Chapter 10
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chapter by rinoastar
fic by Shanchan and rinoastar
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Early the next morning, the girls were sitting comfortably on their beds, still wrapped in their pajamas. It was about four a.m., and the artificial light had not yet begun to glow. Shimei was lying back on one of the beds and Hinoko was clicking away at her laptop. Dominique and Elizabeth were reviewing data for the mission. Shimei glanced up from the thick tome she was studying to her companions. "Should we not be heading out, or at least preparing to go? The boys told us to be standing outside just before light, and it's already four, " she asked, marking her place and putting it away. "Yes, we need to get dressed now, " Hinoko replied, shutting down her computer and closing it firmly. "Our shuttle will be here at five thirty, and there are five of us. That gives us each ten minutes for a shower and the last person will have ten minutes to dress. The last thirty minutes will be to double check if all of our things are packed and to collect the boys. The order will be alphabetical, so there is no room for arguement. Dominique, Elizabeth, myself, Serena, then Shimei. Do you think you can wash yourself?" she asked the Chinese girl. "Of course!" Shimei growled indignantly. She flipped over in the bed and began to shuffle through her medical journals. Then she glared at Dominique. "Hurry up and go, you! You've only got ten minutes." Dominique blinked and left to take her shower. Elizabeth glared at Hinoko's back as the colony-native freedom fighter began to gather her belongings. The sympathetic girl sat down next to her injured friend and sighed. Serena sat down on Shimei's other side. "She doesn't mean to seem so cold, Shimei. She doesn't understand. In her world, perfection is necessary and injuries mean that you are inferior, " Elizabeth said quietly. "I've heard a lot from G. about how J. raises his warriors, and it isn't pleasant, even if she is his granddaughter. It's intended to bring out the brutal efficiency inborn in all humans. Even if she's his granddaughter, he might have used those techniques on her. They make perfect drones, soldiers that can do anything and feel no remorse, " Serena added. "I wouldn't worry about it. Maybe if she spends a little more time around people, she'll get better at understanding and accepting other people, " Elizabeth smiled and stood up, seeing the steam roll out from beneath the door of the bathroom. "She's right. She'll warm to us after a while, " Serena smiled, patting her hand and standing up to gather her own items. As soon as all five of them had taken their showers and checked their luggage, they left to meet the boys. They were a few minutes early, since Hinoko had given them far too much time to check their luggage. Serena shifted uncomfortably as she waited. "I hate waiting!" Serena snapped to the others. Hinoko chuckled to herself and folded her arms, the light of the streetlamp positioned directly above them setting off dramatic shadows around the five girls. Elizabeth had taken a roll of photographs with a timed camera, to draw later. Finally, after what seemed like an hour of waiting, the boys showed up. "You're late, " Hinoko sourly drawled, turning on her heel to go. "I had to listen to Silverman there complaining." She heard laughter behind her and rolled her eyes. "Man, she is JUST like Hiiro!" the annoying baka with a braid was busy telling all of the pilots who stood around to listen. She snorted under her breath and checked her watch. "You can stand there and chit-chat, but I'm going on to catch our shuttle. It leaves in twenty minutes, and we need to lift something we can all ride in and get gone before the morning rush, " Hinoko called over her shoulder, breaking into a run. "And I have just the thing!" she sent back. The girls blinked for a minute before tearing out after her. Duo shook his head to Quatre. "They're gonna learn that there's two ways to do this piloting thing: the scientists' way, and our way. Our way's a lot more fun." "Your way may be more fun, but the scientists' is funded!" Shimei snipped back at him, then waved for them to see her. When nine of them had caught up together, Hinoko was still missing. They looked around for her, but their search was fruitless. Hiiro smirked. "She got herself lost. Well, we'll catch up to her eventually, so what if she misses the first mission. It's her own fault, " he almost sneered. Then, bright lights hit him directy on and he shielded his eyes. "A SCHOOL bus?" Duo cracked up. "We're riding to the airport in a scoolbus. Way to go, Yuy!" he snickered and boarded the bright yellow automobile. "Take it or leave it. If you don't want to ride in it, get off. I got it for the image, you know, " Hinoko replied tartly. "Honestly, what are people going to think when a bunch of teenagers ride up in a sportscar or something? 