When It All Falls Apart
--+--
"Sometimes I feel wished on the wrong star
Cause I always seem so far from the one that I dream of
It's hard to wait for love
But I'll make it on my own cause I'm learning to be strong,
cause it's never easy standing all alone"
John Mayer was Rei's favorite singer.
Usagi snorted, last she remembered Jade from Sweetbox was the actress' preferred choice. 'She sure has changed a lot of her favorites these past few years,' the blonde admitted to herself.
Even her favorite animal had changed! Phobos and Deimos were no-where to be seen in her latest photobook about animals (It's name was 'Hino and her Friends', which Usagi found ridiculous) but it was made known that she and Quatre had many pets, from kittens to creepy ex-circus monkeys like the one from Dr. Dolittle. (Usagi vaguely remembered him being a drunk) As well as their newest addition, a Brazilian Terrier named Brucket.
Usagi twirled her finger around her glass of Caipirinha. Apparently, it was Rei's favorite drink, and the national cocktail of Brazil.
Her favorite country was Brazil.
Usagi glared up at the Brazilian flag that hung from the ceiling.
'Stupid flag,' she thought.
--+--
Quatre sighed, looking back at Hiiro, then Duo, then back at Hiiro again.
"Will you two just grow up for tonight?" he pleaded, "This is a special night for Rei--who can't wait to meet you and your dates."
Duo snorted, "I don't think she'll be too happy with his date!"
Hiiro elbowed the long-haired fellow in the gut before passing Quatre into the ballroom.
Duo merely grinned at the confused Quatre before following his friend's suit.
"What else is in store for us this night Allah?" the blonde rose his eyebrows to the dark sky. He sighed once again, turning around to face the odd fountain. "And who would put this here?"
--+--
Usagi skipped around the dance floor, twisting herself around the other swinging guests. A new song from Hannah Montana played loudly, and Usagi found this to be her new favorite song. Afterall, if Rei could change her favorites--then so could she!
"Just because I liked you back then,
It doesn't mean I like you now,
Just because I liked you back then,
It doesn't mean I like you."
"Yes, she was a guest star on the show, Ms. Hino played as Jackson's gorgeous, undercover girlfriend, who was trying to find out about Hannah's secret identity..." she heard one group talking as she twirled.
'Maybe I'll start watching it...' she thought, 'We liked eachother back then...but we don't now...'
Through the barrage of prancing middle aged folks who were trying their best not to break their hips or trip on their three-inch heels Usagi stopped.
There stood Rei Hino, gracefully moving across the floor in a flaming red, floor-length gown. Her hair was as long as ever, and her smile practically lit up the room. Behind her, the Maitre d' pushed a large birthday cake, twenty-two candles were lit all around it. Usagi pictured Old Usagi hopping right up to eat it, with possible drool seeping from her mouth. The thought disgusted her, and she slowly melted into the crowd, it wasn't time to let Rei see her.
"Make a wish, Ms. Hino!" one man chimed--Usagi noticed his bermuda shorts and hawaiian print shirt. She decided to stand next to him, that way she would look less out of place around all of the 'white tie' freaks.
"Hold on!" the young woman crooned, hushing everybody with a finger to her full, pouty red lips. "Where is my darling Quatre?"
'Darling Quatre!' Usagi mimicked mockingly in her mind.
"I'm here, Rei!" her beau nervously pushed through the people, he didn't like being rude to people but the crowd had deemed almost impossible to get through without using at least some amount of force.
With his appearance, the room was soon filled with the 'Happy Birthday' song, and drunk cries of Rei's name. The woman leaned forward, ready to give the old tradition of blowing out the candles a shot.
But before that, she closed her violet eyes, and looked as if she were thinking really hard, her eyes opened and she let her breath go.
All but one, single, melting candle went out, and the overwhelming silence went with them.
People clapped and laughed, while others gave her mock pity. Quatre gave her a kiss on the cheek as she smiled at everyone, the smoke wisping into the air. Bermuda Man's voice rang again, "Looks like your wish won't come true now!"
Rei looked at him, chuckling lightly, "I guess not, Mr. President," her eyes glowed with merriment, and Usagi gulped as they passed over her...
Then came back again. Blue clashed with violet. Violet became blurry as tears formed in Rei's eyes, she pushed her way past the guests surrounding the cake and stepped up to Usagi. Behind her, Quatre stood with eyebrows raised.
