Of course, she should have worn the dress. Of course, but she had to be stupid, stubborn and proud. Proud of her status as OZ officer, she had elected to wear her uniform. I'm not just one of those many girls that float around tonight, in their beautiful, beautiful dresses...
It didn't help that he had appeared too, standing as tradition dictated, three steps behind his Excellency the general. As usual, aching beautiful, with a long trail of almost silver hair behind him. When the two men had entered, almost the same height, the room's background noise of chattered dropped to dead silence before rising again. Trieze had smiled his usual sardonic smile. And he had not reacted at all.
Now the MC was introducing the honoured guest tonight, his Excellency the General. But her attention was really focused on the figure three steps behind, as close as his shadow... there were rumors that the general and his first lieutenant were involved. Perfect beauty with perfect beauty. But the two men were so formally correct out of doors it was hard to verify the gossip. So it remained the hottest subject of speculation tonight. The lazy gaze of Treize certainly lent weight to that accusation, but then again his Excellency looks at everybody that way, no big deal...
She glanced up at the two men, tried to see them together. Tried to imagine his Excellency's long fingers tangled in that silver cascade...stop stop stop, she cried frantically. Noin flushed a little red, and hoped that no one noticed. But Lieutenant Piaz smiling, had leaned over and whispered in her ear: "'Students don't fall in love with their instructors', eh?" She had flushed a darker red. Some of the other instructors had noticed and were trying very hard not to smile.
"Nononono, it's not what you think..." she protested back. But Instructor Piaz had merely quirked an eyebrow and answered with a look that expressed himself perfectly: yeah right. Noin groaned inwardly. How was she going to survive tomorrow? How was she going to survive tonight? Glumly she focussed her attention back on the speaker and resigned herself to a long evening.
The usual rounds of speechs came by, and thankfully Treize kept his short. So now the master of ceremonies introduced the stars of the evening, Xiaohuar, and two other famous female singers that she didn't recognize. Excusing herself for a drink, Noin made her way to a part of the wall shrouded in shadow. She leaned against the cool plane, wishing dismally that she could just disappear.
But suddenly, the monotonous MC's voice changed to that of a hauntingly sweet female voice: "Thank you, sir." Despite herself, Noin glanced upwards at the new comer. It was the girl from Macross Plus, Xiaohuar. Surprisingly, in person, she does look a lot like me, Noin thought. Just a little bit older, around nineteen. And yeah, maybe only a thousands times prettier...She spoke gently into the microphone, but the whole room was entranced with the sound of her voice. "I'm most honoured to be invited here tonight-- I just can't express how greatly I treasure this exprience. So, let me express my appreciation by allow me to sing tonight. My first song is very old, but still quite popular: Eyes on Me, by Faye Wong."
And she began, "Whenever sang my song--"... Slowly, the dance floor filled up. Even though Noin didn't like the song much (too over played on the radio), the songtress made it seem new again, wonderful again. And then as song after song floated dreamily by, she even found herself enjoying the music. Maybe it isn't so bad, she thought. More relaxed, she let her gaze wander around the room. Here and there were knots of people chatting. Some of the students and the instructors were dancing. She avoided looking the clump that had gathered around Trieze, who was standing somewhere close to the stage. So maybe that was the reason why her eyes didn't wander over to the stage, and as a result, she didn't notice the singer, who kept her snapping her eyes back to a certain figure, still carefully three steps behind his Excellency the General...
"I must apologize. I am hogging the stage again-- it is a bad habit of mine. So now, I would like to invite Miss Xabbu to sing for you now, who I assure you is a much better singer than I." Xiaohuar smiled. Some giggling from the crowd, particularly the younger groups. "I have an request, though, if Miss Xabbu doesn't mind." The girl leaned over and whispered something to the older woman beside her on the stage. The woman smiled and nodded knowingly at the songtress.
