Disclaimer: *sigh* Who do you think I am? I think by now most of you (the more sane ones) have gotten the point that I don't own Gundam Wing or Sailor Moon. As for the occasional few of you all (the insane ones) who live to sue poor defenseless authors (ignore looks that say 'PUHlease!'), I do own Gundam Wing and Sailor Moon. You see, earthlings, I'm really an alien. Yes, that's how I know everything about you ... yes, including what you ate for breakfast. And we extraterrestrials have actually already covertly taken control of Earth. Mwaha. Ha. Ha. Ha. (I have yet to learn the art of laughing) Since I now own Earth, I own everything on it (yes, including what you ate for breakfast) which goes far beyond puny things like Gundam Wing and Sailor Moon. Mwaha. Ha. Ha. Ha.
If you weren't insane enough to believe it and haven't rushed to the phone to call 911: I was just kidding. Please don't sue me for saying I own Gundam Wing or Sailor Moon and please don't shoot me for calling Gundam Wing and Sailor Moon puny. ^^
Thank you my earthling editors. You have great knowledge for a weird-looking species (cringes from the hateful looks thrown in my direction). I thank you and when our rule of your world is revealed, you shall not be exterminated. You can continue to be my editors. Be honored, humans. Er, um, what are your names again? Human names are so difficult to remember. Mine is much easier -- Herrrrifodpsafjekwan. It's in the throat. Ah yes! You are called SerenityMoon, UsagiAsiaMaxwell, DevilsDarling, and AutumnHime.
Warnings:
~ A very out of character Hiiro (not the typical way though ... you'll see)
~ Several very moronic and insensitive pilots (the usual way but even more so)
~ And a Relena that is, get this, actually nice. (Please don't hate me for not hating Relena.)
Plus: The ending made me feel absolutely horrible for Usagi ... but I must mention that I have never felt bad for my characters even at the beginning of the fic when her plight was so obvious or even when Hiiro left her to travel to some 'far off land' in Pretty Lies.
…………………
As always, Usagi went with Hiiro to the airport. When the business trips had first gotten underway, she had offered to go with him so that she could drive the car back home and be able to use it while he was away. Though they both knew it was just an excuse for her to see him off, they had also both come to fall back on it. Because, frankly, even when he wasn't away on business trips, Hiiro had a tendency of hogging the car, leaving her with only one mode of transportation -- her own two feet. It didn't really matter to her -- all of the places she needed to get to were within walking distance, but at least the car disposed of the threat of being run over.
Also as usual, the drive there was filled with Usagi's nervous chatter, tainted occasionally with Hiiro's sharp comments and invariable answers -- hn. At long last, reaching the rather distant airport, they walked into the freezing air conditioning and met up with Hiiro's business associates -- Duo Maxwell, Trowa Barton, Quatre Raberba Winner, and Chang Wufei.
How Duo associated with anything that even hinted towards business bewildered her. With a mischievous spirit, childlike mind, and virtually no common sense, his head and waist length braid were continuously in danger of losing their connection to his body.
Trowa's job as a businessman was also a mystery. Though she saw him just about every other Saturday, he had never spoken more than those two memorable words -- "Trowa Barton." And that too was only because Duo had prodded him, urging him to introduce himself.
Quatre's career in business was much more conceivable. With the features of some heavenly being and the heart of one too, Quatre still remains the only one in the group to offer any apologies or compromises. Maybe he doesn't realize it, but every time he interjected to placate Hiiro, Wufei, or both, he adds his name to the list of endangered species. Only once had she seen him fatally in the path of danger, but once was fairly enough. He had gallantly stepped in front of Wufei's katana before, allowing Duo to scamper away and getting his cheek nicked as Wufei lunged in the process.