'Car theives'. What teenager in their right mind is going to steal a school bus? None. That's why it works." "Well, apparently you will, Noko-chan. I would have prefered something a little classier, like a van, but I suppose a schoolbus will do, " Dominique cackled, gently ribbing her comerade. Duo shot her a thumbs up and she grinned at him. The ride after that was eventless. They signed in at the station just in time to catch their flight, and when they got onto the Earth, it was just beginning to get dark. Hinoko, keeping with their image, 'acquired' another schoolbus for their two day journey to the scientists' lair. As they climbed in, Duo made a cheeky remark about her obsession with schoolbuses. "Shut up, Baka. Maybe she puts care into the image we represent, so we don't get caught, " Wufei interjected, his reading glasses perched atop his nose. He returned to the volume he borrowed from Shimei and continued reading about how the chi could be manipulated into animal-like apparitions and actual creatures. "We'd better get some rest while we can. It's going to be a long ride, and an even longer week, " Hiiro commanded. "Aye aye, Mon Capitan!" Elizabeth quipped, pulling out her art pad and pencils. The entire show was topped off with a pert salute. He rolled his eyes and settled down in one of the seats. "If you people think I'm driving the entire time, you've got another thing coming. Who's taking second shift?" Hinoko demanded. "Not me, " Elizabeth giggled. "Last time I tried to drive I nearly ran over someone. Aa, in L4, all I had to do was really walk anywhere I needed to go." "I've never really needed to drive, and I never thought I would, so I never bothered to learn, " Quatre answered steadily. "I've always had a chauffer take me where I needed to go, so there was no real reason for me to learn at all." "Don' look at me!" Dominique held her hands up defensively. "I was a guerrila, and we worked on ground. I didn't ride in a car from the entire time between I was five to twelve. We got a car simply so our med. unit could get around faster, and there's no way 'Megami' was going to be taught to drive! They promised to drive me everywhere, so I never bothered asking." "I know, " Duo said. "I can take second shift, but you'll hafta wake me up, " he pulled his black cap down over his eyes. "I know, " Serena said shortly. "It was part of my drivers' ed course. My school had mandatory drivers' ed." "I know, " Hiiro offered. "Huh-uh, " Duo called from his reclined position. "Don't you dare let him drive. He drives like a bat outta Hell, and he can't steer. If by some miracle he actually has a license, someone better take it away from him.*" "No one that doesn't have a license or a permit is going to volunteer, so speak now or you're not driving, " Hinoko peered over her shoulder at the teenagers behind her. When there was no response, she sighed in anger. "Hasn't anyone ever heard of their learner's permit? Or their hardship license? You don't even need a job to get those!" "I can drive, " Trowa spoke up. "I know how, and I have a license. Got it under Dekim and Trowa. They thought everybody over fourteen needed a license." "Under Dekim and Trowa?" Shimei asked. He shook his head in dismissal. "Fine. So two of us can actually drive. Peachy friggin' keen. I'll take a three hour shift, and you, tall, dark, and silent, can take the one right after me. We'll switch after that, " Hinoko snapped. "Hey! What about me?" Serena demanded. "I've got a permit!" "Oh, so you do. When did you get it?" Hinoko coolly asked. "September this year, " she replied. "Then you take the shift after him, as long as he promises to keep an eye on you while you drive. You can't drive without a licensed driver in the passenger seat, so one of us HAS to stay up there, and it sure won't be me. I need to check my e-mail, " Hinoko snipped, turning back to the road. "Hn. Whatever, " over half of the occupants chorused at the same time, followed by giggles when they realized what had happened. "Y'know, I think the ten of us are going to get along rather nicely, " Elizabeth said softly, carefully drawing the stoic portrait they had made earlier that morning.
