Cult of the Moon Sisters
by Aldesina
Chapter 19
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Disclaimer: Once again for all of you who want an encore…… I don't own Gundam Wing! I don't own anything! The characters are not mine, and they will never be!
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Author's Note; Whooo….I've finally started to update again, hopefully by now my grammar has gotten better hehehe, ahh well. Hopefully after this chapter is finished I might have a chance to look over Society of the Moon Sisters and start that up again…..Hmmm I've been promising that for a while haven't I? Soon Soon! I promise, and now without further adieu, please enjoy the next chapter of this story
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Just a warning though, this is a pretty sad chapter, close to absolutely no humor at all, but then again, Noin and Zechs are older and well you get the point
On to the Story!
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Colony LX758393
Thursday Evening
Ridiadal Kingdom Annual Ball
Prince Leon, heir to the throne of the Ridiadal Kingdom that was stationed on Colony LX758393, stood on the indoor balcony that was placed strategically overlooking the palace's ballroom. It was placed there for two reasons. One; so that the royal line would have a place to make an entrance from. Two; so that there was a place for them to quietly observe the crowd and see who was coming and going. This also enabled them to run away as quickly as possible when it was needed as well.
The ballroom was magnificent. Gold, red, and pink dominated the scheme and the entire place was polished till it shone with the brilliance of a finely cut diamond. The floor was made of crystallized marble. Unlike both of its name sakes it was both buoyant and pliable, making it the perfect dance floor. However like both of its name sakes it was sturdy and had a magnificent glossy sheen that could be polished to a high, yet slip free shine. Leon quietly congratulated himself. He definitely outdid himself when he designed this place. Curving entwined columns, Soft silky almost translucent curtains that lead out to golden softly lit balconies. And the floor had the most exquisite fractal pattern using gold, pink, black, red, purple and hints of blue. The walls also had a similar pattern but simplified, only using gold and pale pink. Leon looked out and saw that his guests were just beginning to arrive and he seemed to have gotten the quite a reaction to his decorating skills. They cooed, they ahhed and they were impressed. Good. They should be, it was designed to impress, and show off the glory of his kingdom. Even with their masks on Leon would tell they were in awe of his kingdom and he smirked to himself proudly. Although it was true that they did not have the power or the respect of certain other kingdoms; the Sanc Kingdom for example. They had their dignity and their pride, and when push came to shove they could perform just as well as any of those other kingdoms.
Leon was a proud man, he was a good prince as well. He took care of his people, arranged diplomacies with other nations and made a tidy little profit overseeing his nation's financial station. Actually to be quite blunt it was more then a tidy little profit, it was a tidy fortune. His kingdom was known for exporting the very material that lined his ballroom's floors; crystallized marble. That, and regular marble and other semi precious crystals as well. With the right investments and the right prices he out sold just about 95% of his other competitors. All his financial savvy and diplomatic proceedings allowed his nation to become more famous as well as gain more respect from other countries during the years. Leon smiled, and now his pride and joy, the annual ball and masquerade. His parents would be hosts of course, but he was the one who planned it all. It was a perfect mixture of business and nobles. And of course there was his date.
"Leon,"
Leon turned around and found his date resplendent in a dark royal purple gown. It matched her eyes perfectly. It was an off the shoulder cut that had a fitted corset waist binding her already thin middle and emphasizing her full breasts. The skirt was a simple A-line with sheer folds that would flair out when she danced or turned. She wore elegant button up opera gloves and a shimmering diamond necklace. Now if only he could get a crown placed on that head of hers. Her hair was simple as well, it was normally very short, so it was just pulled back in strategic places to make it look like a French twist. In her hands was a simple feathered black and gold mask with purple velvet highlights. Pity she didn't put in all that effort for him, although maybe one day she might.
"Noin my darling."
"So have we got everything laid out?"
"You mean about Milliardo?" Leon said lazily waving his hand. "Yes, I know, make him jealous as humanly possible without having him come and blow up the place with his gundam." Noin smiled and patted him on the shoulder.
"That's about right."
"Seriously though Noin, I don't see the point in going through all that trouble with him," Leon looked at Noin, then gently placed a hand under her face gently cupping one cheek. "You are a beautiful woman, you should have hundreds of men chasing after you. You shouldn't have to chase after a man who used to hide his face behind a mask."
