A/N: Well, I've waited long enough for people to recognize what I dork I am. Anyway… I'm almost appalled at myself now. Dear god. Anyway, with no comments to reflect on, we'll just begin recap. Last time, the Three Angels found out where Izumi's mom lives and convinced everyone to go with them this weekend. Also, Jun cussed out poor Yurika, Mari began to feel sorry for Saburota in a friendly way, Minato told Yukina about Genichiro, and Ruri began wondering if she was the main reason why her parents are continuously at each other's throats. This time… We look at how things are really going with Yurika and Erina, glance into the sick and twisted mind of Saburota, check up on Kaguya, Ruri calls yet another house that obviously loves her, and the pilots pile into a hotel room in the town in which I live. Okay, woo, let's a go.

~*~

Those that lived in Yamada Manor were not the only ones that had things to speak about at dinner that night. Despite it being a small meal of sandwiches and soup, it was one of the first times Yurika and Erina had had dinner together since Erina had been shocked into near silence, and not with Erina being somewhere else and Yurika being at home. It was a very silent meal as Yurika slowly peeled the crust off of her bread. She didn't like crust. She didn't like silence either. In fact, she didn't like the fact that she and Erina barely were together, nor did she like the fact that Erina seemed to be drifting away.

She decided to force up a conversation, any conversation. She remember just Sunday and how she had not told Erina about it. "Jun called the other day." No response. Yurika continued. "He seemed really angry about this whole thing. But I'm not surprised… he doesn't seem to understand that he's just a friend, not someone that I can love like that." Still, no answer. Yurika pushed on. "I really felt bad for hurting him, especially after all he's done for me, but now that I think about it, maybe it was for the best." A slight smile from Erina was enough for Yurika to give herself a pat on the back. That was at least something.

Still, silence enveloped them again and Yurika found herself wanting something, anything to talk about. Suddenly she thought of something. "You know what's great, Erina? Kaguya has stopped randomly attacking and harassing me in the halls! Now you don't have to try to get rid of her or something! Isn't that wonderful? But I wonder what made her stop…" All Erina did was take another bite of her sandwich. This time, Yurika's will fell, and she sighed, giving up. This was how it had been since last Thursday, almost a week ago.

Yurika, even with all the time to herself recently, could not figure out what had happened that day that would have caused the strong-willed Erina to be burnt down like this. It really was just not like her. One minute she was still the arrogant woman that told her to take off the experiment suit that they used to track her progress and get ready to go home, the next she was in shock, as if someone had slapped her across the face. Something happened in that observation room before Yurika made it up there, and she just could not see what it was.

'The only other person in there was Miss Fressange.' Kaguya could not have run in there and left, Yurika would have seen her on her way up. Yurika strained to remember all those that she had seen coming from that direction. It was that hard, for there was only one. 'Miss Fressange.' In a flash, Yurika knew that's what it was. She had forgotten, but she had known, due to the gossip about the ship, that Erina and Inez were once an item, for a very long time, in fact. Could it possibly be that Erina was cheating on her, or was Yurika jumping to conclusions again, the same way she did that led to Erina's cousin's death?

Erina stood from the table abruptly, picking up her dishes and leaving the room to go deposit them in the sink. She came back immediately, however, and dug in the closet for her coat. "Yurika, I'm afraid I have to go back to headquarters. There was something I need to take care of before I left that I just remembered. Don't wait up."

Yurika's aqua green eyes darkened. Not exactly the best thing for Erina to say right after Yurika suddenly forged doubts. "Erina… does this have anything to do with Inez Fressange?"

Erina turned her gaze to Yurika. Yurika immediately regretted her words. Erina's dark eyes were full of guilt, sorrow, and a tiny bit of anger that Yurika knew was not directed toward her. It seemed to take ages for Erina's lips to form one single word that they both wanted spoken. "No."

~*~

As a mercenary, albeit a secret one, Saburota found himself all to often sitting in the food court of a local mall waiting for whoever needed dirt on someone else. Recently, they've all been information trips: who killed Kusakabe and why, was there some sort of evil plot about. Frankly, he was getting sick of it. There was no way of finding out this stuff, and if he got one more of these commissions, he was going to pull out all of his hair.

