Kuroi Fuku, Momoiro Hana (Black Uniform, Pink Blossom)
Sequel to Lady Starfarer
Chapter 1: Stories Through My Head
The great ballroom on the Preventer base was decorated lavishly for the masquerade. As evening fell, guests began to filter in; five of which were careful to enter spaced apart. Halfway through the evening, a young woman in a blue dress stepped casually up to a young man by the punch bowl.
"Well, Heero," she whispered. "Aren't you even going to ask me to dance?"
Heero was thankful for the mask, because his usual impassive features formed an expression of utter shock. "How did you know?", he had to ask.
The young woman smiled. "After all this time, Heero, I can find you no matter what you cover your face with. Now…about that dance…"
Heero turned to Relena and offered her his hand. She smiled, accepted it, and the pair slid gracefully onto the dance floor.
As the first notes of the waltz began to take shape in the air, Trowa and Quatre looked nervously at each other. They would look at the other for a minute or so, then glance away, then back. Courage to ask someone to dance, it seemed, didn't come near as easily as the courage to carry out a suicide mission.
"Quatre, would you - ?", Trowa asked, as Quatre began, "Trowa, would you -?"
They were silent for another moment, until, simultaneously, they replied, "Yes." Grinning like the fools they felt themselves to be, the pair stepped out onto the polished marble tiles.
Duo glided around the room with Hilde, while Sally dragged Wufei from his chair by the wall and out with the rest of the dancers.
While everyone was preoccupied with the waltz, another young woman sneaked in through the door. Her dress was a gorgeous teal that flashed copper when she moved. Her golden hair was stacked neatly on top of her head; what appeared to strands of silver wrapped around it, and were held in place by a silver hair comb. Her mask was slender. It was teal, like her dress, with small silver stars glittering across it; there were seven, three on each end and one in the center between her eyebrows.
She moved slowly around the dance floor, eyeing five people in particular. As the waltz faded, she came to a decision and strode to the center of the dance floor, looking for a partner. Five people turned to face her, certain they'd seen her somewhere before.
Heero blinked repeatedly, trying to force a memory to surface. Relena mistook the reason he stared and whispered in his ear, "Go on, Heero. Dance with her. Listen, the next song is starting and she doesn't have a partner. Don't worry, it's not like I'm going to get jealous. Go on!" She shoved him gently, and he went forward, offering his hand to the newly arrived young woman. She took his hand, smiling.
The next song began, a much faster tune, and she spun him around with startling speed. He caught on quickly, regaining control and leading them in a set of complex spins and turns. The first verse hadn't yet completed, when Duo cut in, determined to outdo Heero. The girl smiled and shook her head, as though she understood this all too well. At the end of the second verse, Quatre slid in and demonstrated his skill as a dancer, desperate like the rest of them to remember who this young woman was.
The third verse was drifting off, leaving only the soft, barely audible ending of the melody. As Quatre stepped aside and the girl prepared to leave, something clicked in Trowa's mind. He moved gently into her path and took her hand, resolving to dance out the last with her and see if his theory was true. Something glittered in the eyes behind the teal mask, joy perhaps. They resumed her place on the floor, dancing slowly back and forth across one patch of tiles as the music faded away.
He whispered something in her ear, to which she laughed and whispered something back. They exchanged several more hushed sentences before the tune was completely gone. After it was, Trowa kissed the back of her hand. She smiled, blushing slightly, and kissed his forehead. "I'll see you soon," she promised, and discreetly left the party.
As soon as she was gone, Trowa and the other pilots gathered at the back wall, where they would not be disturbed. "What made you decide to dance with her?", Quatre asked, certain Trowa knew the girl's identity.
"I thought I figured it out," he replied, "and I was right. I know who she is."
"And?", Duo pressed, eager for the answer.
"Didn't you see it?", Trowa demanded. "That thing in her hair? It was a silver chain…and a pendant. A star within a circle. Now…you tell me who she is."
Everyone else remained silent, letting the words replay endlessly in their heads. There was only one person like that in all the world…and it had been a year since they'd last laid eyes on her.
"So…she's back," Heero murmured. "I wondered how long it would take her."
