A.N: I can't believe how many reviews I got! It really means a lot to
me that you all liked my story so far. For everyone that reviewed, I would
just like to say I appreciate it very much. Please, keep the reviews
coming! I wasn't going to write a new chapter today, but after reading
those, I had too! Well, back to the story.
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Usagi leaned her head against the window of the shuttle, staring out at the beautiful stars around her. They were headed to Earth from colony L2, and from what she had been told, it would be a few hours before they got there. As she watched the nothingness of space pass by, she briefly wondered if she was doing the right thing. Maybe she shouldn't have let Dr.J and the others take her. Maybe she should have ignored Haruka and her plan to escape. Mamoru would be upset with her for running away, but then again, if she went back now, maybe he would forgive her. After all, he always did tell her he loved her.
She pressed her fingers lightly against the cool glass surface of the window and sighed as her eyes began to shine with the tears she refused to let show. No, she couldn't go back to him. She had seen how far his cruelty could go, and she didn't want to be with someone as heartless as that. She remembered the time one of his officer's, and a dear friend of hers, had not been able to complete a mission. Her name had been Molly. She had been Serena's comfort after Mamoru had made her share his bed for the first time, but now she was nothing more then a memory. He had made Usagi watch as he tied her to a wooden poll and burned her to death. She had screamed the entire time. Usagi still remembered what he had told her while she watched her friend die.
*Flashback*
Usagi shut her eyes tightly and crumpled to the ground, holding her hands over her ears to shut out her dying friends screams. Mamoru bent down and grabbed her around the waist, lifting her and forcing her arms to her side while holding her face so she had to look.
"Don't close your eyes Usako. Watch." She obeyed only because of how deeply she feared what he'd do to her if she didn't, tears flowing down her cheeks like waterfalls. She whimpered, but he just pulled her tighter against him and bent to whisper in her ear. "When people are bad they need to be punished Usako. Molly here was a special case. She went behind my back and did things that cost me a lot of money and wasted my time." Usagi cried out as Molly's screams became louder. "Shhh." Mamoru whispered, caressing her cheek with his free hand. "It will all be over soon. Flames are a symbol of purity in some cultures. I'm simply burning away her sins."
*End Flashback*
That night, he had made her stay with him. A stray tear escaped, making its way down her cheek unnoticed by her. "Molly." She whispered as her hand clutched into a fist on the window and her eyes became hard. She could never go back to him. She would die first. A hand slowly reached out, clasping around her fist and pulling it into her lap. Startled, she turned around to find Haruka looking at her sadly.
"Koneko. You'll never get better if you don't let the past, stay in the past." Usagi nodded and gave her friend a weak smile.
"I'm sorry Ruka. I was just thinking about…stuff." Her voice was barely above a whisper, but Haruka heard and squeezed her hand in understanding. The Gundam boy's had been watching Usagi since they first got on the plane, and each had seen the play of emotions that had passed across her face.
Wufei snorted in disgust at the exchange of emotions between the two girls. "Just great. We're stuck with a couple of weak, cry-baby onna's for who knows how long." Haruka turned and glared at him.
"Weak?!" Her eyes narrowed and if looks could kill, Wufei would already be on the floor. "How about you back that mouth up in a sparring match after we arrive at the Academy?"
Wufei glared back. "There is no honour in fighting a weak onna such as yourself."
"There's also no honour in chickening out of a challenge!" Haruka smirked. She had him trapped.
"See you in the gym." He muttered reluctantly. Haruka grinned and turned back to face Usagi. "How bout it Koneko, ready to test your training?"
Duo looked Usagi over in surprise. "You fight?" You could tell by his voice he didn't think she could handle herself in combat.
Usagi glared at him, her eyes turning cold and her voice suddenly emotionless. "I take it you're volunteering to spar with me?" Duo just stared at her in shock. Where was the depressed, innocent girl they had been watching just moments ago? "I'll take your silence as a yes."
The boys glanced at each other when the two had turned back to talk heatedly about strategy. "I think we may have underestimated these two." Quatre spoke quietly. The others nodded.
