Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and Sailor Moon belong to affiliations and persons whose names don't even remotely sound like An-gel-ight. :x

Technically the last chapter but, as usual, we have the epilogue that [hopefully] will tie up all loose ends. No guarantees though. ^^; Since so many people were so confused over Picture This … I guess I assumed too much when I thought most people have seen/heard of Fushigi Yugi. :x Ah well. "Short" explanation that you can skip over. It's here simply because I have nowhere else to put it and … I need to take up space. xD [Fushigi Yugi spoilers ahead]:

[Hiiro remained in the manga of Usagi's. In Picture This, the manga is symbolic of the ancient Chinese text of the Four Gods that Miaka and her friend Yui were sucked into. Miaka fell in love with Tamahome, a character of that ancient text who was, to be brutal, not real. And then, when Miaka left the book, Tamahome followed her. However, Miaka's older brother noted that Tamahome didn't have a shadow and therefore, he couldn't exist in the real world. Sound familiar? Just like Picture This, ne? But, of course, it's the ending that is most parallel.

In Fushigi Yugi, the ending was when Miaka was about to enter college, walking around the campus with friend Yui and elder brother. The brother mentions something about a guy who said he wanted to meet Miaka because he had been "searching for her all his life and the purpose of his life was to protect her". But then suddenly Miaka stops short and covers her mouth. The guy her brother was talking about was just a few feet away from her, smiling at her and raising a hand on which a red-stoned ring -- which Miaka had given to him while still in the book -- flashed. The anime ends with Tamahome saying, "Zutto, zutto" which was … fan-translated as "finally, finally" but maybe it was actually "always, always".

So there. That is just like the ending of Picture This. Of course, I assumed that the Tamahome she met in the end wasn't the real one -- he had a shadow and everything. So that explains the change of spellings for the name Hiiro Yui to Heero Yuy. Therefore, no, the man at the end was not truly Hiiro. He was more like … a Hiiro reborn. :D That also, then, explains the references in the newspaper article at the ending that proclaimed that Usagi had written Fushigi Yugi. It explains where the inspiration for the manga came from. After all, Usagi lived it. :D

So, in short, Hiiro is Tamahome, Usagi is Miaka, Luna is something like Miaka's brother, everybody else I didn't really try to connect. :x Ah yes, and the conversation with Trowa near the end about what is real and what is not real simply amplifies Tamahome's -- and Nuriko's…? -- fears which he voiced about simply being part of somebody else's story. That's all. Wow! That was longer than I'd intended… --;]

Happy reading, minna-san. :D

Chapter 19: The Road Not Taken

Hiiro, will I ever see you again?

"Yui, this had better be good. You just made the government lose money over two wasted plane tickets because you decided you weren't ready to leave Calais!"

"Due to unforeseen circumstances, Tsukino Usagi escaped from me last night at approximately three a.m. I'll be faxing you the report before trading those tickets in and heading back to HQ," he stated stonily, ignoring Treize's previous words.

There was a sigh on the other side. "You know what? I don't want to know. File the report but don't give it to me. I'm tired of this whole conflict. Tsukino and Innocence can take over the world if they want."

"That's good to know, sir."

"But you, Yui, are going on a vacation. At least three weeks. Both you and I need to recuperate."

"Yes, sir."

"Now trade in those tickets, head back here using one of them, file the report, and I expect the other ticket on my desk tomorrow morning. You can leave it with the receptionist."

"Yes, sir."

Will you ever see me again?

Hopefully not.

…………………

Treize shook his head and rubbed his face tiredly, admitting defeat. There was no use of the mission. Nothing had come out of it and he had wasted plenty of the government's money, sapping from the defense organizations' funds.

Duo Maxwell had reported back to him, and there was no longer anything he could hold against Tsukino Usagi. Innocence had been proven innocent, or at least, more innocent than most people thought, by the manipulation of Quatre Winner. Treize decided he had suffered and caused the government enough humiliation. Innocence wasn't doing much wrong, he tried to console himself, And if it ever does, I'll be ready for it.

He had to admit that sometimes, justice just wasn't worth pursuing.

He had to admit that there were shades of gray in life.

And he had to admit that Innocence was one of them.

With one click of the mouse, the entire Innocence file was embedded and hidden into his own private files.

…………………

Artemis grinned at her as she stepped out of one of Innocence's white limos, sunglasses perched on nose. With a flourish, they came off and she smiled back, trying her hardest to look brave. Relena rushed forward and hugged her, welcoming her back, and breathing a soft thank you to whoever might be listening.

