Mission to the Past
Chapter Eight: Wufei and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day
Trowa yawned. He was extremely bored. It was a Sunday in October, and nothing interesting had happened lately. Duo was still head over heels for Minako, Quatre was still working for that violinist, Heero still blushed whenever anyone mentioned rabbits, and Wufei was still...Wufei.
Trowa looked at his Chinese friend. "Hey, Wufei?"
"Yeah, what?"
"Where is everyone?" Trowa asked.
Wufei thought for a moment. "Let's see. Quatre is rehearsing, Duo is with Minako, and Heero is out somewhere."
Trowa nodded. "I see." Suddenly an idea struck Trowa. "Maybe we should try to get jobs."
Wufei looked at him. "You're not serious."
"Yeah, I am."
"Why would you want to?"
"So we don't just use Quatre's money all the time."
"Quatre doesn't care."
"Well, then, because we've got nothing better to do."
Wufei considered this. "You've got a point there," he admitted. "Okay. Let's go."
"Great," said Trowa without much enthusiasm. "We're bound to find some jobs quickly." The two boys headed out the door.
* * *
Three hours later, the hadn't found anything but rejections. "I can't believe not a single place needs help," Trowa sighed.
"Yeah," Wufei agreed. "We've looked everywhere. Oh, well. No big deal. Let's go home."
They were on their way when Trowa noticed a "Help Wanted" sign in a window he had overlooked before. "Hey, Wufei," Trowa said. "This place is offering jobs."
Wufei took one look at the place and made up his mind. "No. No way. Not a chance."
"Oh, come on, Wufei," Trowa urged. "It won't be so bad."
"Yes, it will," the Chinese boy insisted. "It will be very bad."
"Well, it's the only possibility."
"I don't care. We don't need jobs."
"It's not that awful. You're making a big deal out of this when it isn't."
"It's weak!"
"No, it's not."
"It's completely without honor!"
"Well..."
"IT'S UNJUST! And no matter what you do or say, I will not, under any circumstances, work in a McDonald's!"
* * *
"I can't believe I agreed to work in a McDonald's," Wufei grumbled, looking with distaste at the horrible polyester uniform he was wearing. "I don't know why I let you talk me into this."
"Oh, shut up," Trowa said. "I'm not hating this any less than you are."
"You boys ready to take orders?" the extremely grumpy manager asked.
"Yes," they muttered.
"I can't hear you!" the manager bellowed.
They sighed in unison. "Yes!" they repeated with fake cheerfulness.
"Good," the manager boomed. "Now, go! And don't forget to smile!"
Trowa and Wufei headed to their stations.
Trowa faced his first customer, a petite red-haired woman. "Hello, and welcome to--"
"Smile!" came the sharp ordered from the back.
Trowa sighed. Pasting a huge, phony grin on his face, he tried again. "Hello, and welcome to McDonald's! May I take your order?"
"Yeah, I'd like a twelve-piece Chicken McNuggets and a Sprite," she said.
"A twelve-piece Chicken McNuggets and a Sprite, coming right up!" he said brightly. The instant the order was done, and the woman had paid, his fake smile vanished.
"I feel like a cheerleader without the short skirt," Wufei complained.
"I guess it could be worse," Trowa said uncertainly.
"How?" Wufei demanded. "How could this get any worse?"
Trowa suddenly took notice of who his next customer was. He sighed. "It just got worse." He faced his all-too-familiar customer. Pasting the smile back on his face, he said, "Hello, and welcome to McDonald's! May I take your order?"
"Trowa?" Duo gasped incredulously. "Is that you?"
Trowa considered pretending to be someone else, but he doubted Duo would buy it. "Yes," he said through gritted teeth.
Duo started to snicker. It soon escalated into a laugh. "I don't believe this! And wait...is that Wufei?" he said, peering at the grim-faced Chinese boy.
"Shut up, Maxwell, you baka," Wufei hissed.
Duo by now was doubling over in laughter. Minako looked over his shoulder. "You're Trowa, right?" she said.
Trowa nodded grimly, still smiling that idiotic smile.
Minako giggled. "Never thought I'd see you in a McDonald's." She fished around in her purse and pulled out a disposable camera/ "Now say cheeseburger!" she said cheerfully. CLICK! The camera went off.
Trowa rubbed his eyes to get rid of the spots floating in front of them.
Minako smiled. "Now, that's one for the scrapbook!"
"Are you going to order, or are you and your girlfriend going to stand there and laugh at us all day?" Trowa said.
Duo was laughing almost too hard to talk, but he managed to say, "The second possibility is looking very appealing!"