However, this one in particular was yet another information trip, but it was one he could stand. "Oh, my boyfriend works for blahdeblah and I think he may be having an affair, oh please help me!" These were the more common ones he got, but, this time, the girl didn't show. Sighing, Saburota picked up his cup of soda and walked out of the food court. Another reason he came here was to people watch. He had to do something while he was waiting for these idiots to show up. But it was even more interesting to be among their number and actually hear snippets of their conversations. He didn't know why this was so interesting, he just did.

As he wandered, he began to think of how absurd his occupation was. There was nothing for someone of his like to do except look for information, even with all of the anti-Jumper tension. There really wasn't much he was skilled at, though he had been taking some math classes at the local university. He did occasionally do some random jobs like deliveries for extra money, but for the moment there wasn't a need for it.

Saburota found himself in a video store. This wasn't so bad; he wanted to look for a movie that involved pirates. The history of them and such were a secret interest of his, but it was not this that he found. Instead, he came across some videos of "Magical Princess Natural Laichi". He picked up the one labeled as the first and looked at the credits on the back. Sure enough, there was Mari's name. It was a little odd to know the person who was the voice behind the protagonist of the country's most popular anime of the year.

This, of course, made him think of the woman who was the Communications Officer on the first Earth ship he was chosen for. He had just spoken to her a few days ago, the day before his birthday, in fact. She really had a knack for insults, which was something Saburota respected. But she actually hit a bit below the belt with what she thought of him. She saw him a common pervert that chased girls and did nothing else of importance. It was really kind of rude of her, but it made Saburota stop and think. He often did go and see some throwaway girls, if only to reassure himself that he was still appealing to the female population. See, Saburota wasn't really looking for a permanent girl.

He already knew which one he wanted, and she was the only name on the video in his hands that he recognized.

Saburota did know when the hell he had officially gained quite a fancy for the voice actress, but it was there. He wasn't sure why, either. She was very plain looking. Maybe it was that they were comrades, but he didn't find himself wishing for Kaguya or Erina. But, as he thought, there was something about her… maybe it was just the fact that she never gave him a definite no punch like Erina, but never went along with it, like Kaguya. She was not easy and he knew this. But she was always there and never did give him a "go the fuck away you asshole" like everyone else. And she always seemed so jealous of the girls he carried around.

He sighed and shook his head, taking the video up the counter and buying it. 'And here I am, going to go home and watch this just so I can hear her voice, or see why she's so bored on Friday nights when she's so popular. I really am pathetic.'

~*~

Kaguya smiled at the business party she was at, seeing both Erina and Yurika within range. She caught Erina's eye as she raised her glass to them, sipping it. Fear flashed in the CEO of Nergal's eyes as she led the former captain of the Nadesico away. Kaguya could not hold in a giggle at the scene before her as she continued to sip the contents of her glass.

Business parties were always so few and far between, but Kaguya enjoyed them as much as she enjoyed the time between them. After all, something had considerably lifted Kaguya's spirits, despite all the regret associated with what made her happy. Stalking out Erina and Yurika at these things was always a hilarious task, but it was for one reason and one reason alone that she did this. She wanted a moment, any moment, alone with Erina. See, for some strange reason, Kaguya was able to convince Erina to go back with her, despite Kaguya knowing she didn't break it off with Yurika. There were many days when Kaguya saw Yurika and just wanted to tell her about her affair with Erina to see her be crushed, but that, she resolved, would be highly cruel. Kaguya didn't like being cruel, but she would if she had to.

After all, there was a lot more to it than just being a side for Erina. While Yurika was slowly being led away from the project, Kaguya had reentered it, receiving higher Jumper training that would increase the probability of successes. Their latest test, if one would call it that, was a complete victory. After all, it's not everyday that one is able to Jump herself and another to Jupiter and back using a single Chulip Crystal.

Seeing Erina once more, she smiled. If only they really could tell Yurika exactly what Erina's been doing after hours, exactly why Kaguya had been laying off of her, everything that was going on. But Kaguya seemed to have to deal with letting Yurika live in the dark with this set up she and Erina had forged.

~*~

While on the Nadesico, Ruri had never been one for talking. She, Omoikane, and Megumi may have been the most common users of the wide-scale Emergency Line on the Ship, but she was the only one to actually use the Emergency Line for emergencies. So it was very off to realize that Ruri had been the one most common of the now former Nadesico crew to actually call other members. But it you were to remember that her time on the Nadesico had in fact made her long very much for those she was now isolated from, her behavior about the phone would most likely not be very surprising.

