime's Holiday
Alto had a day off from work. Now, what would this pilot do on such a rare occasion? Some would think he would train his body and mind to defeat any unexpected enemies. Others would suppose that he would be surveying the city for danger while undercover. Those who knew him best or thought knew him best would jest that their hime is becoming more ouji by going on dates. Were any of these speculations true?
To put it bluntly, no.
Alto-hime was being…..well,…a hime.
He had just woken from his slumber. After showering, picking out the most manly in yet stylish clothes, and tying his hair that would make the entire female race rise in an uproar, he did his little hime dance.
For those who didn't know the hime dance, it was very simple. A quick toss, a quick turn, and a quick flip of the wrist were all that was needed to complete the dance.
His river long hair had never looked any better.
"What the hell are you doing?" Luca happened to walk in during the hair ritual and was very perplexed. Trying desperately to create an excuse, Alto stuttered back, "It's…how do I put it? Uh…it's a way to ensure good luck for the rest of the day. It's a kabuki thing."
The soldier almost seemed skeptical, but he pushed it back because he had no knowledge about kabuki. Ignoring the intrusion, Alto asked for the purpose of the young man. A package was handed to Alto, and soon, without looking back, the cadet scurried away.
Wide eyes glistened with disbelief. Was this what he thought it was? Ripping the package like a rabid, but majestic beast, he smiled upon the ultimate treasure.
Macross Frontier's latest brand of special shampoo and conditioner products for their first five callers was finally here!
Alto twisted the green cap to smell the heavenly fragrance of sweet honey and fresh lavender. Slowly savoring the moment and blocking out the sounds around him, Alto didn't realize that his door once again flew open. Alarmed by the sound, poor hime dropped his hair care product all over the solemn grey floor.
"Hey, Alto, sorry to ask last minute with it being your day off and all, but do you think you can help me with this maintenance problem? I have been trying to…Hey, what's all that green stuff on the floor?" A creepy smirk was planted on Alto's face and an even creepier chuckle was echoing throughout the room. That was the last straw.
After checking Michael into a hospital, Alto decided to search for a store that carried the limited edition shampoo even if it will cost more and even if he was spotted. Nothing mattered anymore. He just wanted a day of pleasure for himself and then, there! There it was. He had found his jewel posing seductively on display with other samples graciously surrounding it. Alto ran like he never ran before. Hime style of course.
Ever so ebullient, once he purchased the product, he couldn't wait to try it. He didn't even reach the exit door until someone called out his name. "Alto, is that you?" Soft curly locks graced her face as she took off the black shades. The pink-haired fairy was surprised to see a man in a salon known solely to exclusive and rich members of the female society.
Oh crap.
"It is you Alto. I have been meaning to get in touch with you after my last performance and…wait, why are you here?" Alto hid his goodies behind his back and said, "I happened to see you from outside and I had wanted to chat a bit, but I saw you were busy signing some autographs to the salon's clients. I decided to leave, but now, you caught me. Wanna chat?"
"I love to, but…" Sheryl took a sideways glance to the customers awaiting for the special hair demonstration. She sighed and closed her eyes looking displeased with her situation. "Sorry, Alto. As much as I love teasing you, I promised to showcase a demonstration for sleeker and shinier hair. Hey, why don't you join me? Perhaps, I could do your hair? What do you say Al…" As soon as she opened her eyes again, Alto had left the building.
Alto hummed happily home to test out the shampoo. "Well, despite the problems that arose today, I say it was a pretty successful trip." Another person's humming soon overlapped his own, and he could tell it was probably from one person only.
Ranka had finished her shift at the restaurant and skipped with a box of delicious savory tuna buns in one hand and a white shopping bag in the other. She was hoping to share the buns with Alto-kun and the thought made her hum a new tune. As fate would have it, she chanced upon a euphoric Alto-kun and was overjoyed to find him alone.