Wufei. She doubted he would make a horrendous businessman, that is, as long as he is kept away from 'weak onnas' and 'braided bakas'. If not, he would abandon his work and instead furiously rant about one or the other with injections of various vulgar expressions from a staggeringly wide variety of languages. He would then start chasing Duo, if it happened to be the braided idiot who had invaded his space, undeniably doing much damage to his efficiency.
Another person stepped into view, a person with long, dusty blonde hair and lazuli eyes that at times seemed to match her own. Catching sight of the small group of six, the girl's face lifted a bit, and she hurried over. At age nineteen, Relena could just as well be the apotheosis of womankind. She was attractive and intelligent, both characteristics that Usagi thought she herself didn't have. Relena was also politically powerful and respected universally, also things that Usagi lacked. Usagi looked down attentively at the ground, trying to hide the envy that was undoubtedly distorting her face.
During the brief moment that she had looked down, another argument had taken place and already, a livid Chinese in a suit was waving a pair of scissors while pursuing the panicked but grinning Duo. The airline attendant standing at the gate looked on fearfully before stepping away from her post and snatching Wufei's arm.
"Please, sir, no weapons are allowed in this airport," she chided in as civil of a voice as she could assemble, while keeping her eyes locked on the pair of scissors in his upraised hand.
"Go away," Wufei snarled in her direction before diving for Duo again, but, with astonishing strength, the attendant held him back.
"Please sir. Or I'll have to report you to security," she endeavored to make peace again. Perhaps not caring to delay his business trip, Hiiro walked up to Wufei, snatched the pair of potentially lethal scissors from his hand, and tossed them into a nearby trashcan while Quatre moved with precision for the attendant and apologized profusely.
Turning her eyes away from the scene that they were making and trying her best to hide her face from the curious looks they were collecting, she met Relena's inquiring eyes.
"I'm Relena. You're Usagi, right?" she queried, and Usagi nodded mutely in reply, reflecting the other blonde's smile.
"So you're the girl Hii-chan talks about so often. Or rather, as constantly as Hiiro's 'constantly' gets," Relena mused, cracking a feeble smile.
Usagi reminded herself not to balk at the intimate endearment that Relena had awarded Hiiro with and curled her lips up into a smile again, ejecting a short burst of laughter. "I didn't know I was that popular," she replied effortlessly, half in jest and half in earnestness.
"Considering you two have been roommates for so long, I expected you two to know each other," the pacifist princess countered in an authentically baffled tone.
Usagi shrugged carelessly and optimistically came back with a, "Let's just say that talking to each other would be a nice change."
"W-"
A polished and overly courteous voice came over the intercom, curtailing Relena's question. "Flight 263HFG will now be boarding rows one through sixteen at Gate forty-eight. Please proceed to the gate immediately. Flight 263HFG to Los Angeles, California, is now boarding at Gate forty-eight. Thank you."
"That's us," Duo grinned enthusiastically and swung a duffel bag over his shoulder. The others each nodded a silent goodbye to the both of them with only Quatre offering a smile, and walked away.
After the five of them vanished into the passageway to the plane, Relena turned back to her, eyes downcast.
"Why are you so worried?" Relena finally broke the silence after both watched the plane diminish to nothing.
Usagi flinched. "Huh?"
"You're worried. Why?"
Usagi sighed and at last came up with a fairly suitable answer. "I'm a worrying type of person," she paused to grin at the girl beside her who could very well be her worst enemy and continued, "Besides, the last time they came back ... all bloodied and injured doesn't help ease my worries."
The last time had been two weeks prior to this Saturday. The guys had left for an entire week because of Spring Break rather than their usual two-day weekend trips. When they came back, she had been mortified and more at the sight of cuts, bruises, and broken ribs. Hiiro had brushed away her suspicions and demands, explaining with indifferent brevity that there was a car accident and due to school starting soon, they had decided to rush back rather than staying and mending.
Relena nodded and cast her eyes downward for a moment. "I don't know why I came here," she finally voiced, still looking down at her lap.
"What? You're here because of Hiiro, of course!"