"Order, or we'll kick you out," Trowa warned.
"No need," Duo assured him. "We're leaving, anyway. Just came by to see our friends." He dissolved in another fit of hysterical laughter, with Minako's giggles joining in. Together, the laughing lovebirds exited.
No wonder they like each other so much, Trowa thought. But he couldn't dwell on these thoughts for long; he had a customer. Forcing himself to keep smiling, he said, "Hello, and welcome to McDonald's! May I take your order?"
* * *
"I hate my life," Wufei moaned. He and Trowa had decided to go to Crown Arcade after work, and were sitting at one of the tables, surrounded by happy teens playing video games.
Of course, if they had knoen that Duo and Minako would be there, they might have headed somewhere else.
"I still can't believe you two, of all people, are working at a McDonald's," Duo chuckled.
"What was that?" a voice piped up behind them. Trowa and Wufei whirled around to see Heero, who was the owner of the voice, along with Michiru, Haruka, and Quatre.
"We finished practicing, and Heero met up with us, so Michiru and Haruka gave us a ride in their helicopter," Quatre explained.
"Helicopter?" Duo repeated. "You guys have a helicopter?"
Haruka grinned and nodded. "You bet."
Suddenly, a shrill scream rang throughout the arcade. "AAAAIIIIEEEEE! Oh, no, I died again! #@%!, stupid game!"
Minako, Haruka, and Michiru sighed. "There goes the meatball-head," said Haruka.
Then they heard Rei's voice. "Quit your whining, Usagi "
"Rei, be nice," Ami scolded gently.
"Yeah, give her a break for once," Makoto agreed.
"Why?" Chibi-Usa giggled. "She did totally bomb on level one!"
"Hey, guys, over here!" Minako called to her friends, who all came to join her.
"Now, what was that I heard about a McDonald's?" Heero asked.
Duo's grin stretched from ear to ear. "Oh, nothing," he said nonchalantly. "Just our friends Trowa and Wufei got jobs at one, that's all." His grin grew even wider as his words took their effect: immediate bursts of hysterical laughter. Heero actually fell down laughing. Makoto needed to lean against a wall for support.
"Like I said, I hate my life," Wufei mumbled.
"My cheeks still hurt from smiling so much," Trowa complained, making everyone laugh even harder.
Now, Wufei was already having a very bad day, and the laughter was not helping. He racked his brain for the most efficient way to annoy everyone. When he found one, he knew it was perfect.
"That was a job for weak women," he said.
The laughter stopped. All the girls were glaring daggers at him. All the boys were looking at him with pity in their eyes.
"You want to take that back?" Makoto hissed.
"No," Wufei answered defiantly, ignoring the fact that Makoto was a good five inches taller than he was and was already looking very mad. "It's only just."
"Alright, justice-boy," she spat. "You and me, one-on-one, let's go." She clenched her fists.
Suddenly, a tall redhead with concern in her green eyes rushed over. "Please, don't fight in the arcade!" she pleaded. "It's bad policy."
"Alright, Lizzie," Makoto agreed amiably. Turning back to Wufei, she said, "Okay. Let's take this outside." She exited the arcade, with everyone following behind.
Once they were outside, Makoto and Wufei faced each other. Their friends made a circle around them. "Makoto, you need help taking out the trash?" Haruka called.
Makoto shook her head. "Not this time."
"You know, fighting over something like this really isn't the best idea," Quatre said.
"Wufei, maybe you should reconsider," Trowa said nervously. "After all, have I mentioned her reputation? No offense, Makoto," he added hastily, seeing her glare fix on him.
"No, you haven't," Wufei said, never taking his eyes off his opponent. "Why? What's her reputation?"
"She was kicked out of her old school for fighting," Trowa told him.
"Yeah," Makoto said, smiling wickedly. "And they didn't expel the kid I was fighting with. After all, it's hard to expel someone who's lying in a hospital bed."
"All that tells me is that the kid you were fighting was even weaker than you are," Wufei scoffed. "Are you trying to scare me?"
Makoto shook her head. "No. Just giving you fair warning."
There were a few moments of silence. Then, without warning, Wufei lunged at Makoto, attempting to punch her. Makoto effortlessly blocked his fist. Grabbing his wrist, she punched his cheek, punched him in the stomach, threw him on the ground, and placed her foot on his head.
"Now, say girls aren't weak!" she ordered. When Wufei said nothing, she pressed harder. "Say it!"
"Girls aren't weak," he mumbled, almost inaudibly.