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The shuttle landed in the Canq kingdom a few hours later and everyone filed out, eager to be out in the open. Usagi looked around her in wonder, taking in the sight of the buildings and scenery before her. The others watched her for a moment before Haruka cleared her throat and decided to get down to business.
"We should scout around a bit before Usagi gets to the academy. Mamoru has eyes everywhere, and we wouldn't want him to know where she is at the moment."
Trowa, Duo, Quatre, and Wufei nodded and Duo stepped forward. "We know this place pretty well so we'll split up and look around." Before Haruka could say anything, they were gone their separate ways. She turned to Usagi, a little miffed they had blown her off.
"They don't even know who to look for. I'll meet you at the Peacecraft Academy Koneko." Usagi nodded as Haruka left, following the direction Trowa had gone. Then, as if realizing something, she hesitantly turned to look at Heero.
She hadn't wanted to be left alone with him. He frightened her, made her feel…weird. She didn't know what it was about him, but something made her feel uncomfortable. Slowly, she raised her gaze from his shoes, to his pants, to his shirt, and finally, to his face. Her breathing stopped as she became caught up in his gaze. Now that she was actually taking the time to look, he was actually quite handsome.
He stood still and watched her, amused at the way she acted around him. He could tell she didn't want to be alone with him, although he couldn't figure out why. "The academy's this way."
She now knew what bothered her. It was his complete lack of emotion. Quietly, she followed, matching pace with him as they walked towards the centre of town. "So…" She decided if they were walking they may as well talk. "How many years have you been a soldier?"
No answer.
"That many huh?" By his silence and the way he acted since she had met him, she figured he had always been trained to fight. She knew of many soldiers that acted like him, and all of them had been trained from ages 7- 10. His reputation as the perfect soldier was wide spread, and even she had heard of him. "I'd say…you were 7 or 8." She paused to see if he'd reply, but since he didn't she continued. "I was naïve when I was that young. I suppose back then I was looking at things like Miss. Releena does now."
"And how's that?" Heero asked, curious as to what she meant.
"She looks at the world around her, without really seeing any of it. She's so full of hope and believes so strongly in pacifism, because she's chosen to block out the bad things that occur. To her, no problem can't be solved easily and without bloodshed. Miss. Releena is in the right track on her road to pacifism, but she has to realize you can't have true peace without having the hostility as well. You have to take the bad with the good." She looked into his eyes, hoping he knew what she meant. "That way, when the bad things are over, we don't take the good for granted."
They were almost at the school and Serena was growing anxious, though she didn't know why. Something felt horribly wrong. She shook the feeling off as they entered the school grounds.
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Haruka caught up with Usagi and Heero as they headed towards the main office to get their schedules. "Hey Koneko, everything looks fine so far." She noticed Usagi's eyes were troubled, but decided not to say anything. The other's were already waiting at the office doors when they arrived. Together, they walked into the office.
Releena stood from behind her desk and smiled at Heero, not really acknowledging the others. "Heero. I knew you'd be back." Heero didn't reply, but she didn't care. He was there, that's what mattered. Usagi, not understanding why Releena was staring at Heero like that, cleared her throat. Releena looked at her, a little annoyed she had been interrupted. Sizing up the girl, she decided she had great potential in the school by the way she carried her self. Smiling warmly, she bowed. "My name is Releena. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss…"
"Tenou. Usagi Tenou." Usagi supplied. She then gestured to Haruka. "This is Haruka Tenou, my…guardian." Releena smiled at the taller woman.
"Noin has already given me the details of why you are here. I have put all of you in the same classes, as she requested." She paused, tilting her head to the side, her gaze straying back to Heero. "I also take the same classes, so I'm sure you'll enjoy them. We have only the best teachers here."
Haruka nodded and took the offered schedules, handing them around to the others. Deciding to play it safe, she narrowed her eyes in thought, then focused on Releena, who was once again gazing at Heero. "Have any other students recently transferred here?"
Releena looked at her desk in thought. "Only one that I recall. Her name is Rei Hino. Do you know her?"
