Chapter 1 - "A New Life"
Duo sat up, stretching his arms up towards the ceiling. He yawned loudly, and stood up. He walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. He undressed and jumped in, washing himself. He got out and quickly dressed.
"What day is it?" He asked himself, walking over to the calendar on the wall. "She's coming today?!?! I'd better get a few things ready!!" He walked into the kitchen, opening the fridge. There was only a few things that looked like they'd been there for a few months. "I should probably go to the store." He was getting ready to wash the dishes that had been there for a few weeks when he heard a knock on the door. "That can't be her!"
"Hello?" A voice called, it was familiar. "Duo? Are you here?"
"Yeah, I'm in the kitchen!" He called. It was Quatre. He walked into the kitchen and placed a few grocery bags on the counter.
"I figured you might need some stuff done, with the Princess's friend arriving and all," Quatre said, looking at the mountain of dishes. "Looks like you'll need a lot more than food. We have to clean this up before she gets here. I still don't know why Rileena is sending her friend to your apartment."
"You said yourself that you don't have the room right now, and I really don't think she'd want her friend from childhood stay with Heero or Wufei, they can seem kinda scary to a girl." Duo said. Quatre was washing the dishes, while Duo was putting the groceries away. After a few hours of cleaning, Duo's apartment almost seemed livable.
"Do you know what she looks like?" Quatre asked Duo.
"I have no clue, she said she'd be wearing a white skirt with a pink skirt," He said. "The uniform from Rileena's class in the Sanc Kingdom."
"Do you have to pick her up at the airport?" Quatre asked, scrubbing the bathtub.
"Yeah, her shuttle gets in at 4:00." Duo said.
"It's 3:30 now," Quatre said, looking at his watch. "You'd better get going."
"Yeah, I'll see you later then." Duo said, grabbing his jacket, he walked out the front door and headed for the airport that she was coming into.
On the shuttle…
"The shuttle will be arriving in 30 minutes." A voice said over the intercom.
"Are you comfortable?" One of the flight attendants asked a young woman wearing a pink top and white skirt.
"Yes," The girl said.
"Miss Rileena said she is sorry that she couldn't pick you up at the airport personally, but she is very busy. She is out at the colonies right now." A man said, coming up behind the woman.
"I understand, I know she would be there waiting if it were possible." The girl said politely.
"If there is anything we can do to make you more comfortable, don't hesitate to ask." The man said. Bowing, he left and headed to the back of the shuttle.
The girl thought back to her childhood. She had grown up on Earth in the Sanc Kingdom. Rileena Peacecraft was her best friend in the world. She was devastated when her father told her that they were moving to the colonies. She was 10 years old and thought that she would never see her friend again. Now, after 6 years, she was returning to Earth to be a student at a school founded by her best friend. The school taught the beliefs of total Pacifism.
The airport 30 minutes later...
"Where is that shuttle?" Duo said outloud, looking at a clock on the wall. "It should have been here five minutes ago."
"Flight 513 has arrived." A voice said.
"That's her flight." Duo said, scanning the crowd for her. He didn't see any girl. After the confusion had died down a bit, he saw her. She was wearing what Rileena had said she'd be wearing. She had long white hair that almost touched the ground, done up in two pig tails with buns that looked like meatballs. Her large green eyes scanned the area for anyone that looked like they were looking for her. She was holding a small bag in both of her hands and was starting to look a little worried. "Over here!" He cried, getting her attention. "Miss Usagi?"
"That's me," She said, walking towards him. "I'm Usagi, are you Duo?"
"Yeah, that's me," He said, taking her bag. "Let's get out of here." She only nodded and followed Duo.
Somewhere in distant space…
"We have to find Princess Serenity," A man dressed in all black said. He had red hair that hung to his shoulders. "Once she's gone, we'll be able to take over the Universe."
"What makes you so sure she's alive?" A woman that looked a lot like the man asked. "We haven't seen any sign of the Silver Crystal or the White Moon Family in over 1000 years."
"I can sense her," The man said. "We have to get to Earth, that's where she is."
"Let's go then." The woman said. She put the coordinates for Earth into the computer of their space ship.
"You will arrive on Earth in approximately 7 days." A computerized voice said.
Duo's apartment…
"Here we are, my humble home," Duo said, opening the door for Usagi. He was carrying two of her bags, while she had a third, smaller bag. He stepped into the house, letting her walk in past him. He closed the door and headed down the hallway. He opened a door and walked in, carrying her heavy bags. "This is your room."
"Thank you very much, Mr. Maxwell," Usagi said, bowing her head. "Rileena didn't want to make me stay at her house when she wasn't there. She didn't feel right leaving me there alone."
"It's no problem," Duo said, the same carefree expression on his face as always. "You don't have to call me 'Mr. Maxwell', I don't like how it sounds."
"What should I call you then?" Usagi asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Just call me Duo, all my friends do," Duo said, turning around. "If you're hungry, let me know. I'll give you time to unpack."
"Thank you Mr… I mean Duo." Usagi said as he left the room. When he left, she began to unpack her bags, placing her few clothing items in the drawers. She pulled out a picture of her parents and propped it up on the table next to the bed. She thought of her father, remembering why he was gone.
"Dad!" Usagi cried, seeing her father run to a mobile suit. "Don't go!! You'll be killed!!"
"I have to!" He yelled down to his daughter. "The Earth and the colonies must make peace! I'll fight for peace, for your future!!"
"There are other ways, father!!" Usagi cried. "You don't have to risk you life for peace!!"
"I do, we must be freed," Her father said calmly. "Just remember, I'll always love you, no matter what happens to me."
"Please don't go father." She begged as he started up the suit. She watched as he left, tears glistening in her eyes.
That was the last time she ever saw her father and her mother had died when she was only ten years old. That's why they had left Earth for the colonies. She came back to Earth to start a new life. One where she would live peacefully, away from the terror of war. She wanted to be a normal girl with normal problems, not worry about whether she was going to live another day or not.
::Fin::