"I...I think it did after all, Mr. President."
--+--
"Oh, Usagi! I've missed you so much!" said woman looked disbelievingly at the actress in front of her. The two stood on a balcony, a tall fountain with angels dancing around it towered over them.
'What idiot would put a fountain here?' Usagi wondered, tearing her eyes away from her ex-best friend to look at it.
A woman holding a heart gazed down at her, and it appeared as if she were crying stone tears. The lights at the bottom changed to a bright blue, and Usagi felt a hand on her face, slowly bringing her back to Rei.
Said woman dropped her hand, raising the other to carefully wipe around her eyeliner.
"Still easily distracted, huh? That's my Usagi-chan!" she smiled slightly. Usagi didn't like that. She didn't like being called that. Nobody called her 'Usagi-chan' anymore. She didn't allow it. Ex-best friend or not, Rei wasn't going to call her that either.
"I am not easily distracted, and I'm not your Usagi-chan." she mustered up the words as coldly as she could.
Rei's smile disappeared, and a smirk took it's place. "What, you've grown up or something? Am I supposed to believe that you're not the same, stupid little ditz anymore?"
"Like I give a fuck about what you think I am," Usagi glared, noticing that the tears were gone.
"Sure you don't." Rei sat on the side of the fountain, one of the little cherubs poured water into the bottom--it ignored her. "Let me guess? You're wondering just why I pulled my little act back there? What, would you have preferred I drag you by your stupid odango instead? Or had you thrown out by the security guards?"
Usagi closed her eyes, trying not the roll them. 'There goes my good mood,' she thought disdainfully.
So this was how it was going to be. They would really hate eachother. Usagi knew she really had meant it that day, when Rei had shouted her hatred for the odangoed teenager. But she still stooped to act as if they were still friends, for the media's sake.
"Now, what do you want with me?"
Huh?
Usagi furrowed her delicate eyebrows. She looked down at Rei, and began to speculate. This was something she was good at. Why did Rei sound like she, Usagi, was about to kill her or something?
"You want to rephrase the question?"
"Don't you play dumb, I know you came here for...for...blackmail or something!" the young woman stood, glancing past Usagi to make sure the coast was clear. But for what? Paparazzi? "You think I'm stupid!? With all the dirt you've got on me...ugh, just give me your demands!"
Oh God, now this was hilarious. The little actress had just given Usagi everything she needed. Unknowingly, Rei had crowned her pieces on the checkerboard.
'Fool,'
"Well...we could start with...money."
Rei narrowed her eyes, "How much?"
Inwardly, Usagi was laughing her head off, on the outside though, she looked calm, collected, and rather cruel.
"How much did you make starring on that Disney show?"
Rei sweatdropped, "Not much, compared to my latest film..." she trailed off.
'Shit,' Usagi thought, 'I'm supposed to know how much I want!'
"Okay then, I think 50 grand is fair." Rei visibly relaxed, and unfortunately for her, Usagi noticed it.
'Damnit!'
"A week," she added stupidly.
Rei gritted her teeth, "For...?"
"Until I think I'm ready to retire,"
Something just changed. Their relationship went from hatred, to going so low as to treachery and blackmail at the other's expense. It was sickening to Usagi, and rather annoying to Rei.
'How did things go downhill like this?' Usagi thought, 'Was it all my fault? Where did it start?'
"I'll see to it that you get your money then," Rei stood glaring coolly back at her ex-best friend. "Good-bye, Usagi-chan," Usagi looked back maliciously--or as maliciously as she knew how to--only faultering when Rei passed, biting her lip. It was an old habit of hers, biting it whenever she was about to start crying. It was barely noticeable to others, but then, Usagi had known Rei for so long...and the thought of her crying--really weeping, was almost enough to make Usagi cry.
She really did make a good actress though.
Usagi waited for Rei to leave before looking back up at the sad fountain lady. Her blue eyes filled with tears.
But why was she crying?
--+--
"Tsukino! Get back here! At least slow down!" Hiiro growled as he sprinted after the tiny blonde. He sighed, pulling out his cell to call for the limo driver. "Pull around front! We've got a runner!"
Usagi ran as fast as she could, slamming her fingers into the elevator button that read '1'. The doors closed as she watched her ex-boss Duo drop his phone. She wiped her tears as best she could--that did nothing but smear her mascara--and tried not to smile. It cheered her up, seeing the cold man appear flustered at her expense.