Both Usagi and Haruka's eyes widened at the name, recognition showing on their features.
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A.N: Don't forget to review and tell me what you think! The more I get, the faster I write.
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Usagi leaned her head against the window of the shuttle, staring out at the beautiful stars around her. They were headed to Earth from colony L2, and from what she had been told, it would be a few hours before they got there. As she watched the nothingness of space pass by, she briefly wondered if she was doing the right thing. Maybe she shouldn't have let Dr.J and the others take her. Maybe she should have ignored Haruka and her plan to escape. Mamoru would be upset with her for running away, but then again, if she went back now, maybe he would forgive her. After all, he always did tell her he loved her.
She pressed her fingers lightly against the cool glass surface of the window and sighed as her eyes began to shine with the tears she refused to let show. No, she couldn't go back to him. She had seen how far his cruelty could go, and she didn't want to be with someone as heartless as that. She remembered the time one of his officer's, and a dear friend of hers, had not been able to complete a mission. Her name had been Molly. She had been Serena's comfort after Mamoru had made her share his bed for the first time, but now she was nothing more then a memory. He had made Usagi watch as he tied her to a wooden poll and burned her to death. She had screamed the entire time. Usagi still remembered what he had told her while she watched her friend die.
*Flashback*
Usagi shut her eyes tightly and crumpled to the ground, holding her hands over her ears to shut out her dying friends screams. Mamoru bent down and grabbed her around the waist, lifting her and forcing her arms to her side while holding her face so she had to look.
"Don't close your eyes Usako. Watch." She obeyed only because of how deeply she feared what he'd do to her if she didn't, tears flowing down her cheeks like waterfalls. She whimpered, but he just pulled her tighter against him and bent to whisper in her ear. "When people are bad they need to be punished Usako. Molly here was a special case. She went behind my back and did things that cost me a lot of money and wasted my time." Usagi cried out as Molly's screams became louder. "Shhh." Mamoru whispered, caressing her cheek with his free hand. "It will all be over soon. Flames are a symbol of purity in some cultures. I'm simply burning away her sins."
*End Flashback*
That night, he had made her stay with him. A stray tear escaped, making its way down her cheek unnoticed by her. "Molly." She whispered as her hand clutched into a fist on the window and her eyes became hard. She could never go back to him. She would die first. A hand slowly reached out, clasping around her fist and pulling it into her lap. Startled, she turned around to find Haruka looking at her sadly.
"Koneko. You'll never get better if you don't let the past, stay in the past." Usagi nodded and gave her friend a weak smile.
"I'm sorry Ruka. I was just thinking about…stuff." Her voice was barely above a whisper, but Haruka heard and squeezed her hand in understanding. The Gundam boy's had been watching Usagi since they first got on the plane, and each had seen the play of emotions that had passed across her face.
Wufei snorted in disgust at the exchange of emotions between the two girls. "Just great. We're stuck with a couple of weak, cry-baby onna's for who knows how long." Haruka turned and glared at him.
"Weak?!" Her eyes narrowed and if looks could kill, Wufei would already be on the floor. "How about you back that mouth up in a sparring match after we arrive at the Academy?"
Wufei glared back. "There is no honour in fighting a weak onna such as yourself."
"There's also no honour in chickening out of a challenge!" Haruka smirked. She had him trapped.
"See you in the gym." He muttered reluctantly. Haruka grinned and turned back to face Usagi. "How bout it Koneko, ready to test your training?"
Duo looked Usagi over in surprise. "You fight?" You could tell by his voice he didn't think she could handle herself in combat.
Usagi glared at him, her eyes turning cold and her voice suddenly emotionless. "I take it you're volunteering to spar with me?" Duo just stared at her in shock. Where was the depressed, innocent girl they had been watching just moments ago? "I'll take your silence as a yes."
The boys glanced at each other when the two had turned back to talk heatedly about strategy. "I think we may have underestimated these two." Quatre spoke quietly. The others nodded.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The shuttle landed in the Canq kingdom a few hours later and everyone filed out, eager to be out in the open. Usagi looked around her in wonder, taking in the sight of the buildings and scenery before her. The others watched her for a moment before Haruka cleared her throat and decided to get down to business.
