Quintessence
Chapter 1



Uguuu!!! I said I wouldn't start another fic until I finished my old ones but the temptations too strong!!! I just
got this idea and I can't let go of it!!! I promised myself I'd never get into writing GW/SM fics or DB/SM fics,
but...GRR!!! *sigh*...I need more will power...most likely me being the slowpoke that I am I'll finish this in
what? September? If I'm lucky. Looking for: Someone to co-write, take over writing this...when I'm ready to let
it go. Write now I'm just having too much fun writing this.


Don't be fooled by the beginning! This is NOT a Usa/Mamo fic! PG-13 for mild sexual content and some language. Maybe
rated R??? Should I change it? As always if there's a * go to the bottom of the fic and there'll be an explanation
for something.


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Mamoru stared at her. Her sapphire eyes twinkling and her frame simply bursting with enthusiasm, Usagi currently sat
on the edge of her seat waiting for her turn to be called to try out for the movie Quintessence. She could easily
pass for a model with her looks (although her height was less than that of most models), and despite his urgings she
refused. She insisted when she made it big, she wanted to make it big as an actress. Although he respected her wishes,
it _would_ be easier on the company and more profitable if she compromised just a bit. Not that he didn't want her to
become an actress. Although she didn't know it, she was probably the best actress the MHR acting/modeling agency had.
She could capture every emotion, even the most indescribable, in those incredible deep blue eyes that seemed to be
able to capture anything. She could cry at will (although it took some moments for her to conjure up sad moments to
cry from), memorize lines in the blink of an eye, and was skilled at changing her speech to accommadate local
slang and accents. She had never been schooled in acting, with the exception of How-to-act dog-eared books probably
sitting on her night stand waiting to be reread as she did every night. When the petit beauty had first
walked into their agency six months ago, few of them had any idea she would become the hope of the failing MHR company
and even less had suspected the acting genius inside her, but they had come to know. The only problem, the reason
she had had no parts in the last 6 months, was her hair Her indescribably long, silk, blond hair. There were few parts
that called for hair that color and length, and Usagi adamantly refused to cut it no matter how big a paycheck was
offered. Of course a wig was available, but her sheer mass of hair was almost impossible to stuff under a wig without
the word 'fathead' coming to mind.

Which was why Mamoru had been ecstatic when word of the new movie Quintessence had reached him, delighted enough
for him, the president of MHR, to accompany her to the audition instead of her agent. The huge-budget movie
promised to be THE movie of the next summer with five of the hottest actors (who were also coincidentally best
friends because they had all been propelled to fame in a TV show they all starred together in) starring in it.
The only part that hadn't been decided was the young, ravishing beautiful _long-haired_ princess lead. Even
the most brilliant, famous actresses had been turned down for the part. Steven Speilbergo accepted only the
most appropriate for the roles, and he had declared that one too fat, this one too sophisticated, that one
too ugly, and the list went on, but Usagi would be PERFECT for the part. He knew...or at least he hoped.

"Mamoru-san?" Usagi questioned. She glanced worriedly at the stage she could see partway from behind the curtains.
"That girl just got rejected, and they didn't even let her say the lines!"

"Hmm?" Mamoru raised his eyebrow, "Her? She's too tan. Looks are a big factor in getting roles, you know."

"Oh..." Usagi bit her lip, "but somehow...that's not right..."

Mamoru shrugged, "Who cares? Don't worry Usagi, you'll get to recite the lines. You're pretty enough."
'More like fricking hot enough.' He probably would've tried to get her into bed with him, but innocent actresses
like her had a tendency to be overcome with guilt afterwards and later quitting afterwards. But he wouldn't
risk it with this girl. She was too precious to the company. Of course few acting girls quit when they
had a big gig. If she got this part, then he could make his move...

Usagi blushed. "Y-you think so?" She glanced down at her hands. For six months, although she had at first
been afraid to acknowledge it, she had developed a bit of a crush on the business man.

"Number sixty-four! Number sixty-four!" the frazzled looking intern called out from the stage. Usagi jumped up
as she realized it was hers, almost forgetting her script.

"Relax, Usagi. Relax," Mamoru commanded and Usagi shot him a smile before collecting her script and walking
towards the stage. "Wait!" he ran and quickly reached up and unfurled her hair from her characteristic
two odangos. "It'll give them a better impression." Smiling at her he pushed her to the stage watching
his money-maker audition.

Once on she blinked her eyes rapidly trying to get rid of the glare in her eyes. It hadn't seem THAT bright
from behind stage. Why was the overhead so bright? She couldn't see!

"Number sixty-four. Please recite Serenity's lines on page fourty-four of the script lines 36-59. Just the first
paragraph."