The doors opened, and there stood Duo Maxwell, huffing and bent over, phone in one hand, the other holding him up against the wall.
He glared up at her, "Will you...stop running!? Damnit, at least let me get back into shape first!"
"I'm sorry Mr. Maxwell, I just have to go..." she said, her voice cracking.
"Why the hell do you keep calling me 'Mr. Maxwell'? I'm not your boss anymore." Usagi blinked, Duo stood up to his full height, his tuxedo jacket was gone and in it's place was a white dress shirt. She vaguely wondered where the smoking jacket had gone.
Little did she know that it was on Crooked's back, who had stolen it as payback for his name.
"Well, uhh, Duo doesn't really suit you,"
Duo sweatdropped, 'Of course it doesn't,'
Usagi wiped her face again, moving forward towards the revolving doors. Duo moved with her and they fell into step.
"May I ask why you're crying?"
"May I ask if you really care?"
"No, but it could help to talk about it."
"Do not mock me!"
"Whatever, just trying to be..."
"Helpful?" Usagi snorted, "Because that's just in your nature, right?" she pushed through the doors, and stood at the steps, waiting for him. "You are nothing but a suit."
Duo stopped. He looked at his ex-secretary incredulously. 'That was just about the meanest thing she's ever said to me,' he thought, 'And maybe to anyone, at least, I almost hope so,'
"You have a way with words tonight, Tsukino. I must say I'm impressed with your newfound ability to say exactly what you mean to say. And you must've meant to say it, otherwise such words probably would've never left that once untainted little mouth of yours."
Usagi stopped, reaching a hand to her face as if it had been slapped...with a sledgehammer.
"Oh my god...I'm a terrible person."
Now, such a realization to hit upon the once-sweet, passionate youth was quite dastardly. Quite shocking. Old Usagi never would have said such words, and even if she had tried, she probably would've stumbled over the cruel words...she never would have blackmailed a friend--or anyone. Cruelty hadn't been in her nature.
"I'm...sorry." and with that she fainted.
Hiiro grabbed her fallen body, lifting her up as the limousine finally pulled around.
"Great," he muttered, and with that, snow began to fall. He raised his eyes heaven-ward. "Great,"
What ever happened to April showers?
--+--
Hiiro sighed. He sat across from the unconscious Tsukino who currently lay on his La-Z-Boy sofa. (the sofa's name was Demi) The dimly lit room was soothing to him...Hiiro recalled sleeping on the couch many times, just because. But no, he had to give the sofa to her, since his bedroom was out of the question. He glanced at the clock on his fake fireplace, and stood to stretch.
1:12
He then stepped over to the blonde and carefully slipped off her Jimmy Choos.
"Unnh...where am I?" Usagi moaned, lifting her head--it currently lay in Hiiro's lap as they drove along the streets of wherever-the-hell-Yui-lived. She blinked her blue eyes, a confused look on her face.
"You're in the limousine, we're going to my apartment." was his curt reply.
"Oh, okay. Why?"
"Because I don't know where you live."
"Okay...good night...Duo..."
His living room looked a little less lonely tonight.
Hiiro rolled his eyes as the blanket he'd draped across Tsukino took it's time fluttering onto her body. She subconciously grabbed it, pulling the fleece closer for warmth.
"Good night, Usagi." and with that the light went out.
--+--
"Ahahahah!" Usagi laughed. She had woken up and found it still nighttime, and that Duo had lied.
She sat in her living room, but it seemed as if all those scary spiders had come for an afterparty. They scuttled up and down her walls, all heading for the same destination. The overhead light, they gazed upon it with their many eyes in wonder. Its brightness made them flock like birds to bread.
"I used to be like that," Usagi muttered, glancing at the black widow which slowly crept across the arm of her loveseat, it stopped and looked up at her disbelievingly.
"Right, I bet you're wondering how I could have eight legs or climb up walls?" she leaned back, "I mean, I used to be that light. I used to be cheerful, bright, sunny. I had tons of friends, I loved everyone, and everyone loved me. Then I found out that one of them had only pretended to love me. But it doesn't matter, because he is dead now. That stupid jerk is dead now! He took my light with him..." she trailed off, looking at the deadly spider. She brought her hands in front of her, blocking it out. They were gray, and appeared cracked and positively ashy.