Ruri did little to recognize these facts as she flipped through her disgustingly pink address book, a gift she received from those she was blood to for coming home, for a specific number. Finding it, she dialed it quickly into her white phone and listened to it ring several times with no visible expression of any kind. But once there was a voice coming from the receiver, she had to frown, as it was exactly the wrong person she was calling, as only two lived in the house halfway across the Earth that she was calling. "Moshi-moshi?"

"Hello, Yukina. This is Ruri. If Minato is available, could you please put her on the phone?" It was short, brisk, and maybe even a little rude, but it was dismissible when one remembered that both girls tended to be jealous of the other and did not really have a strong relationship, despite the fact that Yukina sat nest to Ruri as Assistant Communications Officer and that they were both very close to the woman that sat on the other side of Ruri while on the ship, Minato.

"Oh well… I guess she can talk… but if you want to talk to her, hang up and call again. I won't answer it." This, considering that it would send a man of lesser mind reeling, puzzled Ruri. She frowned more deeply. "Why can't you just… give her the phone, or tell her that I'm on the phone for her?"

"Because," began Yukina, stubbornly and frustratingly matter-of-fact, "that would require me to talk to her and I don't want to do so any more than I absolutely have to. So just go ahead and hang up and call back. I won't answer it so that she gets it." This explained it better, but Ruri knew that there was most likely more to the story than just this. After all, there was no real reason for Yukina refusing to talk to Minato other than they had a fight, the subject of which was unknown. Ruri knew that it was absolutely none of her business, and felt very foolish at the words that came out of her mouth just then, but after years of listening to Yurika say many of the same things, was also not very surprised. "Why are you two fighting?" Again, very brisk, very short, and quite possibly, very rude.

There was a pause. Ruri could almost see the face Yukina was most likely making. It was a face that Yukina often made just before coming up with a plausible lie, but was easily spotted because of the face. It looked something like a grin, only very humorless, and looked more like an "oh shit I've been caught" face, which is exactly what it was. It, in fact, was a display of Yukina trying to align all of her teeth with their top or bottom mates perfectly, and trying to show whoever was looking in her direction that she actually could do so, which she couldn't, with her slightly crooked teeth in a crowded mouth. Finally, Yukina spoke; causing Ruri to narrow her eyes at the fact that Yukina would attempt something so stupid. "Um, would you believe me if I said it was school?"

Ruri paused. It was obvious that it was a lie, and how it was delivered certainly didn't help in dispelling this knowledge. However, there was something that seemed to astonish the silver-haired princess. That something was how absurdly believable her lie would have been if it had been fabricated a little faster and if she didn't make that face. Ruri was not one to lie very often, but the art was considered common knowledge with all of the time she spent on the ship. This caused waves of nostalgia to break on the shores of her innards. Pushing the feeling aside, as it was not exactly very important at the moment, and gave a very firm, yet effective and obvious answer. "No."

"I didn't think so." A sigh. "Minato… told me something. Something I… didn't particularly need or want to hear. It… had to do with Oniichan." Ruri's eyes widened without focus as she went over everything she knew about Yukina's older brother that was not obvious to those that had been in the room when he died. Captain Shiratori Tsukumo of the Superior Male Forces of the Holy Jupiterian Empire was twenty years old when assassinated for attempting peace talks by Kusakabe Haruki, Vice Admiral of the same fleet, who was also found murdered brutally in his home a few days prior. But… Yukina should have already known all of this and more. Was there more to this story that was relevant? "Well?"

"She told me that Genichiro was the one that killed my brother. Oniichan's best friend. One of the only people I thought I could trust killed that last family I had!" Ruri blinked, obviously not listening to the blather that Yukina was ranting about. Instead, she delved into Omoikane's files, specifically those that held the reports made on the Nadesico by Yurika, Mr. Prospector, Uribatake, Mr. Hory, Ryoko, and Ruri herself. Both Yurika's and Mr. Hory's, as they were the only ones with reports to make that were present at the event, stated that it was Kusakabe that killed Yukina's older brother. Of course, it was very possible that they were not in the total right mind at the time and could have been easily mistaken. But Minato was there as well. She had not been obligated to make near constant reports as the others, but certainly this information would not just now be coming to light if she had known then. "How did she know?"