"Of course, Xiaohuar." An older, sultry, more mature female voice. "The next song is I Love You, by a very old singer named Celine Dion." She smiled an evil smile at the younger woman, who unabashedly smiled back before moving off the stage. "By special request of Xiaohuar." The band started striking up the song. And Xiaohuar appeared, smiling a little oddly. Noin focused her attention on the girl, a little bit intrigued in spite of herself. The older singer, started,
"I must be crazy now
Maybe I dream too much"
She watched Xiaohuar move towards the group of people around Treize. Surprised, the people let her through. Xiaohuar seemed to be making a straight line for the general. She's going to ask General Trieze for a dance?!? thought Noin incredously. Impossible.
"But when I think of you
I long to feel your touch"
But no, the girl passed the general and placed herself in front of First Lieutenant Zechs Merquise. Noin's heart beat faster. She's going to ask Zechs for a dance? And indeed, Xiaohuar stopped there. A curtsey to the impassive figure, and an extended hand, as if in response to him asking. And all the meanwhile, the song continued:
"To whisper in your ear
Words that are as old as time"
All the room was staring now. All through the other songs, Zechs had remained stationary at Trieze's side. Many of the girls' eyes wandered over there, but nobody was brave enough to walk up and ask the ice blue eyes for a dance, and hell would freeze over before he would ask anybody... But now, someone had taken the initiative, and the room held its collective breath in anticipation of the results. There was a little silence, as Zechs regarded the girl coldly. Xiaohuar's confident smile quavered, and then became frozen.
"Words only you would hear
If only you were mine..."
Then Treize smiled, and turned to his first officer. He must have said something, for then Zechs curtly nodded, bowed to Xiaohuar, extended his hand to ask for the dance. The girl's smile returned and she coyly accepted, allowing him to lead her to the dance floor. The dancers stopped and cleared some distance away, as if in some fairy tale, for the prince and his chosen first.
Noin smiled, amused (she had never seen Zechs dance before). She applauded silently, and tried to ignore the aching feeling in her throat. Concentrate on the song, stupid...
"... so today, I finally find the courage deep inside
Just to walk right up to your door
But my body can't move, when I finally get to it
Just like a thousand times before..."
But she was drawn, much like everyone else to the couple dancing. Of course, they were doing it perfectly together (a little inward smile-- would Zechs consent to doing anything less than perfectly?) but he was doing it distractedly, as if there was something else on his mind. Ah Zechs, she sighed, you've got a beautiful girl in your arms who half the room wants a dance with and you are distracted...how incredibily you. But then again, Xiaohuar didn't seem to be noticing. If I were her, I'll probably stop and slap him though...it might produce better results...
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She was awaken by the sharp pain throbbing in her thigh. True to her training as a soldier, she didn't show any signs of stirring. And then her heart beat rapidly, as she recalled the events immediately prior. Where? she thought. Am I captured by the rebels? Noin fought the urge to move. Slowly, she opened her eyes a sliver. There was only another cadet in OZ uniform.
"If you're awake," he said quietly. "Keep quiet. They should waste no time searching for us, as they're being pursued, but humans are such illogical creatures." His cold blue eyes met hers.
Merquise, Zechs Merquise. That was his name. She stirred, moving the injured leg and bit back a gasp of pain. There was a linen handkerchief on it, bound tightly to the wound with a strip of cloth.
"Don't move. I'm sorry about that, but I had to get you off the platform quickly."
Ignoring the pain she sat up straight, met his gaze full on, furious. "Why did you interfere? That was revenge for family!"
He was quiet. "You were going to die."
She spat the words back at him. "A soldier's duty is to die! How more honourable to die taking revenge for those who caused your family's death?"
"And then who would bring the flowers to your mother's grave?"
"My gift to mother is the blood of those who killed her!"
"Afterwards nobody would remember your father, or your mother, or your family, right? As the final bearer or your family's name, your duty is to remain alive." He looked away, hard. "That is your obligation to the dead, Cadet Lucrezia Noin."
And she was silent, having no words to counter him. And he was silent, lost deep in thought.
After a long while, he stood up, graceful as ever. "You can't walk, can you?"
She nodded, not in a speaking mood currently.
He knelt before her, turned his back towards. "Here, get up. We have to go to the regrouping point." Awkwardly she climbed onto his back, stiff. He rose carefully.
