Hello all! Welcome to third chapter of 'Blinded'. I know that some elements
of this story are like my other story, 'Loop in Time', but trust me on this-
It is a completely different plot!!! Please, review if you like this
story, and I'll continue. If I don't get any reviews…. You do the math.
Usagi's eyes turned up to where she thought he was standing.
"What's wrong, Hiiro?" she asked. "What have I done?" her eyes showed confusion.
"Your eyes glowed silver." he stated in monotone.
"Usagi, is there something you want to tell us?" Quatre asked. She shook her head slightly.
"I can't... gomen ne, but I can't." she said. Hiiro leaned down nearer to her.
"I will find out." he said, and stalked off to his room, leaving his food untouched. Wufei glared silently at the girl, cursing women in general for being created so stubborn.
Later, Wufei followed Usagi as she guided herself back to their room. She managed to change on her own, and climbed into bed.
"Wufei?" she asked. He started a bit, he had not realized she knew he was there.
"Hai." he said flatly. She frowned a bit.
"Are you not tired?" she asked. He crossed his arms over his chest.
"Iie." he replied in monotone. He saw as a solitary tear coursed down her cheek.
'Foolish onna. I'm weak if I give in to the trap you have set. I will not be weak!' he cursed her even more. As soon as she was asleep, he left the room. He did not return until much later.
Usagi awoke in the morning alone in the bed. She ran her hand down Wufei's side, and sat up quickly when he was not there. Using her hands once more, she ascertained that his pillow was gone. She got up off the bed and made her way to the couch at the end of the bed. She found his pillow and a blanket there, but no sign of the Chinese boy. She called his name as she searched the bathroom and the rest of the room.
"Wufei this ISN'T funny!" she cried as she made her way out into the hall. She yelled for him, opening doors just to scream. Soon she became frantic, and began to yell through the house.
"Come on, guys! Please! I know there's someone here! Please! This isn't funny!" she screamed, over and over. She was so intent on searching that she forgot the layout of the house, and was soon lost. Without realizing it, she soon stood at the top of the grand staircase. She took one more step and went crashing down the three flights of stairs, landing headfirst on the polished wood floor of the entrance way, her legs still elevated above her on the first few step. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she blacked out.
This was how the five pilots found her, three hours later. They came in the front door, Wufei and Hiiro being the last two in. Quatre, Trowa, and Duo stopped dead in their tracks, blocking Usagi from Wufei's sight.
"Get moving." Wufei commanded. In front of him, Quatre moved to the side, and Wufei saw Usagi. The spell that had held them immobile in shock broke and Wufei led the stampede to Usagi's side. Carefully, Wufei picked Usagi up and cradled her while he sat, like the others, cross-legged around her.
"Look." Hiiro said in monotone. There was really no reason for Hiiro to say this, for everyone was staring, open mouthed, at Usagi's birthmark, which gave off a dim light. The tenderness left Wufei's face and he began to shake her. Usagi's eyes opened a little, and then fully, but the azure oceans still held the same vacant look.
"What is that?" Hiiro demanded.
"I can't tell you." Usagi said. Wufei's eyes hardened even more.
"Weak onna." he said, dropping her out of his arms and stalking off. Usagi caught herself; the fall was only a few inches. Her birthmark disappeared, as did Hiiro.
"I'm going to go talk to him." Quatre said, standing. "Please excuse me, Usagi."
"Which one are you talking to? I get the other one." Trowa questioned, standing as well. The two of them left together, fading out of earshot as they discussed their two friends.
Duo stayed with Usagi.
"Are you alright?" he asked. She nodded.
"I think so. I got lost and fell down the stairs." she said. "Can we go for a walk? I don't want to go back up there right now." Duo thought for a moment.
"Sure." he said, smiling.
"Great." she replied, accepting his hand to help her up. He led her out the back, into a small path through some of the gardens. After a few minutes in silence, they sat down on a bench in the rose gardens. Usagi reached out and found herself holding a thorny rose. She smiled, remembering Mamoru, and then frowned, remembering the redhead and Wufei.
"What color rose is this, Duo?" she asked.