"I don't know, I guess he told her at the party." Ruri remembered seeing Minato dancing with someone, but she had not realized that he must have been connected with Tsukumo, despite his obvious Jupiterian look. "I suppose that makes sense. You're angry with Minato now for keeping information from you. But… you haven't spoken with her since she told you?"

"Well, no." Ruri thought for a moment. Something wasn't quite right with this situation. "Does she know that you're angry because of this, and not talking to her for the same?" Silence. This was not the pause before a lie, but rather the pause of thinking before answering. Yukina also often did this, but never really realized that the differences between the two kinds of pauses were easily detected.

"Well… I did say that the only reason he would have done it was her but… I guess not." That was it. It didn't take Ruri to figure out this. "It's obvious, Yukina. You have to tell her why you've not been talking to her if you want her to get it." It was so easy to say it, but while she was saying it, she couldn't help but think of her mother, the woman who very obviously hated her because she was a Jumper, an Electronic Fairy, and an independent thinker. But she did not think her own reciprocation of these feelings, as they had been growing for quite a while, was just as obvious to the subject of this hated and anger. Still, Yukina spoke, jarring Ruri from her own thoughts.

"Hey… I should do that. That's a pretty good idea. No wonder you're a genius, Ruri." Ruri could not help smirking smugly at this. "It does not take a genius to figure out how people work."

"I guess not. Hey, um… You called to talk to Minato… do you still want to talk to her?" Ruri paused. She had nearly forgotten why she had called in the first place before she remembered that she had just a moment ago decided to, to be put very bluntly, practice what she preached in terms of her mother.

"No. I've… figured it out on my own. Goodbye, Yukina."

"Okay, talk to you later." Ruri hung up the phone, sat for a moment, then got up and left her room. She was determined to put her own good advice to use.

~*~

There was little time for the hotel room to enjoy its peace. It, in fact, had just been evacuated of the housekeeping inspector not thirty minutes ago, and was just settling into its newfound emptiness when the door suddenly clicked and was pushed open, letting those who stood before it fall in. And it didn't take the hotel room, and it's partner, who too was being opened up for more patrons, to realize that this particular group was not going to let this peace live in the least bit.

Itsuki, in fact, was the calmer one at the moment, not to mention the first one in. She twirled the key on its chain as she walked into the room and sat on one of the beds, flopping backwards on one. "Oh, finally, relief after that hell!" Bags and luggage, carried by both her lover and her near-brother, soon surrounded her. "Itsuki, you're a total bitch," complained Gai, collapsing on another bed, heaving. "You could have at least taken one." Ryoko said nothing, but went to the door that joined the two rooms and knocked. "Hello, Hikaru?" The door opened quickly, almost hitting the tomboy.

Hikaru walked into the other room and grabbed her duffel bag. Heaving it onto her shoulder, she regarded the winded man and the two women. "Okay, what's the room situation? There's two beds in each." Akito also walked into this room, throwing himself on the bed that Gai sat on, resting. After bouncing once and lying there for a moment, he sighed. "Oh yeah. Gai," he poked his lover with his foot, already shed of shoes and socks, "this is so our bed." Gai glanced back at Akito, who now had rolled over on his side and had his hand propping up his head. "You are an absolute dork."

"I'm not going to say anything to that because it would give me nightmares when I'd be doing things much more fun than sleeping. Ryoko, we're not in here, are we?" Ryoko stuck her head in the room that now seemed to have Hikaru's, Akito's, Jun's, and Izumi's shoes and socks in, but not much else, save for Izumi and Jun themselves, who decided that they should also come into the crowded room. "Yeah, I suppose we can take one of the beds in here. Anyone got a problem with that?"

Hikaru sat on the bed Itsuki was still lying on. "Okay, so those that are obvious have chosen their rooms. Frankly I think we should have had a most-likely-to-have-sex-on-this-trip room and an everyone-else room, but that's just me. Izumi, be my bed partner, please?" Izumi, now sitting on the desk across from what had already been claimed as Gai and Akito's bed, rolled her eyes. "That sounded so bad, Hikaru. And don't even say anything, I know, you already know. But which room are we hailing to?"