"We should scout around a bit before Usagi gets to the academy. Mamoru has eyes everywhere, and we wouldn't want him to know where she is at the moment."
Trowa, Duo, Quatre, and Wufei nodded and Duo stepped forward. "We know this place pretty well so we'll split up and look around." Before Haruka could say anything, they were gone their separate ways. She turned to Usagi, a little miffed they had blown her off.
"They don't even know who to look for. I'll meet you at the Peacecraft Academy Koneko." Usagi nodded as Haruka left, following the direction Trowa had gone. Then, as if realizing something, she hesitantly turned to look at Heero.
She hadn't wanted to be left alone with him. He frightened her, made her feel…weird. She didn't know what it was about him, but something made her feel uncomfortable. Slowly, she raised her gaze from his shoes, to his pants, to his shirt, and finally, to his face. Her breathing stopped as she became caught up in his gaze. Now that she was actually taking the time to look, he was actually quite handsome.
He stood still and watched her, amused at the way she acted around him. He could tell she didn't want to be alone with him, although he couldn't figure out why. "The academy's this way."
She now knew what bothered her. It was his complete lack of emotion. Quietly, she followed, matching pace with him as they walked towards the centre of town. "So…" She decided if they were walking they may as well talk. "How many years have you been a soldier?"
No answer.
"That many huh?" By his silence and the way he acted since she had met him, she figured he had always been trained to fight. She knew of many soldiers that acted like him, and all of them had been trained from ages 7- 10. His reputation as the perfect soldier was wide spread, and even she had heard of him. "I'd say…you were 7 or 8." She paused to see if he'd reply, but since he didn't she continued. "I was naïve when I was that young. I suppose back then I was looking at things like Miss. Releena does now."
"And how's that?" Heero asked, curious as to what she meant.
"She looks at the world around her, without really seeing any of it. She's so full of hope and believes so strongly in pacifism, because she's chosen to block out the bad things that occur. To her, no problem can't be solved easily and without bloodshed. Miss. Releena is in the right track on her road to pacifism, but she has to realize you can't have true peace without having the hostility as well. You have to take the bad with the good." She looked into his eyes, hoping he knew what she meant. "That way, when the bad things are over, we don't take the good for granted."
They were almost at the school and Serena was growing anxious, though she didn't know why. Something felt horribly wrong. She shook the feeling off as they entered the school grounds.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Haruka caught up with Usagi and Heero as they headed towards the main office to get their schedules. "Hey Koneko, everything looks fine so far." She noticed Usagi's eyes were troubled, but decided not to say anything. The other's were already waiting at the office doors when they arrived. Together, they walked into the office.
Releena stood from behind her desk and smiled at Heero, not really acknowledging the others. "Heero. I knew you'd be back." Heero didn't reply, but she didn't care. He was there, that's what mattered. Usagi, not understanding why Releena was staring at Heero like that, cleared her throat. Releena looked at her, a little annoyed she had been interrupted. Sizing up the girl, she decided she had great potential in the school by the way she carried her self. Smiling warmly, she bowed. "My name is Releena. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss…"
"Tenou. Usagi Tenou." Usagi supplied. She then gestured to Haruka. "This is Haruka Tenou, my…guardian." Releena smiled at the taller woman.
"Noin has already given me the details of why you are here. I have put all of you in the same classes, as she requested." She paused, tilting her head to the side, her gaze straying back to Heero. "I also take the same classes, so I'm sure you'll enjoy them. We have only the best teachers here."
Haruka nodded and took the offered schedules, handing them around to the others. Deciding to play it safe, she narrowed her eyes in thought, then focused on Releena, who was once again gazing at Heero. "Have any other students recently transferred here?"
Releena looked at her desk in thought. "Only one that I recall. Her name is Rei Hino. Do you know her?"
Both Usagi and Haruka's eyes widened at the name, recognition showing on their features.
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A.N: Don't forget to review and tell me what you think! The more I get, the faster I write.