"I can't hear you!" Makoto shouted, stepping even harder.
"Girls aren't weak!" Wufei yelled.
Makoto released him. "Be grateful I didn't wear my high heels today," she said.
Wufei scrambled to his feet. Trowa and Heero helped him brush himself off. "Anything seriously damaged?" Heero asked.
Wufei shook his head. "Just my pride."
"You want to join us back in the arcade?" Trowa offered.
"No," Wufei said. "I'm heading home." He stalked off like a dog with it's tail between his legs.
"Do you think he'll be okay?" Quatre asked worriedly.
"Wufei? He'll be fine," Duo said.
"Yeah," Makoto said. "I didn't go all out on him."
Quatre made a silent pReir that Makoto would never be mad at him.
"Hey, Minako," Usagi said. "Play you at F-1 Test Driver!"
"You're on!" Minako yelled enthusiastically. The two blondes raced into the arcade, followed by their somewhat less hyper friends.
In less than a minute, however, their hopes of playing their favorite game were dashed: no matter how hard they tried, the game would not start.
"Hey, what gives?" Usagi wailed indignantly.
"Oh, not that one, too," Lizzie moaned.
"What do you mean, Lizzie?" Minako questioned.
"Well," began Lizzie, "what with us being so short on help, Andrew and I have to help out all the time with taking orders, and we have almost no time left for maintenance! We have way too many machines that aren't working!"
Trowa was listening nearby. All that his ears picked up was "short on help." If they needed help, maybe he and Wufei could quit their jobs at McDonald's! "Did you say you needed help?" he asked the frazzled redhead.
"Yes, badly," Lizzie answered.
"A friend of mine and I are looking for new jobs," Trowa told her. "We could work here, starting tomorrow after school."
Lizzie looked at him like he was an angel sent from heaven above. "Oh, thank you!" she cried.
Trowa was a little bewildered. "Don't you even want to run it by the manager?"
"No," Lizzie told him. "Andrew, the manager, is my brother. Our family runs this place, and besides, we're absolutely desperate! Show up tomorrow after school, okay?"
"Okay," Trowa agreed. "I'd better catch up with Wufei to tell him the good news." He started to leave.
"I'll give you a ride in the helicopter," Haruka offered.
"Thanks," Trowa said. They headed out to Haruka's beloved machine.
* * *
Wufei walked along, cursing his luck. His cheek stung, his stomach hurt, he had a massive headache, and he felt like a complete weakling. How could I be so weak? he thought bitterly. Stupid girl, this is all her fault. That was totally unnecessary. It was complete injustice!
"Ah, I see you like justice," a voice cackled behind him. "And before you ask how I know, it's because I can read your mind!"
Wufei whirled around and gaped at the sight that he found. It was a woman, carrying the flags of different countries, dressed in multi-colored, striped spandex and knee-high boots, and wearing a red cape and a mask. "Who the heck are you?" he managed to say.
"I am Justice Woman!" she declared. "And your Heart Crystal is mine!" Without another word, she took off her mask to reveal a black star on her forehead. A beam of light shot out from it, and connected with Wufei's chest.
He screamed in agony. She was sucking the breath out of him! After a few intense seconds, the pain subsided, and left a dull, aching emptiness. Collapsing to his knees, he could see, floating before him, a shining, red crystal.
"Ahahahaha!" Justice Woman crowed triumphantly. "I will be greatly rewarded for this!"
Wufei's last conscious thought before drifting into sleep was: This really isn't my day.
* * *
"Hey, isn't that your friend?" Haruka asked, pointing outside the window.
Trowa peered out at the unconscious form below. "Yeah, that's him. But what happened to him? And who's that crazy woman?"
Haruka recognized her at once as a Daimon. Oh, man! she thought. I can't transform here, and even when we land, I'll still have Trowa with me. Secretly activating her communicator, she said loudly, "That's a monster! I sure wish the Sailor Senshi were here! They'd be a big help right now!" Then she prepared to land.
* * *
Michiru switched off her communicator. So there's danger wherever Haruka's helicopter is, she thought to herself. If we all leave, it might arouse suspicion. She casually walked over to Setsuna. "Hey," she said. "I need you to help get me my mirror."
Setsuna looked at her blue-haired friend. "Does that mean what I think it means?"
Michiru nodded.
"Okay," Setsuna said. "Who else do you think we'll need?"
"Ami, to find out where they are," Michiru responded. "And Usagi, of course."
It was Setsuna's turn to nod. She tapped Ami on the shoulder. "Ami, we need your computer for group business."
The girl genius nodded.