"Red." he replied immediately. He frowned when her sad expression deepened. A single tear slipped down her cheek.
"Mamoru." she whispered.
"What's the matter, Usagi?" Duo asked, exasperated. She buried her nose in the rose, smelling the sweetness of her favorite flower.
"The rose- it reminds me of someone back home." she replied.
"A boyfriend, maybe?" Duo asked, teasing. His mind raced. A smile slowly crossed her face.
"He was. Mamoru was my protector, my soulmate, my destiny. Or so I thought, until the day I walked in on him and some redhead." Usagi told him. "I thought I loved him. I guess it doesn't matter whether I do or not, I still have to find some way back eventually." Something clicked in her mind just then.
"To do what?" Duo asked. To him, this girl was just too confusing.
"Marry him, of course. He still has to be King." Usagi smacked herself mentally.
"Why do you have to marry him?" Duo asked. "How will he be king? Are you a princess or something? I didn't think there were any nations left that were ruled by royalty, except maybe the Sanc kingdom." Duo could see question marks swirling about his head.
"Never mind, just forget it. I shouldn't have brought it up." Usagi told him. He dropped the subject, but was determined to get her to talk about it later. Another moment or two passed in silence.
"Why were you wandering around the house?" he finally asked.
"Why were none of you answering when I yelled?" she retorted.
"We weren't home." he answered. She sighed.
"I should just leave. I'm such a burden to you all." she said.
"Wufei would never let you leave." Duo commented.
"Wufei wouldn't give a damn." Usagi said. "I'm just a weak onna to him." Duo shook his head, and then remembered that she couldn't see him.
"He does care, Usagi." Duo told her.
"He does NOT!" Usagi practically screamed. Tears began to stream down her face. "He treats me like I'm some extra baggage that's not needed, like there's something in his life that forbids him from liking someone of the opposite sex!" she turned away from Duo. Knowing that it would be useless to try and convince her otherwise, Duo hugged her from behind and rubbed her back with his hand.
Unknown to them, the Chinese pilot in question was watching from not too far away. Some emotion was struck up in him as he watched the two. Something rose in his throat, the beginning of tears. Wufei forced the emotions down and watched closely as Duo whispered soothing words to her. Soon her face was buried in Duo's embrace.
"Why can't I just be normal?" she begged herself, whispering to unknown forces. "Why can't I just find someone who loves me?" she pulled away from Duo and wiped the tears from her face.
"I'm through crying." she told herself. Duo's trademark grin ran rampant across his face.
"You're insane, girl." he remarked. She smiled slightly.
"Insanity doesn't run through my family… It gallops." she teased. (AN: I got that from an old movie called 'Arsenic and Old Lace'. Anyone who hasn't seen it needs to, it's really funny!!)
"We should go back inside now." Duo told her. She shook her head.
"I want to stay. I don't want to go back to Wufei's room and have to confront him. He hates me enough already." she said. Duo rolled his eyes.
"He does not hate you, Usagi." he remarked.
"His actions speak louder than your words." she informed him. Duo grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her a few times.
"Listen to me, Usagi! Wufei does NOT hate you!" he said in a forceful tone. Her eyes widened at his tight grip.
"Oh, shit, Usagi, I'm sorry." Duo apologized. "Come on, let's go in." This time she didn't argue. Duo led her inside and upstairs to the room she and Wufei had been sharing. While Duo stood outside, waiting for her to change, Wufei approached him.
"If she has one bruise on her, you're dead." he warned. Duo, instead of shrieking and running away like he usually might have, stood his ground.
"In case you didn't notice it was your actions that caused her to think you hate her." he said through clenched teeth.
"Don't lecture me on being weak." Wufei told him.
"Who said anything about being weak?" Duo demanded. He glanced up and down the hall, then pulled Wufei into the next room. "You're going to end up hurting her, Wufei. That's weak. What's not weak is protecting her, letting her know you care." he watched Wufei's expressions carefully.
"And don't feed me any bullshit about emotions being weak." Duo warned. "You know just as well as I do that it's just a load of crap." Wufei rolled his eyes and opened the door, preparing to leave the room. Unfortunately, his back was to the open doorway, so he didn't see Usagi standing there in her night time shorts and shirt.