"I…somehow I knew she'd return soon," Quatre said softly. "It's part of who she is. She can't stay away."
"Yes…that's true," Heero admitted. "But I know Minami Yoshiro, and if she's back…it's for a reason."
It was shocking. The Gundams had gone out on what was to be a brief, skirting appraisal of the Kuro Senshi base and its forces. The ambush was swift and total. The Kuro Senshi troops moved with speed unmatched by any the Gundam pilots had yet faced. They seemed to know the weaknesses of every suit and were meticulous in their exploitation of them. One by one, the suits attempted a retreat and, one by one, they were shot down. The five prisoners were taken to the main control room, handcuffed, and lined against one wall.
"Prisoners secured, Lieutenant Yoshi," said a cadet with a smart salute. "Awaiting your orders, sir."
Though all the face was not clear, it was obvious enough that Lieutenant Yoshi was smiling. "Thank you, cadet. You can either return to your usual detail…or you can stay and watch the festivities. Your choice, cadet."
The young man beamed. "I…Thank you, Lieutenant! I believe I'll take you up on your offer and stay here, if it's not an inconvenience, sir."
The higher ranking officer chuckled. "If it was an inconvenience, cadet, I wouldn't have offered it to you. Stand over there and you should have a very nice view."
The cadet nodded and scrambled to the assigned plot of wall, eager and waiting. The lieutenant, on the other hand, paced casually in his patch of shadow. "Well, now," he murmured. "After all this time, I'm the one who manages to capture the Gundam pilots. General Tajari is likely to promote me all the way to Colonel, I should think. Although…I suppose I had a bit of an unfair advantage…superior military forces…superior strategists…and something else…which you will recognize well, once you see it. I think…I'll show you now."
Lieutenant Yoshi stepped from his square of shadow into a square of light. The pilots gasped. The lieutenant had long dark blond hair, with lighter blond streaks. It was pulled back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck…The lieutenant's eyes…were deep blue with teal green flecks and spots…Her, not his, black uniform fit her like a glove, the silver piping falling just where it was supposed to. She removed her cap and set it down on the desk before her that was covered in maps and plots for other stratagems.
"Hello, gentlemen," she whispered. "I promised you I'd see you soon, and I always keep my promises."
"Minami…" Heero found it hard to equate a fellow agent with this newest faction. "Is that you?"
She smiled wryly. "I suppose, Heero…I suppose." Her eyes were harder now, almost an icy glacier color, rather than the gentle sapphire and turquoise from their training days. She stood ramrod straight, gaze unwavering. The smile that graced her lips was not comforting in the least.
"Lieutenant Yoshi," called a voice and another lieutenant strode up. Minami turned to face him.
"Hello, Lieutenant Shimura," she said, her obvious dislike for Shimura glittering in her eyes. "What brings you here? Oh…did you wish to see my little gift to the General?"
"I have some questions about your 'little gift'," Shimura spat out. "I think you are far too familiar with these prisoners. Your capture of them was too easy. You must know some things very intimate about them, to be able to utilize their weak points so well. It is my feeling that you, Lieutenant Yoshi, are a traitor and that all this is nothing more than some scheme to bring down the Kuro Senshi from the inside!"
Minami looked aghast. "How dare you!", she screamed. "How dare you accuse me of being a traitor, that I would deride the great General Tajari and all her Kuro Senshi!"
"Did she just say 'her'?", Duo whispered. "You mean to tell me that this kick-ass General Tajari is a woman?"
"I'm as shocked as you are," Wufei whispered back.
"You want proof of my loyalty?!", Minami screeched. "Is that it?"
"Yes!", Shimura fired back. "I want proof! Show me and all the Senshi assembled here that these prisoners mean nothing to you, except as tribute to the General!"
"Fine." Minami's voice was low and cold, sending icicles down the spine of everyone in the room; even Lieutenant Shimura was not immune. "Here is your proof."
With no further words, she drew the pistol from her hip holster, removed the safety, aimed and fired.
*****
And just when you were glad I finally posted this thing...Hehe, always did love a good cliffhanger. Hey, so I get death threats for ending it on this note. It's worth it. Keep checking back, part two will be up shortly.