Nion laughed gently and moved her face from his hand,
"And where might those hundreds be? Go on, point one out."
"You're looking at him."
Noin blushed. Now, she thought, was not the time for this to be happening, when I enlisted Leon to help me I did not expect him to ever hit on me, neither did Relena for that matter, considering that she wants me pretty bad as a sister in law.
"Now, don't joke," Noin said while stepping back and over to a mirror that hung just behind the balcony curtain. She went to go adjust her necklace, making it a tiny bit lower then it was before. She also pinned on her mask which was designed to hook onto her ears so it was easily removed and would not damage her hair.
"How do I look?"
"Amazing" Leon said coming up behind her and massaging her shoulders. "Although I do have to admit, I wish all this attention to detail and this entire charade was for me." Noin's eyes widened, Oh boy here comes trouble.
"Leon……"
"Your Highness?" Noin and Leon turned to find Leon's butler standing at the doorway his mother and father had already walked in, and was standing close to the front of the balcony getting ready to go out."
"It's about time for you to make your entrance with your lady."
"Yes thank you Welsley." Leon turned to Noin, damned that butler's timing. He stepped up to the mirror and placed on his own mask which was also black with purple trimmings.
"Shall we go my lady?" He offered her his arm.
"Yes of course."
Leon and Noin lined up behind his parents and waited for the herald to call their names.
" Their Royal Majesties; The King and Queen!" The herald called out to the crowd as Leon's father and mother descended down the stairs head held high.
"We're next" Leon whispered to Noin. She merely smiled at him, oh shit I really don't need him to be fawning over me right now.
"His Royal Highness Prince Leon, His date Lady Noin"
Lady? Noin thought confusedly as she walked down the stairs, her hands laid upon Leon's arm.
"Ah your highness!" someone greeted Leon from the right "Fantastic party, might I commend you on your choice of decorations? The color scheme is most becoming" Leon inclined his head at the man
"Thank you good sir, I'm happy you're enjoying yourself this evening."
"Oh yes, there is much to be enjoyed."
Leon slighted at this cryptic statement but then brushed it off as just a compliment. This party was not entirely meant to be a masquerade, it also served as a place where businessmen and nobles alike could talk and perhaps even strike up a deal. Unlike other masquerades that usually ended at midnight, theirs was to end at ten sharp. Then dinner was to be served and the business wheedling and dealings could really begin. Leon glanced at his watch, it was eight, good that gave everyone a good time to get to know supposed strangers. Leon looked over to his date who was standing away from him conversing to some man with his black hair tied at the nape of his neck with a ribbon. He walked over to listen to what they were saying.
At this point the herald started calling out other names. Mostly royalty from other countries that were coming.
"I absolutely agree with you my lady, it's the women these days that really get the work done. Why I would have no idea what I'd so without my beloved wife."
"Really, now that's quite refreshing to hear, where is your beloved wife?"
"Ahh, I'm really not quite sure, I just hope she hasn't been swept off her feet by some dandy."
Noin laughed at this
"I'm sure with such a charmer of a husband that she wouldn't be."
"You are far too kind my lady. Ah look, here she comes!"
Noin turned her head over to see a young lady coming over on the arm of a man with shoulder length platinum blonde hair.
Zechs? She thought, never! He would never cut his hair.
"May I present His Highness Prince Milliardo and Her Highness Princess Relena of the Sanc Kingdom"
Noin turned her head to see Zechs with his sister on his arm
"My lady," Noin turned her head around
"Would you care to dance?" Noin turned her head back toward Zechs again wistfully before fully facing the stranger before her.
"Yes, I would"
Noin allowed herself to be lead to the dance floor and whirled around and around in the waltz. The man was a surprisingly good dancer. He was tall, around Zechs's height actually, but his paces were slower, much more in tune with the waltz then Zechs would ever be. They were also shorter in order to accommodate her height.
"Why thank you." The man suddenly said
Noin looked at him sharply, until she realized that she had just voiced her opinions out loud.
"I'm sorry," She said abruptly stopping, which made them nearly hit the next couple waltzing by. The man chuckled
"Not to worry" he said as he easily swept her into the waltz again this time circling toward the sides of the dance floor.