Eventually, she spoke. "I'm sorry about my behavior earlier."
"There's nothing to be sorry about." There was a pause. "Actually," he said, "you shame me."
They were both very quiet on the rest of the way to the camp.
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Just be thankful that nobody's sorry enough for me to ask me for a dance, she thought angrily. After all, it's your own fault.
(In another part of the room: Mueller whispered--"Go ahead, Mr Big-Shot. Go and ask her for a dance!"
Alex sweated for a second, and then replied smugly-- "I'll be a gentleman tonight. I'll allow you the first dance...")
"--dance?" said a cool male voice, breaking her reverie. Chagrined, she glanced upward. Her eyes widened. It was General Trieze Khrushenada.
"Y-your Excellency?" she managed.
"It appears that your former classmate has been ambushed by one of the most beautiful women in the room." A smile. With a hint of laughter in his voice, Trieze added, "As his superior officer, I can't afford to be outdone. Will you indulge me, Lieutenant?" A proffered hand--
She accepted, with as much grace as she could muster, given the circumstances. They were the centre of attention right now. Noin felt like wilting in the intensity of the stares. But Trieze was accustomed to being a spectacle. He led her to dance floor, amidst all the stares, all the whispers. The General's first dance! With a fully uniformed officer! One of his former students! The room buzzed. She positioned her hand on his shoulder, and allowed him to gently take her other hand, leading. Her heart was racing a little fast-- out of the corner of her eye, she managed to see Instructor Piaz grin at her. Noin sighed internally. There was going to be a barrage of questions tomorrow. And they weren't going to be about the sinc function either. And then there seemed to be another woman in uniform-- a major by the looks of the insignia -- that seemed to be giving her a glare...
"you..?" Her attention snapped back to the present, to the bemused voice of the general. "I think you paid me more attention during class. You and Lt. Merquise must have been trained by the same dancing instructor. Both of you don't seem to like dancing very much."
"I'm sorry, your excellency." Noin flushed, slightly.
"Accepted, although reluctantly. I had wanted to congratulate you and your student. That young man in that new movie did some spectacular flying, sort of remnant of your student days."
"I did nothing, sir. It was Cadet Jacques's relentless practice that did the trick."
"I find that hard to believe," he answered absentmindedly. Treize appeared to be observing Lt. Zechs and the glaring woman. They spun around in circles some more-- it appeared to his turn to become distracted. The silence became sort of awkward.
"I didn't know that your excellency watched movies," Noin said to break the silence. It abruptly brought his attention back to her.
"No, I usually don't. But the latest movie- "Macross Plus", I believe -- poses some interesting questions about the future." He paused, as if to think about something, continued smoothly-- "I'm assuming you watched it too, Lieutenant. What did you think of the computer-piloted mobile suits?"
She gave it some thought. "I don't think people would stand for them, sir. Mobile suits can be given far more efficient designs, despite what the engineers tell us about making us of the natural reflexes of the pilot. But sir, people want to see people fight." She smiled. "Well, at least semi-humanoid objects piloted by real humans, sir," Noin concluded.
"Yes, otherwise it would just be a farce," Treize replied, slightly more intense than his usual tone. To her surprise, he lost that perpetual smile he wore for a moment. She judged it prudent not to say anything anymore, and they continued dancing.
At the end of the dance, before she turned to leave, Trieze said, "Lt. Noin, have you heard that the Alliance has allotted funds for researching an automated MS system? An AI, to replace all pilots. Perhaps, although, we might conclude more happily than Macross Plus. Excuse me." He bowed, perfectly as always, and left before Noin could answer.
"General Trieze," she murmured. She shook her head. This was proving to be a most interesting night...
"Well, well, well," smirked a certain instructor. "Who made the catch of the evening?"
"It meant nothing," Noin said absentmindly.
"Well then, I'll have to assume you're after the other guy..."
"WHAT?!?" Flushing.
Before he could reply, the audio system can alive again, with Xiaohuar's melodious voice. "... I guess he has another girl on his mind. So, I would like to sing this next song for him, "Only your friend", from Macross II."