"Hey, meatball-head," Michiru called. "You've got work to do, and you'd better bring all your stuff; you're going to needed."
Usagi nodded understandingly. She got up to leave. "Don't forget about our rematch," she reminded Minako.
"I won't," Minako promised.
Michiru, Setsuna, Ami, and Usagi walked out of the building. Ami took ou her computer and started clicking on it. In a few seconds, she said, "Okay. I've pinpointed their location. Just follow me once we're transformed."
"Okay," the other three chorused. Together, they walked into a shadowed alley and transformed. Then the four Sailor Senshi started running to their target, with Sailor Mercury leading the way.
* * *
Haruka and Trowa climbed out of the helicopter, determined to stall the monster until help arrived. Haruka was praying her message had been received. "Come on, let's carry him to someplace safe," she called, motioning to the unconscious Wufei.
They ran over to him and dragged him to the side of the road.
"AUGH!" the monster cried. "You cannot take my victim away from me! It is unjust!"
The two humans stopped in their tracks. "She sounds like Wufei," Trowa remarked.
"What kind of monster are you, anyway?" Haruka demanded, hoping to buy them some time.
"I am the proud servant of Mistress Nine, Justice Woman!" she cried triumphantly.
"You hypocrite," Haruka spat. "How can a justice woman fight for evil?"
"I am not a justcice woman, I am Justice Woman!" she yelled. "And if I say I'm being just, then I am!"
"What a weird system of justice," Trowa remarked.
"Enough chatter!" Justice Woman said abruptly. "Now, I shall kill you all!"
"I don't think so!" said a familiar voice.
"Huh?" said the deranged Daimon. "Who are you?"
"I am Sailor Moon!" the blond soldier proclaimed. One by one, her friends, all wearing masks, made their unnecessary introductions.
"I am Sailor Mercury!"
"I am Sailor Neptune!"
"I am Sailor Pluto!"
Together, they shouted, "We are the champions of justice!"
"Hold on a second," Trowa said. "Let me get this straight. The champions of justice are fighting Justice Woman to save justice-boy?"
"That's about right," Haruka said.
"Argh! Imposters!" the monster screamed. "I am Justice Woman! You shall pay!"
"I don't think so," Neptune
said. "Pluto, help me out. DEEP SUBMERGE!"
"DEAD SCREAM!"
The double attack looked as if it were about to hit the monster, but she dodged it just in time.
"MERCURY BUBBLES BLAST!" It suddenly became very foggy.
"Yaah! I can't see!" yelled Justice Woman in a panic. "Die! JUSTICE BLAST!" Because of the fog, her attack missed the Sailor Senshi by a mile. Instead, it made direct contact with Haruka's helicopter.
"My helicopter!" Haruka cried. "NOOOOOOO!" She ran to the badly damaged machine. "My baby..." Turning to face the monster, she yelled, "You will die for hurting my helicopter!" She ran straight through the fog, and, upon reaching Justice Woman, beat her up with her bare fists.
Once Justice Woman was unconscious on the ground, and Haruka's thirst for revenge had been somewhat quenched, she shouted, "Now, Sailor Moon!"
"Okey-dokey!" the masked blonde said. "RAINBOW MOON HEART ACE!" The attack easily moon-dusted the severely damaged Daimon. Sailor Pluto retrieved Wufei's Heart Crystal and placed it in his chest. The she and the other Senshi sped away.
Trowa ran to his friend. Haruka knelt by her helicopter, moaning, "My baby..." over and over again.
"Hey, Wufei, you alright?" Trowa asked, helping the Chinese boy get up.
"Yeah," he answered drowsily. "Man, this has really not been my day."
"No
kidding," Trowa agreed. "But listen,
I've got some good news. The arcade
needed help, so I got us jobs there. We
can quit our McDonald's jobs!"
"YES!" Wufei cried. "Thank you!" Glancing over at Haruka, he asked, "Hey, what's wrong with her?"
"Um, her helicopter got bashed in the battle," Trowa said. "She was very close with it, kind of like we were with our Gundams."
"Ah," Wufei said sympathetically. "We should probably leave her alone then."
"Good idea," Trowa agreed. The two boys started walking to the arcade, leaving behind the grieving Haruka.
* * * * * * * *
Notes: Wufei fans, don't flame me! Also, if I offended any McDonald's workers, I'm very sorry. E-mail me, but no flames.
FYI: Um, nothing.^.^;
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing, Sailor Moon, or McDonald's. They are owned by some very rich people. I am not making any money whatsoever from this. I have no money, so don't sue.