"You haven't heard?" the other blonde looked at her in disbelief. "I thought ... being roommates and all..." her voice faded, and she shook her head slowly. "Hiiro and I broke up a few days ago."
Stunned silence encompassed the two girls as both, deep in thought ignored the going-ons of the airport around them.
"I guess you were right when you said you two don't really talk. I'd thought for sure ... never mind."
"Thought for sure what?"
Relena faltered and peeked up fretfully in her direction. "Well, you know, that you two had..." she paused to smile nervously, "...you know, being roommates for so long and seeing each other daily…"
Lapis eyes enlarged as Relena expressed her worries. "I-I saw you two break up," Usagi finally told her, not daring to look up at Relena's undoubtedly speechless expression. "I'd thought you were worried about this trip too ... Hiiro told me you might visit during his trip so I assumed that you had cried because of it," she finished quickly and studied her twiddling thumbs with interest.
"Guess we've both got our stories pretty messed up, huh?" Relena broke the dreariness cheerfully. Usagi laughed her agreement.
"Are you interested in him?" The question slipped out accidentally, and the wheat-haired girl hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand. "I'm sorry; it's none of my business."
The odangoed girl didn't seem to hear her second remark and was blushing furiously and glancing cautiously up at Relena.
Smiling despondently at Usagi's apparent response, she murmured, "Don't worry, I know we're not meant to be. Go for him."
Already wide eyes widened further as Usagi impulsively squealed and hugged the other girl. Relena's eyes widened after the initial period of wordless shock and then in desperation. "Please, Usagi, you're..." Unable to go on, she made meaningful choking noises while pointing frantically at her throat.
Usagi, still not getting the message, stared at her before a familiar face popped past her peripheral view and into her line of vision.
"Please, miss, no choking others is allowed in this airport," the attendant who had previously tried to calm Wufei pleaded.
…………………
Usagi couldn't remember feeling so excited ever since .... her seventh birthday party with that delicious cake and all those presents. Her hair had been brushed until it shone and then meticulously redone in its usual buns with streamers style. She smiled at her reflection and omitted makeup. Having never bothered to use it, she hardly knew how anyway.
The brightly-colored, floral-printed sundress was cool and soft to the touch. She wiggled around in it a little bit, liking the feel of the unknown material against her skin before glancing at the clock on the living room wall. Grabbing the preordered lilies and the car keys, she slipped into informal flip-flops and just about skipped out to the car.
The instant she unlocked the door, she was greeted by a familiar face.
"Hey, Usagi," Relena welcomed undauntedly. Though the past thirty minutes of sneaking into the car and waiting there had been more than a little dull, she managed a jubilant smile.
A short scream tore it's way out of Usagi's throat before she turned eyes armed with daggers in Relena's direction.
"How did you get into this car?" she demanded, stepping into the car herself and slamming the door shut.
Relena recounted the story as they drove to the same airport where Usagi's life had taken a drastic turn. Apparently a few weeks prior to this Sunday, Duo had suggested a game of Sardines and due to much blackmailing, the others and she had agreed. Being the initiator of the game, Duo had demanded to be the one to hide, and since they were at her mansion, Relena had been the first to find him.
The door had then accidentally gotten locked, leaving Duo and herself stuck in the small storage room he had chosen. It was in there that he had taught her just how to pick a lock. After finally getting out, they had found the house short of a few, four, people who should have been looking for them ... which led to her suspicions that the door wasn't locked accidentally after all.
After much giggling over the items used as blackmail, they arrived at the airport and entered the deliciously freezing building for the second time.
"Why did I let you convince me into doing this?" Usagi groaned, just about to nonchalantly drop the lilies in a nearby trash can.
Relena sighed with irritation, having already memorized the explanation that she had recited to Usagi a million times and over. "Because now is the best time, and you have to tell him sooner or later."
They approached the gate, Usagi quaking with fear and Relena smiling encouragement.