Usagi strained her eyes as they slightly adjusted making at least script reading possible. She could just barely
make out a table where seven people sat by their outlines, but nothing else. Well, at least she hadn't been dismissed.
Smoothing down her flower-printed ruffle skirt and pulling slightly at her dark blue peasant shirt, she cleared her
throat before beginning. Glancing down at the lines she discovered they were the same ones she had memorized
back stage just in case. Scanning over it cursively, she gently put the script to the stage floor (she heard
a slight surprised cough from the table) and gazed straight ahead to where she imagined Prince Verisle to be
clenching her hands into fists in imagined anger, and she felt tears spring to her eyes as she imagined the
princess' frustration at having her loved one refuse to understand her feelings.

"But I WAITED for you!" her voice rang out clear across the stage, in her words the stinging slap of betrayal
and hurt, "I waited for you. I stayed faithful to you, truthful! You have no idea what I went through to be
faithful to you! I broke ties with my mother and father and friends, and I left behind EVERYTHING to be with
you but..." Her voice turned low, and the tears fell freely now, "You...now you say that you don't love me?
I..." she bit her lips as she imagined Serenity's pain, "I know I can't force you to love me. I know
you won't be swayed, but you have to stop living in the past! Open your eyes and see what's in front of you!
Me. See me. I want you to see me." Her voice broke, and her desperate voice carried off a she smiled and
wiped her eyes.

"Umm..thank you for letting me try out." She bowed to them and stooped down to pick up the script, when she
discovered it was no longer on the floor. "Umm..." maybe she had kicked it somewhere? She blushed. God!
what was she doing! They were going to think she was an idiot who couldn't even find the script she had
placed on the ground seconds ago!

"Turn off those goddamn lights!" a gruff voice next to her barked, and they were instantly dimmed. She turned
to him confused. Was he the next auditioner? But wasn't the only part open the princess part? A vaguely amusing
scene came into mind, but glancing at the now visible table, she saw a chair empty. She glanced at him
again uncertain. He looked back at her his Prussian blue eyes firm in their resolve and his messy brown
hair tumbling over his face. He handed her her script, and she took it thanking him. He was slightly
confused. She had seen his face, but her reaction was one of mild embarrassment from being handed her script
back.

"Ummm..." Usagi blushed, "Well, thank you for picking it up for me. I guess I'll go." She started back to
behind the curtains when the man suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist restraining her. Turning
back to him she blushed, "Is something the matter, Auditioner-san?"

'Au-AUDITIONER-SAN?' he heard a chortle from the table and he glared at the chorlter, his so-called friend
Duo Maxwell. From his glare Duo was immediately silenced. "You...tell me who I am." he demanded of Number
Sixty-four.

"Umm...the...director?" she articulated her words carefully unsure of what he expected. Now it was not
just Duo but the table broke out in hoots, grins, or mild coughs trying to hold back laughter. Usagi
took a step back bewildered and embarrassed. She must have done something really stupid! She mentally
kicked herself.

He just raised an eyebrow. "Look at that table. Do you recognize anyone?" She followed his gaze to the
table and took a really close look. A middle-aged bearded man sat calmly at the first seat, next was
a smiling boy his face framed by angelic blond hair, next was a stoical boy his bushy brown hair
covering one eye of his stunning pair of forest-green eyes, next was braided boy still midly cracking
up now and then over what she had said, next was a Chinese man his black hair pulled back tightly
into a ponytail, she skipped over the empty chair, and finally...

She gasped, "Relena Dorlain-san! It's a pleasure to meet you!" She bowed in her direction. She had
heard rumors that the gifted Relena Dorlain had been cast as a minor female character, but she had
brushed that off. There was no way her hero, Relena Dorlain, would ever settle for just a small minor part,
but there were rumors that she was infatuated with some male actor who was also in the movie. The guys including
Relena sweatdropped at her response, and Usagi was startled as the hand grabbing her began to shake. She
looked at him alarmed and he was...laughing?

After he got his laughing under control he let go of her hand and looked at her in the eyes seriously.
"Do the names Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell, Wufei Chang, Quatre Raberba Winner, and Trowa Barton mean anything
to you?

She bit her lip flushing, "I'm really sorry, but I only keep up with female actresses, and I don't like
watching movies because I want to keep my own style of acting instead of being influenced by others'.
Why? Umm..is it required that I know them?" This time only the middle-aged man broke out laughing.

The man she had spoken to turned to the table, and when the laughing was done he declared, "Speilbergo, I
must have this woman as Serenity. I won't settle for anyone else." and the other boys nodded in general
agreement, but Usagi didn't miss the slightly peeved look that passed through Relena's face.