Jun, stretching his arms out, mumbled, "Why don't we just make a girls' room and a boys' room?" Unfortunately, this smart-aleck remark was well heard and it sounded very good to those present. In a jumble of bags and people getting up, not to mention the throwing of shoes and socks into what was now known as the boys' room, people finally were situated and Jun began to wonder if he would have rather had to sleep in the same room as the champions of random sex. At least there he probably would not have to hear as much shit, despite the fact that they were free to walk both rooms, the doors between wide open and most likely not to close until night fell, which was not for a few hours yet.

In fact, most of the shit he heard was from Akito and Hikaru. Izumi was far too busy figuring out everything there was to be figured out about her mother with the phone book, the Information Line, Gai was far too busy going over Izumi's English dictionary trying to figure out how to ask for ketchup and the location of the bathroom, Ryoko was far too busy asking Gai to look up things for her, and Itsuki was far too busy practicing what little English she knew. Akito frankly did not care to try to bone up on his own crappy English, and Hikaru was already fluent. Jun knew enough to get him around, even if his pronunciation was horrible. Hikaru sighed, lying down on Akito and Gai's bed. "Aer, you'd think these people would remember shit from high school, ne, Izumi?" Izumi, parked at the desk, nodded slowly, not paying much attention. "Praises go to Okaachan and Mrs. O'Shanty for us." Hikaru nodded slowly, then poked Jun in the butt, because that was the closest body part to her hand. He didn't even jerk, just turned to look at her. "What?"

"So, when exactly are you ever going to come to terms with the fact that you too have homosexual tendencies like everyone else in the room, Junny?" Jun, having heard this subject come to light far too many times to count, slapped himself in the forehead. "Flamma-dammit, Hikaru! How many times are you going to ask that until you actually accept that the answer is NEVER!?!" It was true that Jun was the only one of them that was completely straight, but it was also very odd, so Hikaru did sort of had a point in asking as often as she did, or at least the other members of their group thought. Akito, who had just been sitting with nothing to do as he refuses to attempt his English again, grinned evilly. "Oh, but Junny, never is a very long time! Are you completely sure?" Jun buried his face in his hands, obviously trying to hide a blush. "Gai… make your boyfriend stop flirting with me…" he whined.

He was meant by a horridly pronounced, yet still understandable English statement, that is, if Jun could understand English, which he couldn't. "I am very sorry, but I am not supposed to make him not do so or be angry." Hikaru laughed, realizing Jun's peril, then translated it to those with lesser knowledge. Jun groaned loudly. "Flamma… what did I do to deserve this garbage? What did I do? How the hell did I get myself into this? These situations?"

"It's because she loves you. Now, Junny, I'd like to know exactly how sure you are… if you've never experimented?" At this, Akito grinned even more evilly, if it was even possible, and reached over to thread his fingers through the chin-length hair that belong to the one who was adamant. Jun shivered immediately and then threw himself off the bed, running over to the closet-like thing just before the bathroom. "Gai… tell him to stop it! Please! I'm begging you here!" Any that could actually see his face burst out laughing, which was predominantly Ryoko, as he blushing very, very madly. Gai gave yet another nonchalant English statement to counter this. "Oh, you are begging, you say? How delightful." This time, not even Izumi could hold in the giggles. Hikaru and her best friend were both pounding whatever surface they could reach at the time. Once the waves of laughter died off, which did take quite some time, Hikaru refused to translate this, as did Izumi. Instead, Hikaru poked both Itsuki and Ryoko. "Oi, those that are trying desperately to remember shit from high school, I'm getting hungry. Wanna come downstairs and get food with me?"

Gai looked up, hurt. "Why didn't you ask me…?" Hikaru rolled her eyes. "You're fine. Besides, if I take you, I'll laugh far too much and snort soda out my nose. It's not a pleasant experience, so you can stay up here unless Izumi takes you." The three girls put their shoes on and promptly left the rooms. Akito glanced at Izumi. "So… what did he say?"

"Oh, just some really crappy garbage that will get him kicking in the crotch if he actually attempts to use that. Okaachan will love it." Gai closed her dictionary and tossed it on the bed. "Izumi, your mom speaks Japanese right? I really don't want to get kicked, if you know what I mean." Akito nodded. "I don't want him to get kicked either."