"Now, come along. The assignments are piling up without you here," Artemis instructed sternly though he couldn't help the smile that broke past his slight frown.

Usagi grinned back at him and reached over to hug him. His look of mild surprise was quickly replaced by a smile as he looked over Usagi's shoulder and saw Relena giving him the "I told you so" look. Maybe the Vice Foreign Minister did have a point after all – even with Hiiro Yui, Usagi would still care for him.

"Let's head in, shall we?"

Usagi linked arms with the two of them and glanced up at both. "Well, guys. You have a story to tell, huh?"

"It's not going to be as great as yours."

"But still. Escaping after being arrested with a warrant and everything must be something!" she protested, grinning.

Both mentors to her sides simply smiled at her as they entered the air-conditioned building and were greeted with a blast of cold air. Usagi walked slowly as she looked around, old memories resurfacing. Though the time she'd been away had not been over three months, it felt like it was well over three years.

The halls were just as perfect, the walls of mirrors pristine and polished enough to clearly reflect her face back to her. She slid her hand against the wall gently on her right as they walked, marveling at the seamless glass.

Usagi peeked into a weaponry lab, watching Innocence's top scientists scuttle around behind the window of glass that made up the wall, wondering if any of them even noticed her missing and shaking her head, knowing that Artemis undoubtedly made them aware even if they weren't.

Her fingers continued to slide against on the wall as the trio passed the training room. She paused and stared blankly at a new recruit watching an older one attempt to pass Innocence's final test. The instructor inside stopped and glanced over at them before halting all other students and pointing each of them out. She didn't smile but waved softly as half a dozen or so new faces turned to the window-like wall and gazed at the threesome in wonder. Undoubtedly, her reputation preceded her.

They continued down the hall, the guards standing at intervals saluting them briefly and other agents nodding, smiling, or waving. She turned back once and saw many of them pausing and glancing back as well, studying her, Artemis, and Relena as they traveled further. Artemis took her arm and led her away from the direction of her room and she blinked at him, puzzled. They turned and turned again before a pair of intricately blown, frosted glass doors, at least two times her height, stood in front of them. Artemis opened it slowly and held it. Usagi looked questioningly into the dark room.

The lights flipped on.

"Surprise!"

She paused and stared, wide-eyed at the gathering of people, all standing or about to be standing as the ballroom was bathed in golden light. Her head tilted back as she studied the towering ceiling and delicate clusters of beaded glass, lighting the room.

Every eye was on her as she took in the silvery tapestries on the walls and the expensive porcelain dishes lining tables strewn with white rose petals. Innocence's symbol, a solitary, barely blooming white rose, stood alone at the center of each table.

Every eye continued to follow her as she gingerly stepped down the sweeping staircase and looked into the small clusters of people.

Every eye gazed at her as, finally, she smiled and waved.

Every eye flew to Artemis as he followed her lead and asked her to dance despite her casual clothing.

And every mind thought the same thing as the lights dimmed and the music started:

The princess has returned to her palace.

…………………

"Hiiro, you're on vacation?" He flipped the vid-com on to Trowa's mildly smiling face, a pair of socks in one hand and T-shirt in the other, in the middle of packing.

"How'd you know?"

Trowa rolled his eyes. "By now, the entire ESUN knows. Treize admitted to deceiving the masses and Quatre bailed him out due to Duo's begging."

He nodded slowly, more to himself than to Trowa and tossed the pair of socks into the suitcase about six feet away. "Where are you?"

Trowa grinned sheepishly. "We're on involuntary vacation too. Unpaid. He's calling us back about half a year from now."

"All this punishment for the Maxwell case?"

"And because he just isn't really fond of us."

Hiiro nodded.

"So I've heard a lot has happened to you," Trowa began testily. "Anything you're willing to share?"

He thought briefly. "No, not really."

Trowa shook his head but dropped the subject. "Are you going to go somewhere or just stay in that dark apartment of yours for your time off?"

"I was thinking of taking my vacation time seriously this time."

"Any plans?"

"No, not really. Why?" He looked up at Trowa.

"Well, Wufei, Quatre, Duo, and I wanted to head down to Cancun for a week or two and then maybe over to Australia, paid mostly by Quatre, of course. Are you interested? We're heading out tonight and can send you tickets by then."