"Alto-kun!" Ranka skipped even faster, but decided to jog to reach her destination. She waved her boxed hand in the air to insure she had his attention while shouting she had something for them to eat. Alto noticed her innocent gesture, and thought now that his predicament was solved, he could enjoy a little snack.
"Nee, Alto-kun did you hear the song I hummed? What do you think? I was thinking of using it for the fund raiser at the school as well as my next single." Alto was amused by how Ranka had grown and wasn't as unsteady or uncertain.
"I think from what I heard so far, the melody is quite pretty. It sounds like it will be a song about happiness or finding something to make you happy." Alto was so immersed in his critique that he didn't notice that his hair care products were beginning to leak from being exposed to the sun too long. Guess he should have read the warning label.
"And I also believe if you used…" Feeling rather uncomfortable, Alto scratched his leg only to discover some sticky goo, but it smelled good. Wait, smells good and sticky? It can't be! Not again!
"Alto-kun?" Ranka was surprised when Alto bolted from his seat and desperately tried to cover the remaining substance with his shirt or anything to stop the leakage. All his attempts failed, and he was now, shirtless, soaked, and near crying. He was near crying not actually crying, okay? Poor hime. After all of today's commotion, the stores would be closing soon, the online and telephone offers were only a one time deal, and his day to relax in some honey and lavender had been washed into the sewers. What else could happen?
"Nee, Alto-kun, I know what will cheer you up." Ranka placed her slender hand on his stiff shoulders.
"It's alright Ranka. It's nothing important." Maybe Alto was really going to cry. Maybe, just maybe he would…
"But Alto, you don't look alright, and besides, as they say, actions speak louder than words especially from what I saw. If it makes you feel any better…"
"No, Ranka, you don't have to…"
Before Alto could finish his zero requiem, Ranka fished out from her plastic shopping bag a bottle and shook it in front of his face.
"Is this what you're upset about?"
Alto glanced at the bottle being shaken and his tired eyes stared in bewilderment. It was the new shampoo he had searched and wanted to use for so long. He was about to grab the bottle until Ranka pulled it away.
"It seems this thing is more important to you than me or Sheryl or anyone else for that matter. If you really want it…" Ranka blushed for a bit and looked at the ground as if it was more arousing then the half-naked hime. She finished her thought and continued, "French kiss me." After watching more movies and dramas to earn more acting gigs, she needed more practice, right? Sounded logical to her at least.
Alto's mind had enough and just wanted to complete his day with a good shower. A good shower required shampoo and that shampoo was in her hand. Alto lunged forward and tightened his hand upon her petite frame and was about to kiss her for all it's worth until…
"Ranka-chan! Ranka-chan! The boss wants you to take away all those free shampoo products packed outside the restaurant. It's ruining his business because the customers only came for the shampoo not the food!"
Nanase was working the night shift and was running to find Ranka by taking the route Ranka always used to reach home. Low and behold, Nanase reddened even deeper than the two combined when she caught Ranka and Alto in an intimate embrace.
"I'll be going now, and tell him you'll come a little later. Okay, Ranka-chan?" Nanase flew faster than a speeding bullet, leaving behind a dust trail of enormous proportion.
"Hey, Ranka. What's the deal with the many cases of free shampoo outside the restaurant?" Alto was looking demonic once he asked his question and Ranka tried to change the subject saying they weren't anything, but just a shipment of raw noodles that only smelled like some shampoo once cooked.
Ranka landed with a thump on the dirt and Alto suddenly vanished in a blink of light to take as many cases as he could handle. She heaved a sigh, stood up, scraped the dirt from her skirt, and sluggishly walked home. Maybe next time she thought. She gave herself some credit by attempting to lie…..even if it was a bad one.
End
Author's Notes
Hime means princess.
Ouji means prince.
This could be called a filler episode before a certain someone died and before a little girl became the Vajra Queen. I mostly wrote this to poke fun at his hime side a bit, not really bashing. Also, from reading this, readers can tell I'm a Ranka fan.
Zero Requiem is not mine either, right, Lelouch?
Reviews are always welcomed ~ nyan.