Early the next morning, the girls were sitting comfortably on their beds, still wrapped in their pajamas. It was about four a.m., and the artificial light had not yet begun to glow. Shimei was lying back on one of the beds and Hinoko was clicking away at her laptop. Dominique and Elizabeth were reviewing data for the mission. Shimei glanced up from the thick tome she was studying to her companions. "Should we not be heading out, or at least preparing to go? The boys told us to be standing outside just before light, and it's already four, " she asked, marking her place and putting it away. "Yes, we need to get dressed now, " Hinoko replied, shutting down her computer and closing it firmly. "Our shuttle will be here at five thirty, and there are five of us. That gives us each ten minutes for a shower and the last person will have ten minutes to dress. The last thirty minutes will be to double check if all of our things are packed and to collect the boys. The order will be alphabetical, so there is no room for arguement. Dominique, Elizabeth, myself, Serena, then Shimei. Do you think you can wash yourself?" she asked the Chinese girl. "Of course!" Shimei growled indignantly. She flipped over in the bed and began to shuffle through her medical journals. Then she glared at Dominique. "Hurry up and go, you! You've only got ten minutes." Dominique blinked and left to take her shower. Elizabeth glared at Hinoko's back as the colony-native freedom fighter began to gather her belongings. The sympathetic girl sat down next to her injured friend and sighed. Serena sat down on Shimei's other side. "She doesn't mean to seem so cold, Shimei. She doesn't understand. In her world, perfection is necessary and injuries mean that you are inferior, " Elizabeth said quietly. "I've heard a lot from G. about how J. raises his warriors, and it isn't pleasant, even if she is his granddaughter. It's intended to bring out the brutal efficiency inborn in all humans. Even if she's his granddaughter, he might have used those techniques on her. They make perfect drones, soldiers that can do anything and feel no remorse, " Serena added. "I wouldn't worry about it. Maybe if she spends a little more time around people, she'll get better at understanding and accepting other people, " Elizabeth smiled and stood up, seeing the steam roll out from beneath the door of the bathroom. "She's right. She'll warm to us after a while, " Serena smiled, patting her hand and standing up to gather her own items. As soon as all five of them had taken their showers and checked their luggage, they left to meet the boys. They were a few minutes early, since Hinoko had given them far too much time to check their luggage. Serena shifted uncomfortably as she waited. "I hate waiting!" Serena snapped to the others. Hinoko chuckled to herself and folded her arms, the light of the streetlamp positioned directly above them setting off dramatic shadows around the five girls. Elizabeth had taken a roll of photographs with a timed camera, to draw later. Finally, after what seemed like an hour of waiting, the boys showed up. "You're late, " Hinoko sourly drawled, turning on her heel to go. "I had to listen to Silverman there complaining." She heard laughter behind her and rolled her eyes. "Man, she is JUST like Hiiro!" the annoying baka with a braid was busy telling all of the pilots who stood around to listen. She snorted under her breath and checked her watch. "You can stand there and chit-chat, but I'm going on to catch our shuttle. It leaves in twenty minutes, and we need to lift something we can all ride in and get gone before the morning rush, " Hinoko called over her shoulder, breaking into a run. "And I have just the thing!" she sent back. The girls blinked for a minute before tearing out after her. Duo shook his head to Quatre. "They're gonna learn that there's two ways to do this piloting thing: the scientists' way, and our way. Our way's a lot more fun." "Your way may be more fun, but the scientists' is funded!" Shimei snipped back at him, then waved for them to see her. When nine of them had caught up together, Hinoko was still missing. They looked around for her, but their search was fruitless. Hiiro smirked. "She got herself lost. Well, we'll catch up to her eventually, so what if she misses the first mission. It's her own fault, " he almost sneered. Then, bright lights hit him directy on and he shielded his eyes. "A SCHOOL bus?" Duo cracked up. "We're riding to the airport in a scoolbus. Way to go, Yuy!" he snickered and boarded the bright yellow automobile. "Take it or leave it. If you don't want to ride in it, get off. I got it for the image, you know, " Hinoko replied tartly. "Honestly, what are people going to think when a bunch of teenagers ride up in a sportscar or something? 