"She's an onna. She'll never be worth anything."
Usagi's eyes turned up to where she thought he was standing.
"What's wrong, Hiiro?" she asked. "What have I done?" her eyes showed confusion.
"Your eyes glowed silver." he stated in monotone.
"Usagi, is there something you want to tell us?" Quatre asked. She shook her head slightly.
"I can't... gomen ne, but I can't." she said. Hiiro leaned down nearer to her.
"I will find out." he said, and stalked off to his room, leaving his food untouched. Wufei glared silently at the girl, cursing women in general for being created so stubborn.
Later, Wufei followed Usagi as she guided herself back to their room. She managed to change on her own, and climbed into bed.
"Wufei?" she asked. He started a bit, he had not realized she knew he was there.
"Hai." he said flatly. She frowned a bit.
"Are you not tired?" she asked. He crossed his arms over his chest.
"Iie." he replied in monotone. He saw as a solitary tear coursed down her cheek.
'Foolish onna. I'm weak if I give in to the trap you have set. I will not be weak!' he cursed her even more. As soon as she was asleep, he left the room. He did not return until much later.
Usagi awoke in the morning alone in the bed. She ran her hand down Wufei's side, and sat up quickly when he was not there. Using her hands once more, she ascertained that his pillow was gone. She got up off the bed and made her way to the couch at the end of the bed. She found his pillow and a blanket there, but no sign of the Chinese boy. She called his name as she searched the bathroom and the rest of the room.
"Wufei this ISN'T funny!" she cried as she made her way out into the hall. She yelled for him, opening doors just to scream. Soon she became frantic, and began to yell through the house.
"Come on, guys! Please! I know there's someone here! Please! This isn't funny!" she screamed, over and over. She was so intent on searching that she forgot the layout of the house, and was soon lost. Without realizing it, she soon stood at the top of the grand staircase. She took one more step and went crashing down the three flights of stairs, landing headfirst on the polished wood floor of the entrance way, her legs still elevated above her on the first few step. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she blacked out.
This was how the five pilots found her, three hours later. They came in the front door, Wufei and Hiiro being the last two in. Quatre, Trowa, and Duo stopped dead in their tracks, blocking Usagi from Wufei's sight.
"Get moving." Wufei commanded. In front of him, Quatre moved to the side, and Wufei saw Usagi. The spell that had held them immobile in shock broke and Wufei led the stampede to Usagi's side. Carefully, Wufei picked Usagi up and cradled her while he sat, like the others, cross-legged around her.
"Look." Hiiro said in monotone. There was really no reason for Hiiro to say this, for everyone was staring, open mouthed, at Usagi's birthmark, which gave off a dim light. The tenderness left Wufei's face and he began to shake her. Usagi's eyes opened a little, and then fully, but the azure oceans still held the same vacant look.
"What is that?" Hiiro demanded.
"I can't tell you." Usagi said. Wufei's eyes hardened even more.
"Weak onna." he said, dropping her out of his arms and stalking off. Usagi caught herself; the fall was only a few inches. Her birthmark disappeared, as did Hiiro.
"I'm going to go talk to him." Quatre said, standing. "Please excuse me, Usagi."
"Which one are you talking to? I get the other one." Trowa questioned, standing as well. The two of them left together, fading out of earshot as they discussed their two friends.
Duo stayed with Usagi.
"Are you alright?" he asked. She nodded.
"I think so. I got lost and fell down the stairs." she said. "Can we go for a walk? I don't want to go back up there right now." Duo thought for a moment.
"Sure." he said, smiling.
"Great." she replied, accepting his hand to help her up. He led her out the back, into a small path through some of the gardens. After a few minutes in silence, they sat down on a bench in the rose gardens. Usagi reached out and found herself holding a thorny rose. She smiled, remembering Mamoru, and then frowned, remembering the redhead and Wufei.
"What color rose is this, Duo?" she asked.
"Red." he replied immediately. He frowned when her sad expression deepened. A single tear slipped down her cheek.
"Mamoru." she whispered.