The same all too poised tone echoed in the vast emptiness of the airport, "Flight 193GRF from Los Angeles, California has now arrived. Flight 193GRF from Los Angeles is now deboarding at Gate sixteen. Thank you."
Usagi perceptibly stiffened at this and, gripping the lilies, walked up to the gate. People started pouring out from the temporary hallway connecting airplane to airport, and she snarled with irritation. Trying her hardest to balance on tiptoes, she looked over the shoulders of the many, many, tall men and women in front her.
After a few minutes the crowd had diminished drastically, leaving a few stragglers, herself, and Relena behind.
"Where are they?" she muttered worriedly.
"Oh there they are!" Relena cried, pointing excitedly.
She watched, breath catching at her throat, as Duo, Trowa, Wufei, and Quatre exited the hall and smiled at them before turning and waiting for the final member of their group.
Hiiro finally came walking out with a ... blonde girl by his side ... and his arm draped offhandedly over her shoulder.
The girl halted in wonder and eyed Usagi. Usagi, in turn, stared back.
"Usagi, Relena, meet Minako Aino. I met her in LA," filled the silence tonelessly.
Usagi's eyes widened further, if that were possible, and she glanced from Hiiro to Minako and then Hiiro again.
Thrusting the lilies sloppily into Hiiro's arms, she staggered up to the still startled blonde. He glanced at the fresh flowers, mentally sighed, and put them in Duo's outstretched hands. Grinning devilishly, the braided boy held them out to Wufei and promptly proposed. Not long after, shouting ensued once again.
"Mina-chan?" she asked tentatively to the background of mad giggles and enraged cries.
"Usa-chan?" the girl replied with just as much hesitation, ignoring the din around them just as effortlessly as Usagi had.
"You guys know each other?" Duo asked, eyes dancing, finally slowing down. Wufei caught up with him and proceeded to stuff the much-battered lilies into his mouth.
"You can take that as an over my dead body to your proposal," he snapped and stalked away.
Completely unaware of the new installment of the Duo vs. Wufei war, Usagi's eyes remained trained on the girl in front of her. "Know each other?" she repeated breathlessly. "She's my sister." Hiiro glanced quickly. If he had been an average guy, he would have gaped and let his jaw hit the carpeted floor of the airport.
Usagi was far more than a little surprised. Full-blown shock would even seem mild compared to what she felt at the moment. Minako ... and Hiiro? Together? She would find the irony and coincidence of this situation hilarious if her heart weren't tearing apart just like the lilies she had brought. Tears rushed to her eyes, and she saw Minako's eyes water as well. Quatre was smiling at them. They think these are elated tears, she realized sharply.
"Minako will be moving here," Hiiro informed her. Usagi looked up to stare at him, tears still in her eyes.
"S-sure," she spluttered and left it at that.
Watching the whole scene, Relena would have rolled her eyes had she not been worrying for Usagi. Why are they all so stupid? Can't they see that the flowers meant something? Stupid morons. She sighed and glanced at the new member of their group. Trust Hiiro to be an insensitive blockhead.
…………………
Anyhow, I realize how harsh the lily thing was, and I apologize but ... I dunno, I still wanted to keep it. And I realize how completely out of character Hiiro is and how, yes Vixen, he seems like a player ... after all, he dumped Relena and then five days later, he finds Mina. I guess the lily thing was more of a way to emphasize that Hiiro is still pretty much unemotional and an 'insensitive blockhead'.
Constructive criticism, pointless notes, reviews, poems dedicated to my great skill as a writer, love letters proclaiming undying love and limitless reviews, essays written about my general wonderfulness, lists of not too flattering adjectives that can describe me and my writing, and virtual letter bombs from the 'Hiiro is Not A Player Club' (meeting this coming Monday at the intersection of the equator and 150 degrees West -- yeah, it's in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, you got a problem with that?! -- at 2:00 PM central time) are all welcome and accepted with many hugs and tears. ^^