"Well, that's obvious." Jun had reappeared out of the closet, making Akito grin again. He just couldn't keep the joke in. However, he was just too slow against the master. With a completely straight face as she browsed through the phone book again, Izumi commented as if talking about the weather and how lovely it was, "Oh, Jun, I see you've come out of the closet. How nice." Jun growled and pointed at all those left in the room, looking absolutely crazy. "Flamma-dammit, I'll kill you all!"

~*~

Hari leaned far back in his chair, stretching his arms out and groaning at the lovely cracking he felt. Sitting in one position all day tended to make one sore, so this was acceptable in entirety. But once Hari sat back up, he saw someone he didn't expect to see. "Oh, Miss Fressange!" He immediately stood, ordering mentally the computer before him to save his work and shut down. Inez bowed her head in greeting then entered the room more wholly, glancing about. She frowned, but Hari did not know why. The room wasn't in as much disarray as one would think. "Lapis isn't around, is she?" He shook his head. "She went with Mr. Mann to investigate some of the network going down in the south end. May I… ask why, ma'am?"

Inez nodded, smiling slightly in thought. She removed her glasses and looked at the now slightly blurry figure of Hari. "I'm sure you know about the problems with Kaguya, Erina, and Yurika, do you not?" Hari nodded quickly. He may only be a child, but the drama was hard to miss. Inez continued, "Well, both of our Jump subjects are far too… entwined with Erina. This must not leave this room, Hari, but I know I can trust you. Thing is, I don't think I can trust Erina. There's just not enough explainable about some of the things going on, you know what I mean?" Hari didn't, but nodded anyway. It really wasn't his business to ask. Inez knelt down to see him face to face and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Hari, would you be so kind to consider become a Jump subject as well? Of course, I understand that you'll have to clear it through your parents, but I want to see… if we can get a subject going for my own research, not at all deep with Erina."

Hari nodded. This was… big. Inez obviously knew that it was big. And she had tried her damnedest to make sure Lapis didn't know. It made Hari wonder if there wasn't something trying to separate the company into two entities. "Miss Fressange, is there something going on with Miss Won?"

Inez smirked and stood, placing her glasses back on her face. "Only that I have no idea what's going on in her mind right now, and that worries me. So," her voice returned to the business-like voice she usually used around the compound, "you make sure it's okay with your parents, and we'll start as soon as tomorrow if it's cleared. I don't want anyone other than those necessary to know about this, particularly not those allied to Erina." Hari opened his mouth to ask, but Inez stopped him. "I don't know, but I've got a feeling that something is up." Hari had to agree with her at that. It didn't take a genius to realize that there was some sort of new, secretive, almost crazy air over the company and those in it. Inez bowed her head again. "Bye, Hari." She left, leaving Hari to contemplate her thoughts on just what was going on around there.

~*~

They had to take two rental cars, and Hikaru and Izumi had to be the ones driving, though Hikaru was a bit rusty on her own driving, as they were the only ones that could read every sign, despite the fact that Ryoko had lived here before. Izumi led the way, however, and they found themselves in what should have been a nicer area, but a far too commercialized one.

There were tons of small businesses that all looked as if they were on their last legs, not to mention some random large buildings to make up for it. But the one thing in most abundance were they were at the moment was apartment buildings, which worried Hikaru a bit. There was a large one behind a convenience store and another really big one across the street from a school. It was almost incomprehensible where Izumi's mom's apartment would be. But when Izumi turned right at a church, Hikaru was very confused.

They continued along the road until Izumi took a sharp left into a complex, leading the other car into a parking lot. She slowed considerably, trying to see the numbers on the doors through the alarmingly large trees. They looked as if they had been growing there for years. But, finally, she pulled into a space and got out, pointing to the other car at a first floor door.

There was silence as Izumi stood at the door, took a deep breath, then knocked. Hikaru stood directly beside her, her hands fidgeting as she bit her lip, the others just seemed to stand around on the porch or the grass, but didn't not seem to be as calm as they seemed to try. Izumi was, of course, an important part of the group, they all were, and they all just wanted to make sure she was going to do this okay.