Usagi stood up, throwing the fleece blanket--she didn't remember owning one--over the side and stepping up to one of her mirrors. A beautiful young woman gazed back, her azure irises sparkling back at this dull-eyed blonde. The reflection's hair was done in the same style, but her hair looked as if it were spun gold. A golden brooch was pinned to her old high school uniform. She was the light.
"Hello, Usagi-chan," Usagi spoke to the reflection. The young woman smiled sadly back, and began to crumble...Usagi blinked and the crumbling figure was gone, in it's place a sad-eyed blonde. Her skin was gray, her lips blue, her brooch gone.
What had ever happened to it, anyway?
Usagi closed her eyes, and opened them again. In front of her, the black widow hung, it swung from left to right, little legs twisting around--it was trying to stop. Usagi stuck her index finger in the middle and the little spider smacked into it. She climbed onto the tip, nodding her head in thanks.
"You know what? The old Usagi was afraid of spiders." the black widow's eyes widened.
"Why?" Usagi tilted her head to the side in deep thought.
"You're...ugly. You're poisonous, your bites can kill--and you pop up whenever and get your nasty webs in the way." the black spider bent it's head down rather sadly and hopped off her finger, slowly falling down onto the thin carpet.
"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings!" she called after it, it soon began to march with the other spiders, only these ones were headed for the window. "Oh, come on! Don't be like that! You can't leave me too!"
Usagi slumped to the floor, staring after the spiders, she hadn't realized her window was open--bright light leaked from it--and about ten or so spiders were climbing up it's wall, the rest were intent on getting to the light above. But the light above had so many spiders on it, that the light was growing dim! The soft glow was no more helpful than a match.
"Don't leave me..."
--+--
Usagi opened her eyes, and instantly regretted it. She shut them tight, somewhere--wherever she was--some stupid light was attempting to blind her.
"You stupid light!"
"Good morning, Tsukino," came a familiarly grouchy voice. Usagi blinked her eyes, trying to get used to whatever-it-was that was in her face.
"It was a dream?" she asked herself, pulling her blanket to her chin and sitting up in the bright room.
"You mean you having a nervous breakdown and fainting? No, that was real." came a rather sarcastic voice. There in front of Usagi sat Duo, eating pizza. She looked at the item of food--it seemed out of place, possibly because she could never picture this stoic man eating anything with his hands. Said man looked down at the pizza. "Grilled chicken and pineapple, want some?"
"What are you doing?"
"Eating. Breakfast."
"I mean with me,"
He looked thoughtful, and took another bite, "Wondering exactly why I would associate myself with somebody so mean. Somebody who probably doesn't even like pineapple and chicken pizza."
"I'm not mean, not intentionally."
With those words Duo burst out laughing--but not before swallowing his food--it was kind of nice, a bit odd, but nice. "You're joking, right? It seemed pretty intentional last night."
Usagi bowed her head, glaring back at her small hands. They were no longer the gray they were in her dream.
'You cruel bitch,' she thought scornfully. She felt like hitting herself.
That old, beautiful Usagi was never cruel--would never hurt somebody with words like that. Stupid Usagi-chan.
"Would you like some?"
Usagi looked up at him, the look on his face was priceless. He held a plate with a slice of chicken--no pineapple was to be seen. She took it, looking down in wonder. Looking back up at him, he shrugged rather sheepishly.
"I like to pick them off."
Usagi spotted a lone pineapple chunk, slightly hidden from the fruitivorous Duo. She picked it up. "You missed one." She leaned forward and offered it to him, and just as he was about to shake his head--she flicked it at him.
"Take that!"
--+--
"Damn her!" Rei shouted from inside her bathtub. The luxurious bathroom was part of the Pestana Rio Atlantica suite she stayed in. The smell of jasmine radiated from the heat, but not even that could sooth her nerves.
"I'm going to go bankrupt!" she screamed angrily. It wasn't really true, but it might as well have--when considering her pride and dignity, which had dropped since her meeting with dear old Usagi-chan.
"So much for leaving everything behind," she muttered, looking at the odd rubber duck that had accompanied her--a joke of Quatre's, no doubt.
All of this was thanks to him, her love had arranged this getaway for her. All of the stress from work (and Usagi-chan) had been getting to her, and now she had a break. The beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro was for her to enjoy. She loved Brazil.