"I can see that you are preoccupied, I apologize for disrupting your thoughts" They had reached the edge of the dance floor and he gracefully waltzed her right off it without her even noticing. Noin shook her head, it was not like her to not be paying attention to what she was doing.
"No wait" She said to him as he turned to depart. The man hesitated. Noin straightened herself and breathed deeply, she looked the man in the eye.
"I did not mean to seem… dreamy" she said, it's just that, my mind has been bombarded as of late and I am a bit tired…" Crap she thought to herself, now I'm babbling. The man looked at her smiling slightly
"Then will you do me the honor of sharing a glass of champagne with me on one of these balconies. Perhaps the fresh air will help clear your mind and settle your thoughts." And the alcohol will go straight to my head Noin thought, that should relax me. She looked up and around the ballroom, first locating Zechs who was speaking to some dignitary and then Relena who was having a conversation with said dignitary's wife a few steps away. She caught Relena's eye and Relena smiled at her. She tried to catch Zechs's eye. He wouldn't look at her.
"A lover perhaps?" Noin started, she forgot about the gentleman in front of her. In fact she had forgotten about Leon in general, and since she couldn't locate him, not that she tried, she might as well enjoy this man's company.
"No" Noin said she smiled, and she knew it looked strained "How about that champagne?" The man offered his arm and she took it. They made their way to a balcony, the man she was with took a bottle of champagne and two glasses from a table that was on the way. Noin found herself liking him more and more. He was kind, courteous and attentive. She shook her head; what about Zechs. She looked back in the direction that he had been. He wasn't there anymore. Instead she spotted him on the dance floor with a red headed girl, he was being kind, courteous and attentive to her. She sighed, why couldn't he be that way to her, did he really only see her as a fellow officer?
"I was wrong, he's not a former lover, but instead a former love from the looks of it." Noin placed a hand on her head. It was really beginning to hurt from all that daydreaming.
"Perhaps I should go."
"No" Noin said, she was determined not to chase him away because of her ex boyfriend. Damn it she was beginning to act like him
" Look I'm sorry that I've been, well…." The man looked at her.
"You miss him."
"Yes and he doesn't seem to miss me in the slightest, I haven't seen him for weeks, I haven't heard from any of my friends in fact and………" Noin stopped herself short
"And I'm making a complete fool of myself in front of a random stranger."
BLING!
Noin looked up startled at the noise, it was the clock, it usually wasn't that loud.
BLING!
"Ahh, look how the time has passed."
BLING!
"What?"
BLING!
"I believe that it's the clock, signaling the time."
BLING!
Noin looked down at her left wrist where her watch usually lay and saw nothing
BLING!
"Damn, I forgot my watch"
BLING!
"You can borrow mine."
BLING
"Oh, thank you"
BLING!
"It's my pleasure"
BLING!
Noin leaned into him and looked.
"That watch….." she said "She looked up at the man questionably.
The man had removed his mask, and she was staring into icy blue eyes and long blonde bangs.
"Zechs."
Zechs smiled slightly at her and reached up to his hair and pulled off the short blonde wig letting his hair swing free, he then reached up to his neck and pulled off a voice strip that made his voice sound different.
"But that man over, next to Relena…"
"Someone that owed me a favor." Zechs replied in his normal voice, which was much deeper then the voice he was speaking in before.
Noin stared at him, opening and closing her mouth like a fish
"Excuse me"
"No" Zechs said softly, and he drew Noin into his embrace, drawing her close and tilting her head up
"You're going to hear me out this time."
"I always hear you out Zechs," she said squirming. Damn was he always this strong?
"Let me go Zechs."
"Noin…."
"What?" She said, she looked at him reproachfully
"You're messing up my dress."
Zechs laughed at her. Shaking terribly and messing up her dress even more
Noin, acting completely against her nature; pouted
This only made Zechs laugh at her even harder. He eventually did have to let go of her just so he could compose herself. It didn't help that she took off her mask and was standing over him with an expression of disbelief
Zechs never laughed
"I'm glad that I have proved myself entertaining, now if you'll kindly excuse me…"
That sobered him up quickly and he reached for her, once again pulling her close.
"Do I repulse you so?" he asked seriously. Noin looked startled for a moment as if she wasn't quite sure how to answer such a question
"No, you've never repulsed me Zechs."