"You," he turned to her again, "It begins tomorrow. Be here at six-thirty. We'll have you fitted,
and work out all the kinks of your contract as well as get your trailer ready. Number sixty-four..
what was your name again?"

"Usagi Tsukino," she offered.

"Usagi, don't be late." He nodded at the guys on the table, "Let's go." Turning towards the intern he
nodded, "Call off all auditioners. We've found our Serenity." He turned to leave.

"Excuse me!" Usagi cried out. As he turned looking back at her with those piercing eyes, she felt foolish
and silly for having stopped him, "What was your name?"

He raised his eyebrow, "I'm not the director. I'm the lead actor. I suggest you know our names by tomorrow
morning. Look up the names I told you about." The edges of his lips lifting up in a hint of a smile, he
turned to go.

"USAGI!!!" Mamoru ran to her exuberant, "I knew you'd get the part!" she blushed as he hugged her tightly
to his chest. "I can't believe you didn't know who they were though! Oh well, I'll inform you on the way
to our celebration dinner tonight!!!" 'Where I'll finally get my chance to get you to bed tonight!' he added.

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"Oh!" Usagi gasped and almost spilled her cup of coffee on her little black dress for the dinner. She had
been mortified to find out that the five boys she didn't recognize were THE hot actors of today, being
launched into fame with the movie Gundam Wing which she had heard a lot about, but never seen herself.
Out of curiosity at home (and also so that she would know which one was which the next day) she had searched
online for them and found about a bazillion sites dedicated to either the actors of their TV show. She had never
imagined them to be this famous. And now she was currently staring at a full blown picture of Heero Yuy in his
early days posing as an underwear model in only tight briefs. A blush creeping up to her face, she hurriedly
scrolled up to see only waist up. So HE was the one who had grabbed her. The blush deepened. She hadn't notice
at the time, she had been to bewildered, but he had a hell of a body, and a bad-boy face to go along with that.
Out of all the 'pilots'(or so they were affectionately called from their movie) he was definitely the unsaid
leader and main heartthrob. She wrenched her eyes away from the picture resisting the urge to scroll down
and clicked on a link that identified each one of them in full body pictures (with shirts on). She was still
attempting to link the last one on the page Quatre Winner with his picture in her mind when the door rang.
Lifted out of her revelry, she grabbed her purse on her bed, and turned off the computer. Opening the door
she smiled at Mamoru before giving him a peck on the cheek and running to get into his Viper as if afraid
that someone else would call shotgun.

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"Heero..." Relena tugged on his arm, "We got our main female. Why don't we relax at the new restaurant in
town?"

"Hnn!" He shrugged her arm off turning his attention back to the schedule for tomorrow.

"Damnit, onna!" Wufei burst in, "Keep it down! I'm trying to meditate!"

Her face turned sour as Wufei slammed the door going back to his trailer, "By the way, I didn't see the point in
'insisting' she be in it. I mean Speilbergo's the director, and he would've probably hired her anyway."

This time she got a reaction from him. Turning back towards her he frowned, "A precaution."

"Well anyway, Heero! Today's our last day to relax before filming really begins! PLEASE go to the
restaurant with me! PLEASE!"

"The press might be there," he said flatly, "I don't want rumors getting out that we're a couple."

Relena frowned at the comment, but went on, "Aha! So you're hungry and you really do want to go! I knew
it!!! If you're worried about the press and us being alone, then.."

She was interrupted as Duo came bursting in, "Yo, you got our schedule?"

Relena's face brightened, "Then DUO can accompany us!" Duo backed away from the A-list actress, as he searched
desperately for a way not to spend the night with the egotistical girl. Damnit! He should've known Relena
wouldn't have let Heero be alone in his trailer! Relena was oblivious to his terror as she plotted her master
plan to somehow get Duo away from them at the restaurant and have Heero all to herself. Heero's stomach
growled.

Grabbing his jacket, he grabbed Duo by the braid, and headed out. "We're going, we're going." Relena rejoiced
as she imagined in her head the 'underlying' meaning behind his words and ran up to him to not be left behind.

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"Y-Yuy-san! Maxwell-san! Welcome to our restaurant!" the receptionist bowed deeply at them, and Relena clenched
her white clutch that matched with her slinky dress tightly furious at not being recognized. Heero
nodded in his relaxed dress slacks and Duo did likewise.

"Could we get a table for two?" Duo asked.

"I'm sorry but at the moment we're full," the man said politely.

"Three!" Relena shouted ignoring what the man had said and glared at Duo, "Are you not intelligent enough to
not know how to count?"