She looked at a pale arm, she could use a tan.
"Time to forget about everything..." and with that, Rei leaned her head back and smelled the roses.
'I'll deal with her later...'
--+--
What is it about him?
He is so strange. Sometimes he's almost cruel--other's he is almost kind. What makes that man tick?
I don't get it. He fired me, he hates me--and yet he took me on a date--a date he ditched me on. He took me shopping, he took me to his home. He took...care of me.
Duo Maxwell is something like a sheep in wolf's clothing. Imagine that. We even have an inside joke! (Intimate Fantasies) His favorite pizza is pineapple and chicken! He eats it for breakfast!
I look around and I see his apartment--all of that stupid light seeping from the many ceiling windows. I wonder if those windows would make it easier to break in. Since when does Papa John's take orders at 7 in the morning? Why the hell am I up at 7 in the morning?
I won the pizza fight. He couldn't get me because I'm still wearing my gown. Take that, Mr. Maxwell! He really doesn't look like a Duo. He said he was going to take a shower, and that if I peeked he would get me with his water gun. Well, its not like I would peek at his nasty self anyway! The mere thought is so gross, I think I'm going to be sick.
I hate him! Thats how it is, it' done, it' obsolete! Nothing will change how I feel about him!
He's a stupid, egotistical, self-centered, poignant, charming, cold-hearted, sadistic, yet funny, out-and-out meanie!
--+--
"That bastard!" Duo exclaimed as violently as he could. An innocent pillow was getting squished to death in his hands. Quatre rubbed his temple, this guy was beginning to get on his last nerve.
"Duo, get off of my desk."
Said man hopped down, huffing at Quatre. "It's not like I wore my shoes up there!"
Quatre placed his head in his hands, shutting his eyes he wished he had never tried to bring the pilots together. Everything was slowly killing him. The stress of the media, his somewhat psycho girlfriend who was on a vacation he wished she'd let him go on, and the idiocracies of his life.
While Duo's actions were at times over-emphasized and in Wufei's eye--annoying--Quatre was very grateful for his company. Duo's phenomenal ability to bring situations to an ease was what he needed. Toleration was easier when you have somebody to complain with. Another pilot would have the same viewpoint as he did on things--even if Duo's current viewpoint was how much he hated Hiiro for stealing his identity.
Quatre didn't see the big deal, since it had happened before, but it could just be Duo's pride. He didn't like it when people didn't ask before taking his things. Sure it was childish, but Duo was Duo--and he didn't have all that much to begin with.
"I mean, I was going to tell Usagi my real name eventually! But how am I going to do that now!? Introduce myself with the same name as her ex-boss? Its ridiculous!"
"Well Duo...you could just take his name--make things square, you know?" Quatre suggested, opening his hazel eyes. "But don't go telling him it was my idea, Hiiro's wrath is definitely the last thing I need, and I don't recommend you scratching his back just because he scratched yours."
Duo rubbed his chin and sat in one of his friend's chairs. He crossed his leg and sighed.
"Right, I'm sorry about that, I know you have problems too--much bigger ones from the sound of it--it is selfish of me to rant about silly things like names and what. I mean, its like from Romeo and Juliet, right? 'What's in a name? That which we call By any other name would smell as sweet;'"
With a satisfied nod, Duo turned his full attention towards Quatre, who was awe-struck.
"Duo, that was positively insightful!" he exclaimed, laughing. "I should expect no less from a poet such as yourself."
"Huh? Poet? Gee, Quatre! You scare me sometimes." the long-haired young man stated, shrugging in confusion, "I just say it like it is, now what did you want to talk about?"
Quatre's laughter faded, and a serious tone came to his voice, "This information is supposedly...confidential. But I've gathered that this is something we--as pilots--need to know. It was thanks to Rei's detective skills that this has been attained."
Crooked's eyebrows raised, "Wha? Your girlfriend's detective skills?"
"She's pretty...smart, for an actress, don't you think?"
Quatre got up from his chair and reached to close the blinds. "Duo, Rei is a preventor. She's doubling as an actress--to make it easier to get into everything, understand?"
"But a preventor turned actress?"
"Well, singers don't get as much credibility, and she refused to have anything to do with being a politician--shutting her father up was a great difficulty. We had to keep her name in case of background checks and such, secrecy tends to lead to bad publicity. Her job is to keep to the upperside's good graces, and so far her job has been outstanding."