"What's the matter, Usagi?" Duo asked, exasperated. She buried her nose in the rose, smelling the sweetness of her favorite flower.
"The rose- it reminds me of someone back home." she replied.
"A boyfriend, maybe?" Duo asked, teasing. His mind raced. A smile slowly crossed her face.
"He was. Mamoru was my protector, my soulmate, my destiny. Or so I thought, until the day I walked in on him and some redhead." Usagi told him. "I thought I loved him. I guess it doesn't matter whether I do or not, I still have to find some way back eventually." Something clicked in her mind just then.
"To do what?" Duo asked. To him, this girl was just too confusing.
"Marry him, of course. He still has to be King." Usagi smacked herself mentally.
"Why do you have to marry him?" Duo asked. "How will he be king? Are you a princess or something? I didn't think there were any nations left that were ruled by royalty, except maybe the Sanc kingdom." Duo could see question marks swirling about his head.
"Never mind, just forget it. I shouldn't have brought it up." Usagi told him. He dropped the subject, but was determined to get her to talk about it later. Another moment or two passed in silence.
"Why were you wandering around the house?" he finally asked.
"Why were none of you answering when I yelled?" she retorted.
"We weren't home." he answered. She sighed.
"I should just leave. I'm such a burden to you all." she said.
"Wufei would never let you leave." Duo commented.
"Wufei wouldn't give a damn." Usagi said. "I'm just a weak onna to him." Duo shook his head, and then remembered that she couldn't see him.
"He does care, Usagi." Duo told her.
"He does NOT!" Usagi practically screamed. Tears began to stream down her face. "He treats me like I'm some extra baggage that's not needed, like there's something in his life that forbids him from liking someone of the opposite sex!" she turned away from Duo. Knowing that it would be useless to try and convince her otherwise, Duo hugged her from behind and rubbed her back with his hand.
Unknown to them, the Chinese pilot in question was watching from not too far away. Some emotion was struck up in him as he watched the two. Something rose in his throat, the beginning of tears. Wufei forced the emotions down and watched closely as Duo whispered soothing words to her. Soon her face was buried in Duo's embrace.
"Why can't I just be normal?" she begged herself, whispering to unknown forces. "Why can't I just find someone who loves me?" she pulled away from Duo and wiped the tears from her face.
"I'm through crying." she told herself. Duo's trademark grin ran rampant across his face.
"You're insane, girl." he remarked. She smiled slightly.
"Insanity doesn't run through my family… It gallops." she teased. (AN: I got that from an old movie called 'Arsenic and Old Lace'. Anyone who hasn't seen it needs to, it's really funny!!)
"We should go back inside now." Duo told her. She shook her head.
"I want to stay. I don't want to go back to Wufei's room and have to confront him. He hates me enough already." she said. Duo rolled his eyes.
"He does not hate you, Usagi." he remarked.
"His actions speak louder than your words." she informed him. Duo grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her a few times.
"Listen to me, Usagi! Wufei does NOT hate you!" he said in a forceful tone. Her eyes widened at his tight grip.
"Oh, shit, Usagi, I'm sorry." Duo apologized. "Come on, let's go in." This time she didn't argue. Duo led her inside and upstairs to the room she and Wufei had been sharing. While Duo stood outside, waiting for her to change, Wufei approached him.
"If she has one bruise on her, you're dead." he warned. Duo, instead of shrieking and running away like he usually might have, stood his ground.
"In case you didn't notice it was your actions that caused her to think you hate her." he said through clenched teeth.
"Don't lecture me on being weak." Wufei told him.
"Who said anything about being weak?" Duo demanded. He glanced up and down the hall, then pulled Wufei into the next room. "You're going to end up hurting her, Wufei. That's weak. What's not weak is protecting her, letting her know you care." he watched Wufei's expressions carefully.
"And don't feed me any bullshit about emotions being weak." Duo warned. "You know just as well as I do that it's just a load of crap." Wufei rolled his eyes and opened the door, preparing to leave the room. Unfortunately, his back was to the open doorway, so he didn't see Usagi standing there in her night time shorts and shirt.
"She's an onna. She'll never be worth anything."