The door opened suddenly, showing a thin, pale, blonde woman to those that had not seen a picture of Chloe Lamington before. She didn't look sickly, but more as if this was her natural state and was very easily distinguished by it. Her crimson eyes light up and a shocked smile broke out on her face that often saw many smiles. She shrieked, "IZUMI!" before hugging the girl who's name she called, almost choking her. "Oh my God, Izumi, you're really here! I was so worried! How are you? Are you well? Let me take a look at you." Chloe then held Izumi at arms length, inspecting her clothing, which was casual, but slightly nice. She wore a red dress shirt under a black light leather jacket, reaching down to her thighs, covered with her black cotton slacks. The dark colors accented how pale Izumi was and her dark blue hair, while the red shirt brought out her visible eye. Itsuki had really gone to town with Izumi to make her look nice. Chloe hugged Izumi again, but then saw Hikaru standing right next to her. "Oh, Hikaru! It's so nice to see you!" Hikaru smiled and clasped her hands behind her back. "We really did miss you, Mom. Ryoko," she turned to the left, "come say hi to Mom!"

Ryoko pushed herself off the stonewall she was sitting on and scratched the back of her head, smiling. She said, in very vivid Japanese, strange as both Hikaru and Izumi talked to Chloe in English, "Um, hi, Mother. Nice to see you." Chloe nodded to the other girl that had lived with her before they all seemed to disappear into thin air, then noticed that they had others and that they were standing in a doorway. She then waved them into the living room, stepping out of the way. She switched from English to Japanese as well, so that she could be understood completely, "Well, don't just stand out there, you people I don't know yet, come on in! I sure hope I have enough sitting space…"

She didn't, but was only down by one seat, so Jun relinquished rights to a chair and sat on the floor like the sweetheart he was. After Chloe had gotten people either the coffee, tea, or soda they wanted, she sat in the chair that Jun had given up. She nodded at Izumi, to get her to start introducing people. Izumi cleared her throat then stood from the other chair. She pointed first to Itsuki, who was sitting on the loveseat with Ryoko. "Okay, Okaachan, that's Kazamo Itsuki. She's one of the two leaders of Mugendai Industries, the big name in missiles and robots. She's…" Ryoko took over for Izumi, obviously noticing that Izumi felt it wasn't her place to say. "…My lover, too, Mother." Chloe simply nodded, then Izumi continued. "Also, she plays a mean violin and is a pilot just like us." Chloe gasped for a moment, then covered both cheeks with her hands. "Oh dear, I forgot about all of the new things about pilots! Are they all true?" Itsuki nodded, holding up her right hand to show Chloe the silver markings there. "Magus's Calm, Music Mage." Hikaru leaned back on the couch. "In fact, Mom, it was our ship that discovered Ninlan and magic."

"Obviously there's a lot I've missed, but we'll get to that. Go on, Izumi." Izumi nodded, then pointed to Akito, also on the couch. "That would be Tenkawa Akito, the first person to Organically Boson Jump on Earth, at least as the records say, and the last male Martian left." Akito rolled his eyes. "Because of course that's what everyone remembers me as. Might I remind you, Izumi, that I'm also the cook? Nice to meet you Mrs. Lamington." Chloe shook her head. "No, it's Miss. I'm not married. But just Chloe would be nice."

The man sitting next to Akito slapped the back of his head. Akito glared at him, and Gai sighed. "Izumi told us this shit already, dumbass! Oh!" He remembered that he was sort of in Chloe living room, then scratched the back of his head. "Sorry about this event, Chloe," he said in very bad English. "I was unaware of your presents in the place and forgot what is around. Excuse me." Chloe giggled at the pathetic attempt. "It's okay, I know Japanese. I taught Izumi, actually. And you are…" Gai realized he hadn't mentioned who he was. "Oh! Yamada Jiro, but I like my nickname Gai Daigoji better. I'm the other person in charge at Mugendai." Hikaru pointed at the two men next to her. "They're sleeping together, Mom."

"Aqua! What the hell is the matter with you, Hikaru? Shit, you just tell Izumi's mom that like that…" Akito growled, then sighed dejected. Chloe pointed at the two of them, just like Hikaru. "So what are you two…" She tapped her own right hand to show what she meant. Hikaru slapped her forehead. "'Kito's an Ice Mage and Gai's Lightning. And Ryoko's Earthquake, Izumi's Tides, and I'm Wind." The Three Angels held up their right hands, showing their different colors. Chloe nodded then looked down where Jun sat. "And what's your name?"