"So...your relationship with her is just for the media?"
Quatre had the decency to blush.
"Ah-hah! You love her!"
"Must you say it like that? Its not that big a deal..."
"You've gotten a girlfriend before any of us have!"
"What about Hilde?"
"That German midget?" Duo chuckled at the affectionate nickname, "She's cool and all, but I need somebody more...feminine, I guess."
"Oh, well, we're getting off subject!" Quatre said, his air of almost-panic surrounding the two. The blonde sat on his desk, closer to Duo. "This is serious, you don't--"
"Have any idea how serious this must be, even considering the fact that you put up with showcasing the troublesome rebel groups and invited us to your supermodel-worthy girlfriend's birthday bash--just to get our attention!?" He continued.
"Don't take me for a fool! I may goof around a lot, but I can tell that we're about to hit a really big pot-whole in the road to peace." Quatre nodded in satisfactory, he liked Smart Duo.
"It could lead to a war. The rebel groups are going to join forces with ex-preventors! I mean, I couldn't believe it when Rei told me! I had no idea they were so serious! We might need our old gundams again--they have mobile suits in production, Duo."
Said man's face went stark white.
"Oh my God."
Quatre reached for his cup of coffee--it was all he ever drank anymore. His hand shook as he brought it to his lips.
"All of this...just so they can live on Venus?"
"Duo...I think they want more than that. Its like they think it will belong to them. Imagine selling a planet to the highest bidder! All of the...the crime that could go unpunished, who knows how long it would take to get laws written or a democracy established--they'll be manufacturing God knows what before the first child is born a Martian!
"You have no idea how Rei is reacting towards all of this...to her, it is pure treason."
Crooked's nose wrinkled.
"Treason?"
"Duo...you truly have no idea. I can't even say it--I swore secrecy. But when it is spoken of, and I pray to Allah it never needs to be--it will shock you. It shocked me...and if I didn't love Rei so much..." his odd confession confusing Duo.
"Hey man, I won't pressure you--I trust you...but don't take my help for granted. You know I'll do what ever I can to keep another war from happening. Maybe one of my inventions will come in handy, or not, I'll get in touch with...Une...about all of this, she'll give me some back-breaking work for sure." He stood and shook Quatre's hand.
"Thank you, Duo," Quatre smiled at his friend.
"Oh, and Duo, don't take Hiiro's name or I'll have to rat you out." Quatre shrugged sheepishly, "But you two's feud won't end with you acting childish. This isn't about take and take."
"Well, you know what, bud!?" Duo asked as he pulled his boots on--he noticed something out of the corner of his eye and picked it up, "It's not mine, but I'm taking this!"
In his hand was a crumpled dollar bill.
--+--
I'm glad he didn't ask about Usagi.
Usagi Tsukino.
She is to say...really strange. I sometimes wonder if she is insane, or possibly has more than one personality. But if she did, I wouldn't love her any less. I remember when I first met her, I had been working on an invention of mine--miniature mobile dolls. It'll surprise you what you can make out of all that junk at the scrapyard. But yeah, I came up with the idea that preventors could use them and stuff, they were perfect for spying and in this case--attracting beautiful non-techies.
"Hey!" she had exclaimed, hopping up from behind me all of a sudden. "That's really cute! I don't like those things, but I think I like the small ones!" She had radiated love, caring, and compassion. "Is that a toy?"
"This? A toy?" he had scorned her a bit, a little insulted by the idea of her not taking his contraption seriously. "It's a spy gadget, very handy on missions and important things of the like."
"Oh, I see! So it's...cuteness is a self-defense mechanism!"
She really stumped me on that one.
"Like, if a bad guy saw it he would think, 'What a weird little toy! I wonder how it got here? I'd better take it to the bossman--or better yet--his son! He can play with it!', right? Then the bossman's son would play with it and when he'd go see daddy work you could watch all sorts of stuff! Then suddenly the boy loses the toy--because you're now inside the secret base! You don't need that little pawn anymore, you're on the inside and if anyone sees it they'll remember the crying boy that misplaced his new toy, and won't think twice about it having a camera, or something, right?"
She had good logic at times, if anything.
I really hadn't thought about it like that, I guess making it look like a toy (on accident) was a good thing after all.