"No," Duo muttered under his breath, "I'm intelligent enough to know that Heero doesn't want to spend the night
with you."

Relena shot him a look, "Did you say something?"

"No!" he looked away, "Not at all." As he was looking something caught his eye. He nudged Heero and gestured
towards one of the tables on the balcony.

Heero turned towards him in annoyance until he saw what Duo had seen. The girl, Usagi, talking with...his eyes
darted to the other end of the table, a man. His eyes hardened. Who was he?

"Hey, receptionist," Duo grinned at the flustered gentleman, "There's some friends of ours over there", he
indicated to the six-chaired table they were sitting at, "Can't we join them?"

"Well," the receptionist looked down at his record book, "They made reservations, but did not indicate that
they would be joined by a second party and," looking up he barked, "HEY!" They were gone and as he turned
to his left he saw Duo Maxwell dragging both Heero Yuy and that other girl towards the table already. The
receptionist sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Damn famous people."

"Yo! Serenity!" Usagi heard and the next moment there was an arm casually slung over her shoulder, and she
was facing one of the most wanted bachelors in Hollywood.

"Duo Maxwell-san! Umm...about today, I'm truly sorry I didn't recognize you, I don't really..." She trailed
off as Duo put a finger to her lips silencing her.

"I'd forgive anything coming from a beautiful creature as yourself," Duo grinned and Mamoru on the other side
in the middle of the chairs on the table scowled*. His grinning was immediately stopped as he was yanked
backwards off the chair and Heero Yuy sat calmly in his place. "Heero! How many times do I have to tell you?
HANDS OFF the braid!!!"

Heero only muttered, "Idiot," before turning his attention back to the menu. Usagi to the surprise of all
giggled.

"Heero-san and Duo-san, you two seem to be very good friends!"

Heero and Duo's jaws both dropped simultaneously. "Me, friends with that idiot?" "Me friends with Mr. stick
-up-his-ass?" they said in unison.

"Obviously," Relena's voice came barging in, "you know nothing about them!" flipping her hair she sat herself
next to Mamoru in front of Heero.

Usagi immediately developed stars in her eyes. Mamoru leaning over whispered to Relena something about
blood and the seat. Relena immediately paled and ran off excusing herself to the lady's room her clutch
behind her covering her butt.

Duo recovering from being throw on the floor sat on the other side of Usagi slinging his arm around Usagi
again. "Lemme give you a tip, Usagi. Relena's a damn good actress, I'll give her that, but all-in-all,
as a person, she's pretty crappy."

"Oh," Usagi looked down at her hands. Was her hero worship really that obvious? "I see." Duo gave a squeak, and
Usagi turned to him alarmed. "Duo-san, what's wrong?"

His face a brilliant shade of red Duo withdrew his arm from her shoulders an ugly red welt developing from Heero
pinching his hand. "N-nothing!" he squeaked out.

"Usagi," Heero said, "Please, for your sanity ignore him."

Mamoru's face darkened. What was the deal with being so familiar with HIS Usagi? And they had only met today!

"Hai, Heero-san," Usagi smiled back teasing Duo who cried out in protest.

"EXCUSE ME," Mamoru scowled, "I realize as of today you are Usagi's coworkers and I understand the bonds
that must be set between coworkers to carry out projects such as the ones you will be doing to it's
fullest degree, HOWEVER, I understand that certain boundaries must be set, and you today have exceeded
those boundaries!"

"Ummm..." Duo played around with his braid and turned to Heero for help, "What'd he say?"

Usagi herself was confused and turned to Heero for his explanation.

"I think your boyfriend," Heero shot a glance at Usagi, "is trying to say Duo and I aren't welcome here."

Usagi blushed, "Mamoru-san's the president of the agency I work for!" He relaxed very subtly, a movement
caught only by Duo. "And besides," she turned to Mamoru scolding him, "I owe thanks to Heero-san. He's
the one who said that I needed to be chose to play the part."

"Don't misunderstand," Heero said gruffly, "Even if I hadn't said that I'm more than certain Speilbergo
would've picked you, except he wouldn't have been direct enough to declare it then and close the auditioning.
I wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. That's why I decided to end it."

Usagi's smiled happily, "But, thank you anyway."

He looked at her curiously. Why should she still thank him when she had no need? She definitely wasn't
accustomed to manners in Hollywood.

"But Usagi! They just come baring in here and-" Mamoru still ranted.

"Mamoru-san, I honestly don't mind. Besides, it's not like we can't do without some company." Usagi smiled.