*Kat-chan out* ^_^ \/
Sequel to Lady Starfarer
Chapter 1: Stories Through My Head
The great ballroom on the Preventer base was decorated lavishly for the masquerade. As evening fell, guests began to filter in; five of which were careful to enter spaced apart. Halfway through the evening, a young woman in a blue dress stepped casually up to a young man by the punch bowl.
"Well, Heero," she whispered. "Aren't you even going to ask me to dance?"
Heero was thankful for the mask, because his usual impassive features formed an expression of utter shock. "How did you know?", he had to ask.
The young woman smiled. "After all this time, Heero, I can find you no matter what you cover your face with. Now…about that dance…"
Heero turned to Relena and offered her his hand. She smiled, accepted it, and the pair slid gracefully onto the dance floor.
As the first notes of the waltz began to take shape in the air, Trowa and Quatre looked nervously at each other. They would look at the other for a minute or so, then glance away, then back. Courage to ask someone to dance, it seemed, didn't come near as easily as the courage to carry out a suicide mission.
"Quatre, would you - ?", Trowa asked, as Quatre began, "Trowa, would you -?"
They were silent for another moment, until, simultaneously, they replied, "Yes." Grinning like the fools they felt themselves to be, the pair stepped out onto the polished marble tiles.
Duo glided around the room with Hilde, while Sally dragged Wufei from his chair by the wall and out with the rest of the dancers.
While everyone was preoccupied with the waltz, another young woman sneaked in through the door. Her dress was a gorgeous teal that flashed copper when she moved. Her golden hair was stacked neatly on top of her head; what appeared to strands of silver wrapped around it, and were held in place by a silver hair comb. Her mask was slender. It was teal, like her dress, with small silver stars glittering across it; there were seven, three on each end and one in the center between her eyebrows.
She moved slowly around the dance floor, eyeing five people in particular. As the waltz faded, she came to a decision and strode to the center of the dance floor, looking for a partner. Five people turned to face her, certain they'd seen her somewhere before.
Heero blinked repeatedly, trying to force a memory to surface. Relena mistook the reason he stared and whispered in his ear, "Go on, Heero. Dance with her. Listen, the next song is starting and she doesn't have a partner. Don't worry, it's not like I'm going to get jealous. Go on!" She shoved him gently, and he went forward, offering his hand to the newly arrived young woman. She took his hand, smiling.
The next song began, a much faster tune, and she spun him around with startling speed. He caught on quickly, regaining control and leading them in a set of complex spins and turns. The first verse hadn't yet completed, when Duo cut in, determined to outdo Heero. The girl smiled and shook her head, as though she understood this all too well. At the end of the second verse, Quatre slid in and demonstrated his skill as a dancer, desperate like the rest of them to remember who this young woman was.
The third verse was drifting off, leaving only the soft, barely audible ending of the melody. As Quatre stepped aside and the girl prepared to leave, something clicked in Trowa's mind. He moved gently into her path and took her hand, resolving to dance out the last with her and see if his theory was true. Something glittered in the eyes behind the teal mask, joy perhaps. They resumed her place on the floor, dancing slowly back and forth across one patch of tiles as the music faded away.
He whispered something in her ear, to which she laughed and whispered something back. They exchanged several more hushed sentences before the tune was completely gone. After it was, Trowa kissed the back of her hand. She smiled, blushing slightly, and kissed his forehead. "I'll see you soon," she promised, and discreetly left the party.
As soon as she was gone, Trowa and the other pilots gathered at the back wall, where they would not be disturbed. "What made you decide to dance with her?", Quatre asked, certain Trowa knew the girl's identity.
"I thought I figured it out," he replied, "and I was right. I know who she is."
"And?", Duo pressed, eager for the answer.
"Didn't you see it?", Trowa demanded. "That thing in her hair? It was a silver chain…and a pendant. A star within a circle. Now…you tell me who she is."
Everyone else remained silent, letting the words replay endlessly in their heads. There was only one person like that in all the world…and it had been a year since they'd last laid eyes on her.
"So…she's back," Heero murmured. "I wondered how long it would take her."
"I…somehow I knew she'd return soon," Quatre said softly. "It's part of who she is. She can't stay away."