"Usagi! Usagi Tsukino!" she had reached out her tiny hand. "What's your name?"
Duo thought for a moment. Suddenly something caught his eye--it was Hilde! No doubt wondering where he had run off, she thought his inventions were stupid. She had once really hurt him--she had thrown his beloved prototype away.
"Hold on!" he looked around for the largest hideaway. A strange bush. There were purple berries on it. He leapt into the plant and hoped Hilde hadn't seen him. Fortunately, she hadn't. But unfortunately, she saw Usagi.
"Hey you! Have you seen my friend? He's kind of tall and has long braided hair." she had asked. Gulp.
I thank God she wasn't some stupid blonde girl.
"Sorry no, I saw...an opossum hop into those bushes though. I think I scared it." Hilde nodded, not without giving her an odd look though, and checked the miniature mobile doll that was now in Usagi's hand.
'Damn! I forgot it!' he thought.
"Where did you get that?" Hilde asked.
"Oh, this?" Usagi held it up. "I bought it at a toy store--its a model. I was just on my way to buy some paint for it, because I don't like the original coloring."
His eyebrows rose. She was good.
"You like models? That's rather strange for a girl, you know." Hilde was still unsure...the stupid toy looked very familiar.
"No I don't, but it's not for me...its for..." she trailed off.
'Come on! Think of something!' he cheered.
"My little brother, his name is Shingo and becoming a pilot has been his dream for like, ever!" she grinned at Hilde, "His birthday is coming up and well...it was all I could afford." she admitted as sheepishly as a sheep could.
"Oh, well...okay. I have to get going. Bye," she muttered, walking off in the opposite direction.
Usagi turned to the bush, and with that grin still on her face, she dove in. The two sat there for two hours, talking about anything and everything, and him thanking her repeatedly for the cover. After a while they finally stopped laughing. Usagi observed him closely and came to a single conclusion.
"You know...your smile is weird. It's like, lop-sided. Crooked, even." his new friend had pointed out as they squatted together.
That had given me an idea.
"Crooked, huh? Well then, I guess that's what you'll have to call me!" he'd said. An affectionate nickname would start things off quite nicely. He didn't want to tell her his name right away, anyway. It wasn't that he liked keeping strange secrets, it was simply because he had just finished reading Romeo and Juliet. It just seemed to fit to him.
Its been...years since that day and she still doesn't know my name. I'm not just Crooked, I'm...I'm a lot of things. I'm a nice guy, and I can only hope you can get out of the hole you dug for yourself. Its just...unfortunate, because everybody knows that nice guys finish last, and I think I'm losing to Hiiro...
--+--
"Hey! Its you guys!" Usagi exclaimed, she was once again in her dark apartment, but now the spiders were trying to find the light--it was covered too much by the first ones now. Usagi stood in front of her mirror again, gazing sadly back at the gray person. "It's you, too. I see you're still here."
The real reflection nodded its head as if to say, 'I'm sorry,'.
"Whatever," Usagi muttered.
She looked at her window, the light from it was fading as well. The trail of spiders were gone, they must have left. "I'm sorry I hurt your feelings!" Usagi called after the little black widow, it too had vanished into what Usagi guessed was the sun.
One rather large spider bumped into Usagi's leg on it's way to the wall. "Sorry," she said, gritting her teeth, there was no-where for her to go, she couldn't even see the floor in the dark--and the spiders didn't really help. She didn't want to squish them--she wasn't wearing any shoes--or do anything to make them mad. Or sad. The large spider--a brown tarantula--watched her from the wall.
She wondered what would happen if one died. Ami once told her that other spiders would eat it--which had thoroughly disgusted her friend--and some would lay their eggs in their bodies--which had made her throw up. Wouldn't they be sad if their friend died, though?
She glanced up at the hidden light.
"They would keep going towards the light..." but what would it help if the light died, too?
Usagi felt something tugging on her jeans. The black widow. Usagi broke out into a grin, "You came back!" she bent down and lifted it up, she gave it a suspicious look, "You're not going to bite me, are you?"
It shook its head, 'No'.
"Okay then, what do you need?"
The tiny arachnid turned and pointed one if it's long front legs towards the window--a small trail of spiders were pushing some light. They were pushing light?