Hiiro looked down. Usagi was officially worlds away, back in her palace of glass, a building that served as a symbol of Innocence. Primarily glass, it could be easily broken but once broken, it could easily bite back, tearing flesh. He frowned to himself. And it was odd that, as Quatre had once off-handedly mentioned, glass looked most enchanting when stained with blood.

But now, armed with the knowledge of Innocence's true purposes, the fact didn't seem as horrible. Perhaps Innocence was simply stained with the blood of those who were willing to give their reputations and hearts in order to change the world.

There was a lot to think about, but there was no hurry. He still had his entire life ahead of him.

"Count me in."

…………………

Usagi sighed and looked out the window into the night from her reclining position in bed. The party had been exquisite, the food high class, and she was back in the lap of luxury, but somehow, it seemed empty and devoid of meaning.

At age six, when questioned by a first-grade teacher on what she wanted to do when she grew up, little Usagi proudly answered that she wanted to change the world.

At age sixteen, Usagi looked at herself and decided it was impossible.

Now, at age twenty-one, she finally understood the truth of the maxim, if you want to change the world, start by changing one person.

…………………

The friction had come and gone between him and Duo, both silently agreeing to drop the past and settle with the present. Hiiro stared out at the small oval of night, ignoring Duo's antics as the others stuffed their carry-on luggage into the overhead compartments.

Despite Duo's protests, Trowa sat down next to him and smiled, nodding towards the window. "Great scene, isn't it?"

He didn't smile. "I'm glad to leave it behind."

The plane started to slowly head towards the runway; he watched the lights of nighttime NYC sluggishly passing him by. He was changed, he had to admit to himself. At any other point in his life, he would not have wasted one of Quatre's plane tickets simply to head back to New York to travel with his friends, instead, opting to fly directly to Cancun from Calais. It was a simple and small difference but, to him, it was the world.

He momentarily wondered where She was and what She was doing. Probably guarded by Artemis in Innocence like the million-dollar jewels She handled. Closing his eyes, he leaned back in his seat, pleasantly aware that all chatter had faded away, even Duo's.

The plane sped up, the lights flying by in swirls of color and, with a lurch of motion, they were airborne.

Hiiro Yui opened his eyes as the past and present faded to nothing and he was left with only the future.

…………………

Typical, is it not? XD Ah well. Epilogue will be posted hopefully within next week. :D

Darlana: o_o!!! I should thank you more for reading than you should me for updating … :D Hiiro and Usagi not getting together … urk … what a strange combination of words. xD Ah, yes, yes … poor Duo … it's too bad he didn't get more involved … I miss him … lol. :x

Purple Hotagi: Lol … actually Duo wasn't going to show up … but then the Duo obsession-type-thing set in and … how could anybody resist? xD Oh goodness … that word! Confused. It always spells doom for me. :x I think the faking death thing was too … contrived? :x But … perhaps there'll be more on it if the sequel works out … ? --; Wufei and Trowa were just picked out of thin air [mainly because they had no other roles…] but … I actually do really like having them together too. :D

Naiad: Ah, thank you so much! :D Urk … Duo finding somebody else … heh heh … ? Well … mmm … he does let go of it … so he won't be eternally plagued by grudges! :x But, sadly enough, no Duo pairings. ;-;

The Desert Fox: I always find it so difficult to keep up with a lot of characters … especially since SM has a girl for each planet, etc. ^^; In most fics, I have a tendency to focus on the people that … urk … I like the most? :x Usually all the pilots are involved and … since I'm mainly familiar with the inner senshi [because SM started being broadcasted at inaccessible hours after they started showing the S season and so on], Ami, Minako, Rei, and Makoto show up the most [usually Ami or Minako … ^^;]. With occasional smidgens of Hotaru. :D "Artemis is like Sir Robin of Locksley aka Robin Hood and Innocence is like the band of Merry Men. Would that make Q-man the fat friar, Friar Tuck?" LOL! It sounds so strange when you phrase it that way. xD

Lady Artemis: WAH! Long time no see! :D Thank you so much. :D And … urk … I'll update quickly … promise! :D

Vixen: Oh my … your way with words even carries over into reviews…!! Lol … reminds me of a movie. :D And since you're now back from vacation, you'll be updating more often, correct? Yes, yes? :D

Thanks for all the lovely, lovely reviews that were simply … lovely! :D Submitted, of course, by all you lovely people. :D Lovely! Yours, Angel.