"Yes…that's true," Heero admitted. "But I know Minami Yoshiro, and if she's back…it's for a reason."
It was shocking. The Gundams had gone out on what was to be a brief, skirting appraisal of the Kuro Senshi base and its forces. The ambush was swift and total. The Kuro Senshi troops moved with speed unmatched by any the Gundam pilots had yet faced. They seemed to know the weaknesses of every suit and were meticulous in their exploitation of them. One by one, the suits attempted a retreat and, one by one, they were shot down. The five prisoners were taken to the main control room, handcuffed, and lined against one wall.
"Prisoners secured, Lieutenant Yoshi," said a cadet with a smart salute. "Awaiting your orders, sir."
Though all the face was not clear, it was obvious enough that Lieutenant Yoshi was smiling. "Thank you, cadet. You can either return to your usual detail…or you can stay and watch the festivities. Your choice, cadet."
The young man beamed. "I…Thank you, Lieutenant! I believe I'll take you up on your offer and stay here, if it's not an inconvenience, sir."
The higher ranking officer chuckled. "If it was an inconvenience, cadet, I wouldn't have offered it to you. Stand over there and you should have a very nice view."
The cadet nodded and scrambled to the assigned plot of wall, eager and waiting. The lieutenant, on the other hand, paced casually in his patch of shadow. "Well, now," he murmured. "After all this time, I'm the one who manages to capture the Gundam pilots. General Tajari is likely to promote me all the way to Colonel, I should think. Although…I suppose I had a bit of an unfair advantage…superior military forces…superior strategists…and something else…which you will recognize well, once you see it. I think…I'll show you now."
Lieutenant Yoshi stepped from his square of shadow into a square of light. The pilots gasped. The lieutenant had long dark blond hair, with lighter blond streaks. It was pulled back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck…The lieutenant's eyes…were deep blue with teal green flecks and spots…Her, not his, black uniform fit her like a glove, the silver piping falling just where it was supposed to. She removed her cap and set it down on the desk before her that was covered in maps and plots for other stratagems.
"Hello, gentlemen," she whispered. "I promised you I'd see you soon, and I always keep my promises."
"Minami…" Heero found it hard to equate a fellow agent with this newest faction. "Is that you?"
She smiled wryly. "I suppose, Heero…I suppose." Her eyes were harder now, almost an icy glacier color, rather than the gentle sapphire and turquoise from their training days. She stood ramrod straight, gaze unwavering. The smile that graced her lips was not comforting in the least.
"Lieutenant Yoshi," called a voice and another lieutenant strode up. Minami turned to face him.
"Hello, Lieutenant Shimura," she said, her obvious dislike for Shimura glittering in her eyes. "What brings you here? Oh…did you wish to see my little gift to the General?"
"I have some questions about your 'little gift'," Shimura spat out. "I think you are far too familiar with these prisoners. Your capture of them was too easy. You must know some things very intimate about them, to be able to utilize their weak points so well. It is my feeling that you, Lieutenant Yoshi, are a traitor and that all this is nothing more than some scheme to bring down the Kuro Senshi from the inside!"
Minami looked aghast. "How dare you!", she screamed. "How dare you accuse me of being a traitor, that I would deride the great General Tajari and all her Kuro Senshi!"
"Did she just say 'her'?", Duo whispered. "You mean to tell me that this kick-ass General Tajari is a woman?"
"I'm as shocked as you are," Wufei whispered back.
"You want proof of my loyalty?!", Minami screeched. "Is that it?"
"Yes!", Shimura fired back. "I want proof! Show me and all the Senshi assembled here that these prisoners mean nothing to you, except as tribute to the General!"
"Fine." Minami's voice was low and cold, sending icicles down the spine of everyone in the room; even Lieutenant Shimura was not immune. "Here is your proof."
With no further words, she drew the pistol from her hip holster, removed the safety, aimed and fired.
*****
And just when you were glad I finally posted this thing...Hehe, always did love a good cliffhanger. Hey, so I get death threats for ending it on this note. It's worth it. Keep checking back, part two will be up shortly.
*Kat-chan out* ^_^ \/