Jun, used to being ignored or even forgotten, started as he noticed that Chloe was addressing him. "Uh, Aoi Jun. I, uh, I'm the odd man out." Izumi smacked her forehead and was seriously tempted to kick him, and made all motions to do so, causing Jun to scramble to his feet. "Okaachan, Jun's Ryoko's new stepbrother. Their parents got married and we just realized that, like, last week. Strange twist of fate, actually…" Chloe nodded. "So that's how YOU got inaugurated into the Three Angels' little group… But what about the rest of you?" Ryoko shook her head. "No, Mother, he may have been the last, but he joined a group a while ago… We all met on the Nadesico. You know, the ship we were commissioned to go on? THAT'S why it's a strange twist of fate."

Itsuki stretched her legs out, feeling their smoothness before she put them down immediately, satisfied. "Well, I suppose we have a monster of a story to tell, don't we? But how did you know that the girls' nicknames were the 'Three Angels'?" Chloe laughed, an interesting laugh that somehow didn't resemble Izumi's hysterical giggle in the least bit. "I named them that! When they were in Pilot's training! They were all living in my house then, you know. My girls… the Three Angels of Satsuki Midori 2." She smiled softly, as if reminiscing. Hikaru broke this by leaning forward and speaking. "Speaking of your girls, Ryoko and I aren't the only ones of lesbian tendencies… Izumi's with Inez Fressange, one of the biggest scientific names since the discovery of nanomachines." Izumi picked up a pillow and threw it in Hikaru's general direction, but missing and hitting Gai instead. "You bitch, I thought I told you want I wanted to break it to her!" Chloe gasped. "THE Inez Fressange? The one that unlocked the secrets to Boson Jumping? You're with her romantically?" Izumi nodded slowly, a blush starting to creep over her pale cheeks. "Yeah… she said that… She was attracted to me mostly because of my intellect…" Chloe collapsed in the chair, sighing contentedly. "I am so happy, Izumi… you've come so far. You really have."

Hikaru nodded, then checked her watch. "Hey, Mom, how about we tell you all about our Nadesico adventures over some food? I'm starved, man." Chloe bit her lip and glanced down. "Well, Hikaru, I didn't expect to see anyone for a while, so I don't really have enough food or even the money to pay off a bill at a restaurant…" Itsuki stood and flapped her hand. "Nothing to it, Miss Chloe. Jiro, you and I will pay for food, ne?" Ryoko nodded, pressuring Gai to agree. "Yeah, I remember this pretty great Chinese place over in Paradise. Kind of expensive, but their food is GREAT!" Gai didn't need much persuading, as he hadn't had lunch like Hikaru had, and he too was hungry. He nodded and they began leaving the small apartment.

Izumi left last with her mother. Once Chloe had locked the place up, she wrapped an arm around her mother's shoulders. "You know, Okaachan, I really did miss you. I could think of nothing else this week. I was… a little scared that you were dead." Chloe squeezed Izumi's waist. "Oh, a whole bunch of us in Tobikirino escaped in shuttles. Even Moira made it, so I'm sorry I kept you worried." Izumi's eyebrows knit. "Mrs. O'Shanty?"

"Yeah, she lives in town, didn't I tell you? Up by MLK, in the north part of town." Izumi's jaw dropped. "Oh man, Hikaru is going to shit… You're not going to tell her at dinner, are you?"

Chloe's face turned serious for a moment. "Izumi… I have to. She loves her, you know?" Chloe got into her green car and left Izumi standing there. Izumi folded her arms as she walked to the rental car that she was driving. "Fat chance," said she, though she wasn't sure if her mother meant that Hikaru loved her grandmother or vice versa. Both ways didn't seem very realistic.

~*~

TBC…

~*~

A/N: Well, that was that. We have finally met Chloe. I noticed that my voice changed a bit in here. Sorry about that. And I didn't give very much description other than what I knew. Sorry about that too. Anyway, enough apologizing… Next time, we have a lot more pilots-in-Vegas stuff, then… some other stuff. Most likely some random Uribatake stuff, and maybe some other stuff too. I'm not really sure what yet. But, dear god, this story seems to be long. We haven't even gotten to the more important shit yet, though there have been little bits and all. Anyway, you know the drill. Ciao!