"Then why won't you stay with me?" Noin sighed
"Can I have a little personal space, you can be quite overwhelming."
"I thought you liked that about my personality" Zechs commented quietly
"It completely depends on the situation" Noin retorted. Zechs reluctantly let her go. Noin went over to sit on one of the benches that surrounded the balcony.
"There's a lot of reasons why I ended our relationship Zechs." Noin said waving her hand at an imaginary fly "One of the reasons was that you're never there, another reason is that it was going no where." She held up her hand to stop him from protesting
"I know I said once that I'd follow you to the ends of the earth, and I still would, the problem is that even if I was with you I'm afraid that you wouldn't be with me." Noin stopped and looked out at the stars.
"It was so much easier before, now everything is just a big jumbled up mess."
"We're getting older, that's all" Zechs said, Noin laughed at the statement
"Sometimes you have no idea how old."
Zechs looked at her sharply.
"Have I caused you so much pain in the past?"
"And much happiness…" Noin said, she still stared at the stars. Zechs stared at her for a moment lost at what he was going to say. He didn't think it was going to be easy winning her back, then again he didn't think that Noin was that angry with him either. It's true that he and Noin have been together for longer then anyone else, and she has had to put up with a considerable amount of bullshit during their years together but….
Zechs sighed
"I should let you go shouldn't I?"
Noin looked at him, the stars no longer on her mind
"I don't know." She began to twist the mask in her hands "I missed you, and as you obviously know the others and I set this up so the lot of you would commit but now that I'm actually here doing this I…. I really just don't know."
Zechs walked over to her and kneeled down so his face was parallel to hers. He gently cupped her face in his hands, she did not pull away.
"Whatever you decide Noin, I'll be there for you, always."
With that Zechs stood up and walked back to the party. Leaving Noin to sit on the bench alone.
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Preventer Headquarters; One week later
Noin was working in her office late at night. She had called the ruse with Leon off and then stopped seeing him altogether. Whenever she did she always thought of Zechs. It was over. She knew it, and so did he when he left that night on the balcony. They had both called it quits mutually.
It was killing her.
"Hey Noin!" She looked up to see the smiling face of Duo Maxwell, he had apparently made up with Hilde that same morning and was smiling all over the place.
"Working late again?" He had the biggest smile pasted on his face. If she hadn't called if off with Zechs a week ago she would have thought him up to something.
"You know what they say about paperwork." Duo laughed at her statement.
"Yeah I hate that stuff, it seems to come out of nowhere and at the same time be everywhere." Noin smiled at that.
"Yes it certainly does."
"Well I'm off, Hilde and I have a date tonight, can you believe it? We haven't done anything romantic in years." Noin stiffened.
"Yes, she's told me."
"I better go now, wouldn't want to be late." And with that he promptly left.
Noin sighed, was everyone getting back together except her and Zechs?
Suddenly the lights in her room went off.
"Damn it!" Noin said, she had just finished typing that report up. She scowled hoping that the computer caught it on auto save before it was completely erased.
"Duo!" Noin called out "Duo if I find out that you're playing a trick on me I'm going to get Hilde to dump you again! Duo!"
Noin sighed in exasperation, the only way that she was going to finish off this report was to go check the circuit breaker and see if she could jump start the whole blasted building. Now where was that stupid circuit breaker? Ah yes, the roof.
Noin face faulted
That was another ten stories up, sure she kept in shape, sure she kept up her training, but damn she was not in the mood to climb anything this late at night. She took out a flashlight and started to make her way to the stairs, when she got there she was relieved to see that their emergency lights where still functioning and she was able to see much better with those things on then with her little flashlight.
She finally made her way to the top of the building and took out her keys and unlocked the door to the roof.
Noin blinked.
There were candles, hundreds and hundreds of candles, they lined the roof making it glow like it was on fire. There was fountain that had floating candles on her right and a carefully put down moss and grass everywhere that had candles on it with little tea trays underneath. When she looked closer the whole roof looked like it was transformed into a garden of fresh green grass, long stemmed roses and rose petals. She picked up one of the long stemmed roses in awe. Red velvet and yellow satin roses. Her favorites, although she would never admit to anyone that she was a romantic at heart.