Lt. Piaz turned to Noin. "Well, I'm not a general, and I'm not that good-looking. But I would like the envy of all the males in the room, so-- may I have the next dance?"
Noin sighed. "It would be my pleasure."
As they paired off on the dance floor and the music started, she asked, intrigued. "There was a Macross II? I hadn't heard of it."
Piaz replied, "Yeah, but it's pretty awful. I think this is the one decent song out of it..."
The saxophone intro concluded, and Xiaohuar started:
Again I heard her words
Exactly as said
That she'll give
Oh so true
She loves you.
So fret and upset
How you won't
Give your love
Evermore.
Surprised, Noin found herself enjoying the dance. It was a pretty song and there was less tension than dancing with Trieze...
It's then when my heart
Skips a beat
Am I only your friend?
Long lost out of view,
As I sit next to you
You walk away
I lose sight of you...
"May I cut in?" said a voice she hadn't expect to hear. Controlled, cool and calm. Much like him, in fact, much too like--
First Lieutenant Zechs Merquise.
Instructor Piaz froze for a second, and stared. He recovered and managed: "C-certainly..."
A bow, more of a small movement of the head, to the older man and to her, and his gloved hand held hers. Which, surprisingly enough as it was, didn't shake. But Noin heard her heartbeat much too faster for comfort, and fought the sinking feeling that either she was going to wake up or screw up. He was warm, even under the glove, the uniform. And now, much, much too close for comfort, with his hand at her back, her hand on his shoulder... And she daren't meet his ice blue eyes, or even look up, because she was sure she would start flushing red, if she wasn't already... Another sort of ritural, a different sort of dance altogether. No, concentrate on the song:
...I can't let on that I'm scared
You'll see right through to my soul
What will I say, when you know?
I'll hold inside how I wished it to be
And never let it show
Remain as friends, let it be
I'll hold inside these few words:
I truly love you...
"So," he said, "how have you been, Noin?" Calmly, evenly... after all, she thought, as if he was interested in her... the thought restored some sort of balance. We're friends. We're only, exactly, precisely that.
She smiled. "Pretty good. I'm teaching now, here." A wry smile-- "Just discovering how awful students can be, all from a new perspective."
A little voice, went: another girl on his mind...but she squashed it. "I recall you were the model student. The instructors were always referring to you as the role model."
"Only when you weren't presented as perfect."
He replied, with a hint of amusement. "Remind me again why I bother debating anything with you."
With perfect equanimity, she answered. "Because I might win."
Zechs smiled. "It all becomes clear now." He paused. "Why didn't enter the active arm? Your grades--"
Noin flushed. "I... I don't like fighting. I ... hate it when people get killed." She paused. "Do you remember the rebel soldiers we 'captured' during our first excursion. Even though they were part of the group that killed my family, I felt horribly sick when I watched their execution. If I had follow General Catalonia, I would have to fight a lot more."
He noticed her colour. "It's not something to be ashamed of, Noin. My... I know another girl like you. Her name is Relena."
Her smile froze. The bottom of the world dropped out. Xiaohuar had said, another girl. My...
Girlfriend.
Obviously. How could he not? The beautiful, talented daughter of the Vice Foreign Minster Dorlian, who he had saved, making all the headlines, from a rebel MS. A princess, falling in love with a knight, who descended from the heavens. A fairy tale, except it probably occurred in real life.
She started to asked him how was Ms. Dorlian, but he had frozen, staring hard into a crowd of people under a overhang. He had retracted back into that stiff, formal mode he could be in, especially when he was under stress. His eyes narrowed, lightened.
"Is there something wrong?" Noin followed the direction of his gaze. His eyes seemed to follow one uniformed man.
"Nothing, Lieutenant," he said, coldly, distractedly. Then he transferred his stare to her and she almost back up on the intensity. Almost neutrally, evenly, he asked, "who is that man in the Alliance uniform?"
Confused, she replied, "Lt. General Diego O'Neguil, representative of the Alliance military here tonight. He's the person--"
But Zechs had already turned, broken away from her, bowing, walking towards that crowd.
"--the commander who launched the attack on the Sanq kingdom," she finished quietly.