Indeed, the light from the window was gone, and had become a small, round ball. The spiders continued to push it in her direction. It seemed as if they were having a little trouble--it was moving slowly and there were tons of spiders in the way. Usagi would've helped them but she couldn't move without killing something. She couldn't kill them, she couldn't watch them feast on eachother...
The black widow began to jump up and down hurriedly--a rather odd sight to any passerby--it kept looking back at Usagi who only shrugged in defeat. The light was getting no-where now.
"There are too many spiders, and too few pushing the light,"
The widow stopped, and stopped jumping. It looked very sad.
Suddenly, the light began to move again, it was actually moving quite fast now. It pushed it's way through the mass of arachnids towards Usagi. The black widow peeked down from Usagi's hands and began to jump up and down again, it appeared to be excited by this once-again travelling light.
The spiders that surrounded them seemed smaller in number now, they were climbing out the window, possibly hoping to find their own light. The little trail of spiders rushed after the light--they weren't pushing it anymore--carefully dodging the wave of spiders scrambling towards the window. Black widow then leapt from Usagi's hands, all the way to the floor.
"Be careful!" Usagi cried after her friend. It landed with a soft thunk and ran towards the light--the light was now slowing down, stopping only when it was two feet from Usagi's feet. It came to a complete stop as the black widow circled around to rejoin it's group--Usagi took notice of them all being widows--some red, some brown, some big, and some small.
Usagi knelt down, sitting seiza-style. She bent forward, wondering what could have been pushing the light so fast. She placed an elbow on the floor, and cupped her hand onto her face, her other arm proceeding with the same position. Her face was now a foot from the floor, giving her a clear look of this little 'gang'.
Slowly, from behind the light, came the big, brown tarantula. It looked rather bashful at the moment.
"You're pretty strong," Usagi said with approval. It stepped away from the light, and soon became surrounded by the widows.
"Aren't you a strange group," she stated matter-of-factly, nodding her head for emphasis.
Her friend Black widow pointed towards the light.
"What do I need it for?"
The widows shook their heads, and began to back away from Usagi.
'To keep them around, they follow the light...'
Usagi sat up and reached forward, her gray fingers grasping the light. It was warm and she brought it to her face--it felt nice--but the glow began to subside, growing dim.
"Hey!" she cried.
In it's place was her gold brooch. It sparkled incandescently, the ivory wings glowing.
"I need it after all, don't I?" she asked the spiders, who all nodded their tiny heads in agreement.
"I need it to become Usagi-chan again,"
The brooch opened, and out spilled a golden light that filled the room...
"I am Eternal!"
--+--
Notes: There's lots more humor and OOC-ness in this chapter! Is that a good thing? But OMG, I totally didn't intend for any of this! I was hoping for something normal--it was about redemption! This is not a war-story! XD
The lyrics at the beginning are 'For the Lonely' by Sweetbox, and the song Usagi dances to from Hannah Montana is 'East Northumberland High'--a personal new favorite of mine! Been listening to it like, nonstop now.
'Mr. President' is the president of Rei's talent agency, and 'Mr. Chairman' is her other boss, lol, they're co-CEOs.
How lovely! Snow in April, I personally think its better than having the poor young man get rained on! Especially with little Usagi wearing that white dress! I wonder if anyone noticed me stealing that line from You've Got Mail...about Hiiro being a suit. Ahahah, it just seemed to fit to me!
I love pineapple and grillen chicken pizza! We ordered some while I was writing this, so I put it in! XD Enjoy.
I didn't mean to make Rei so mean. Sorry about that, but she hates Usagi. I never would've thought that Usagi would blackmail her, and yet it just came to my head. It was like, the only way for them to still collaborate--they never would've kept in touch otherwise if you think about it. But I like Rei, so hopefully something good will come out of their relationship besides money.
I have a special surprise for everyone! Okay, so I've been drawing for several...okay, about 7 years now! And while this ain't my best work, I totally drew a picture of Crooked for you guys to enjoy. I've also gotten Rei, Usagi, and Hiiro down on paper. I've decided to put one up with every chapter--though you'll get both Rei and Usagi, since they're in the same piece--and everyone is looking quite dashing in their outfits for Rei's party.
Now, to get to the first picture--this thing is gay when it comes to linking junk, so look on my profile page! Send me a review on it through this story if you'd like!
Thank you soooo much for the (few) lovely reviews that I did get! I hope ya'll enjoy the rest of the story...R&R!