At that moment Relena came back. She had seen Heero staring at THAT girl, and she was determined to humiliate
her for the night with something. Just thank god that bathroom girl had had a stain remover in her cart.
Even though the bright red spot was gone, there was still a slight pink, which she covered by borrowing
a pin and pinning a portion of the back of her dress up and to the right giving a flash of her legs and if she
walked briskly her thong. Completely unaware was she of the dangers lurking in the corners in the form of a
man and a camera.

Coming back, she seated herself on the other side of that man**, whoever he was and primly set the napkin on
her lap and snapped her fingers for the waiter. The table fell silent as they waited for the waiter, and
when none came Relena got annoyed and snapped again and again. Duo finally sighing and feeling sorry for
her after the seventy-second snap himself raised his hand and snapped. In an instant a drooling fan-girl
waitress was at his feet having tripped in her eagerness to get there. "Umm...your order?" she said
meekly from the floor. Duo grinned.

Having given out their orders as the waitress went away Relena narrowed her eyes at the girl. "Usagi-san,
are you sure you want to eat so much? I mean Serenity is supposed to be a svelte."

Usagi smiled politely at her. "Thank you for worrying about me, Relena-san, but I've always had a high
metabolism. This is the amount of food I usually eat."

"Oh." was all Relena could say in response. "By the way I've been hearing things about the younger generation
of actresses these days. It seems that many girls are nabbing the good parts by getting it with their bodies."
Usagi choked on her water. "You've heard the stories, right, Usagi-chan? You about that girl, she was such
a slut! She seduced some director to get cast in some B-movie. What do you think Usagi-chan?"

"Relena-san, I would appreciate it if you didn't generalize. There may be one or two like that, but I'd like
to think we're working hard for our goals!" Usagi said calmly. Heero raised her eyebrow at her. Usagi
staring right back at him suddenly remembered the picture of him when he was a rising star as an
underwear model. Blushing she quickly looked away leaving Heero confused as to what just happened.
Relena seeing it interpreted it to mean that Usagi was in love with HER Heero already, Duo grinned
as he saw the scene, and Mamoru's scowl deepened.

And so the night dragged on with no more real incident. Relena made little catty remarks on things and accidentally
spilled her wine in Usagi's direction, but Usagi usually deflected in unintentionally with her own innocent
remarks and her dress was black, so although it smelled of alcohol, she didn't much care. Mamoru was silent
and brooding during the entire night glaring now and then at Duo and Heero. Heero was usually silent for
most of the night eating, but joined in giving his point of view here and there. Duo was himself as always
and he and Usagi did most of the talking and laughing. So the night passed until it was 1, their meals were
long done and it was time to go. Usagi stood outside drawing her arms around her trying to protect herself
from the chilly air. She waved at Duo, Heero, and Relena as they climbed into the limo. Heero paused getting
into the car. Making his decision, he whirled around whipped his jacket off and put it around her shoulders
before she had time to blink. He offered a half-smile and muttered something about having fun and to give
back his jacket tomorrow before turning and going back to the limo. She waved them off, her hands grabbing his
Armani jacket and drawing it closer to her reviling in his still lingering body heat as well as his light
cologne lingering. And even when Mamoru was driving her home, even when they reached her doorstep she could still
well remember how his Prussian eyes looked at her giving chills up and down her spine although she was
perfectly warm from his jacket.

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A scream erupted throughout the trailer park as the actors were receiving their daily newspaper. Seconds
later hilarious peals of laughter rose up as every one saw the front page of the Daily News:
Relena, who would've known?
with a picture of her walking to her table in her white dress and the back of her dress was slightly up
giving a view of her thong. On the dress in the folded part a dark part of her dress was circled for
better viewing with the words "Period stain?" scrawled over it.




























*so basically Usagi and Mamoru as seated right now as
Chair Chair Chair
Mamoru
TABLETABLETABLETBALETABLETABLE
TABLETABLETABLETBALETABLETABLE
TABLETABLETABLETBALETABLETABLE
Duo Usagi
Chair Chair Chair


**And now they are
(Bloody) Chair Chair Chair
Mamoru Relena
TABLETABLETABLETBALETABLETABLE
TABLETABLETABLETBALETABLETABLE
TABLETABLETABLETBALETABLETABLE
Heero Usagi Duo
Chair Chair Chair



How was it? Good bad? Should I continue? Should I stop? Should I stop bashing Relena? Make their romance
slow or fast? Make Trowa have more scenes? Have a love triangle? This isn't exactly a vote for your
couple fic, but I would like suggestions on where to go with this (if I go anywhere at all). Anyway
next chapter: The Sailor Senshi appear!!! As...stage crew!!! Grr! Oh yea! For the movie, I need movie names
for all 6 characters (Prince Verisle is subject to change). Any suggestions?