'Car theives'. What teenager in their right mind is going to steal a school bus? None. That's why it works." "Well, apparently you will, Noko-chan. I would have prefered something a little classier, like a van, but I suppose a schoolbus will do, " Dominique cackled, gently ribbing her comerade. Duo shot her a thumbs up and she grinned at him. The ride after that was eventless. They signed in at the station just in time to catch their flight, and when they got onto the Earth, it was just beginning to get dark. Hinoko, keeping with their image, 'acquired' another schoolbus for their two day journey to the scientists' lair. As they climbed in, Duo made a cheeky remark about her obsession with schoolbuses. "Shut up, Baka. Maybe she puts care into the image we represent, so we don't get caught, " Wufei interjected, his reading glasses perched atop his nose. He returned to the volume he borrowed from Shimei and continued reading about how the chi could be manipulated into animal-like apparitions and actual creatures. "We'd better get some rest while we can. It's going to be a long ride, and an even longer week, " Hiiro commanded. "Aye aye, Mon Capitan!" Elizabeth quipped, pulling out her art pad and pencils. The entire show was topped off with a pert salute. He rolled his eyes and settled down in one of the seats. "If you people think I'm driving the entire time, you've got another thing coming. Who's taking second shift?" Hinoko demanded. "Not me, " Elizabeth giggled. "Last time I tried to drive I nearly ran over someone. Aa, in L4, all I had to do was really walk anywhere I needed to go." "I've never really needed to drive, and I never thought I would, so I never bothered to learn, " Quatre answered steadily. "I've always had a chauffer take me where I needed to go, so there was no real reason for me to learn at all." "Don' look at me!" Dominique held her hands up defensively. "I was a guerrila, and we worked on ground. I didn't ride in a car from the entire time between I was five to twelve. We got a car simply so our med. unit could get around faster, and there's no way 'Megami' was going to be taught to drive! They promised to drive me everywhere, so I never bothered asking." "I know, " Duo said. "I can take second shift, but you'll hafta wake me up, " he pulled his black cap down over his eyes. "I know, " Serena said shortly. "It was part of my drivers' ed course. My school had mandatory drivers' ed." "I know, " Hiiro offered. "Huh-uh, " Duo called from his reclined position. "Don't you dare let him drive. He drives like a bat outta Hell, and he can't steer. If by some miracle he actually has a license, someone better take it away from him.*" "No one that doesn't have a license or a permit is going to volunteer, so speak now or you're not driving, " Hinoko peered over her shoulder at the teenagers behind her. When there was no response, she sighed in anger. "Hasn't anyone ever heard of their learner's permit? Or their hardship license? You don't even need a job to get those!" "I can drive, " Trowa spoke up. "I know how, and I have a license. Got it under Dekim and Trowa. They thought everybody over fourteen needed a license." "Under Dekim and Trowa?" Shimei asked. He shook his head in dismissal. "Fine. So two of us can actually drive. Peachy friggin' keen. I'll take a three hour shift, and you, tall, dark, and silent, can take the one right after me. We'll switch after that, " Hinoko snapped. "Hey! What about me?" Serena demanded. "I've got a permit!" "Oh, so you do. When did you get it?" Hinoko coolly asked. "September this year, " she replied. "Then you take the shift after him, as long as he promises to keep an eye on you while you drive. You can't drive without a licensed driver in the passenger seat, so one of us HAS to stay up there, and it sure won't be me. I need to check my e-mail, " Hinoko snipped, turning back to the road. "Hn. Whatever, " over half of the occupants chorused at the same time, followed by giggles when they realized what had happened. "Y'know, I think the ten of us are going to get along rather nicely, " Elizabeth said softly, carefully drawing the stoic portrait they had made earlier that morning.