"I hope I remembered the type of roses you liked correctly." Noin looked up at the voice and saw Zechs standing by a table and a little stove. Her stomach growled as she smelled the food that was being cooked there. She hadn't had time to feed herself yet. Zechs looked wonderful. He wore a simple button down shirt with the first few buttons undone and a pair of black slacks. A coat went over that ensemble, unbuttoned and shoved almost carelessly up to his elbows. He smiled at her.
"You said that it was over." Noin said accusingly.
"I said that I would be there for you however you decide Noin." Zechs winked at her roguishly. Noin's breath caught in her throat.
"However I never said that I wouldn't try to sway you over to my side."
"Now why would I want to do that?"
Zechs didn't answer her, he just went to go check the stove, he opened the cover on one of the pans and the wonderful smell of freshly cooked tilapia fish wafted in the air. Noin's stomach growled again.
"Perhaps we can discuss this after dinner?" Zechs suggested as he lifted the cover to the pot next to the fish revealing steamed and buttered greens, the pan next to it revealed smoked and cured potatoes covered with cheddar cheese. Zechs began to ladle these items onto one of the two plates by his side. Noin for a split second thought of Duo and knew what it was like to not be able to control her stomach. She walked over to the table the Zechs had set up and sat down. From her point of view of the roof it seems that it was entirely made up to look like a dream garden.
"How long did this take you?" She asked as he placed the plate of food in front of her.
"Shhh, that's one secret I intend to keep"
"What about the security cameras, how come they didn't catch you?"
"And what would be there to catch? It's only two friends enjoying each other's company and a shared meal." Noin snorted
"Is that all?" Zechs smiled at her as he sat down with his own plate
"Is it?"
"Don't play with me Zechs." Zechs shrugged and started to eat.
Noin followed after she realized that this was going nowhere and since there wasn't any sense in running her head repeatedly against gundanium enforced walls, she started to eat as well.
And that was all they did for the next few minutes, each enjoying each other's company quietly without speaking to each other.
"I didn't know that you were such an accomplished cook" Noin said at last breaking the silence
"I had someone else cook it, I just merely reheated it"
"Doesn't that take all the romance out of it."
"Wouldn't you know better anyway?"
"A girl still likes to hear flowery talk every now and then"
"I thought you had enough of my evasiveness and wanted the truth from me, and some attention every now and then."
"Careful there Lighting Count you're treading on dangerous ground there." Noin tutted at him.
"My favorite place to be." Zechs said as he put down his fork
"Finished?" He asked suddenly.
"Yes"
"Good, if you like I will get someone to reinstate the power and you can go down to your work again." Noin looked at him sharply
"Talk about a cold shoulder" Noin retorted, so she and Zechs weren't together anymore, at least during the days of Oz he still showed that he had some feelings about her. She got up from her seat in a huff fully intending to go downstairs.
Zechs had something else in mind and she suddenly found herself pressed up against him again.
"Would you prefer this then?" Noin swallowed, then again…….
"Noin" Zechs whispered. She looked up at him.
"What are we going to do about this Zechs?"
"How about you start calling me Milliardo?"
"I'd prefer Zechs."
"But I'm known to the world as Prince Milliardo."
"Since when?"
"Are we really fighting over my name?"
Noin blinked at him, Zechs blinked right back at her. They broke out laughing at each other.
Zechs loosened his grip and gently drew Noin into him, and she let him, his arms resting around her like a warm protective blanket.
"I suppose you want to give this relationship thing another try" Noin asked him lazily
Zechs smiled in her hair and tapped out in Morse code the signal for yes on her shoulder.
"Zechs?" Noin asked suddenly
"Umm"
"You're not really going to blow up Leon's Kingdom are you?"
"No darling I'm not going to do it, it's already been done."
"Zechs!"
"I'm kidding" Noin looked at him horrified
"You have a sense of humor?"
"Let's just say my revenge will be that I have you on my arm again."
Noin pulled away in mock rage
"Zechs if you think………"
He silenced her with a kiss
"I love you Noin."
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Author's Note;
Whoa that was a somber chapter, although I wasn't quite sure how else I would have pulled that off. Heh. Aww Zechs and Noin Love O,O
The next chapter should be much funnier I promise. Heh, I have to go choose a victim now! Woot!
Until then
Byes!
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