Wow, I'm on a roll!! I expect very nice reviews for going so fast. Keep my inspiration going. ^____^ I hope that all you lovely people who reviewed aren't disappointed. As for everyone else, I hope you enjoy it enough to review this time. (Or face my wrath.....)
Disclaimer: I own the Cinderella tape I'm watching with my little sister right now. I don't own Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon. I own the tape of The Rescuers that we're gonna watch after Cinderella. I don't own Mobile Suit Gundam Wing. I do own Tranquility and my very OC Shikaru (WHO is he, anyways?).
Warnings: Ririna Peacecrap and Mamo-baka bashing. Major OOC-ness for Wufei (around Ami, anyway) and some for Hiiro. Haruka gets violent (or wants to), some possible mentioned Haruka/Michiru, but no real yuri (I can't write it). Hiiro has not-very-nice thoughts toward Milliardo and Treize, and gets glomped by Ririna Peacecrap. *shudder* Usagi may seem OOC with a sugar-sweet attitude toward Ririna that is obviously fake. AU for Gundam, but the senshi do exist. I'm gonna change the storyline a bit, but that will come into play later. So as far as all of you know so far, everything in the senshi world happened as it was originally written. Things with Mamoru will be explained. The girls do all know each other, but the guys don't know that. They think that the girls just met for the wedding and they don't all have something in common.
Ages:
Okay, Desert Fox asked why I put "It's not polite to inquire about a lady's age" under Setsuna's name but put all the other ages. I was merely referring to the fact that Setsuna (even though she died during StarS) is well over a thousand years old, possibly older. I didn't want to say "older than dirt" under her name (I do fear the Garnet Rod. *shudder* If you've read And I Thought My Family Was Weird, you'd know why).
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Complicated
Chapter Two: The Maid of Honor
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Hiiro glanced around the tastefully decorated restaurant. Quatre, Duo, and Trowa were already there, as well as Ririna, Treize, Milliardo, a young man, and several women he assumed to be Ami's friends. One of the ladies, a brunette, walked up to him. "Hello, and welcome to Jupiter's Sanctuary. I'm Makoto Kino, and this is my restaurant."
"HHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!" A pink blur latched itself to Hiiro's arm, causing him to gasp and wince in pain. (AN: I DID warn you about OOC-ness..... Hiiro winced!! *hallelujah*)
Makoto's smile could only be considered sinister. "You must be Hiiro Yui. I was told by Mr. Maxwell over there that this would happen when you got here, but I wanted to see it for myself." Hiiro responded by glaring at her. 'His glare would cause Tranquility Tsukino to shiver, but it wouldn't work on Serenity. After all, her glare is much worse.' Makoto smirked at this thought. Then she thought, 'It's too bad the Quartet had to leave. I'd love to see his reaction to those happy-go-lucky girls.' The Quartet's circus was leaving that afternoon, so they only had time in the morning to help.
Makoto cleared her throat, gaining Hiiro and Ririna's attention. "Mr. Yui, let me introduce you to everyone. This is Mr. Milliardo Peacecraft," Hiiro nodded in his direction, "and Mr. Treize Khushrenada, both of whom I am sure you know already." She pointed to a raven-haired woman. "This is Rei Hino. She's an interior designer, and she helped us decorate the restaurant. This," Makoto pointed to the blonde woman speaking to Rei, "is Minako Aino. She's a local model, and she's on the national volleyball team. (AN: Don't ask how I came up with this.) She's Ami's best friend's cousin." She pointed to the young man and an aqua-haired young woman speaking nearby. "This is Michiru Kaiou, the violinist and painter, and with her is her partner, Haruka Tenou, the pianist and race car driver." A black-haired young woman walked into the room, followed by a green-haired woman. "This is Hotaru Tomoe, an intern at the hospital. After her is her guardian, Setsuna Meiou, an astrologist." She paused a moment. "Ami's best friend is also here, but she is helping Ami and Wufei unload out back. They should be in here in a moment, and then we can start."
A few minutes later, Wufei walked through the kitchen door. He was holding hands with a blue-haired woman and was followed by another blonde. Makoto smiled at them. "Wufei, do you want to introduce your fiancee to everyone?" All eyes were on them. Quatre was the only one that had met Ami, and everyone wanted to know the person who could change Wufei.
Wufei grunted. "Everyone, this onna," he paused a moment as the young woman elbowed him, "excuse me, this beautiful young lady is my fiancee, Ami Mizuno." He then introduced everyone to Ami. (AN: I'm too lazy to type up an intro for everyone else, 'cuz you all already know their professions and everything.)
After he was finished, Ami gestured to the woman behind her. "Everyone, this my best friend, Usagi Aino. She's Minako's cousin, and she's going to be my maid of honor." At this, Ririna protested loudly. Hiiro was going to be Wufei's best man, and she wanted to "walk up the aisle towards him as if [we were] actually getting married." Ami interrupted her arguments. "Usagi has been emotionally supporting me for over ten years now. It's one of the only ways I can think of to even begin to pay her back." Ririna scowled, but Hiiro inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. He would have physically sighed, but Ririna was cutting off his air.
Usagi smiled sweetly-- too sweetly. "Miss Peacecraft, you might want to let Mr. Yui go. We wouldn't want the best man to die of suffocation before Mr. Chang and Ami actually got married, would we? I don't really think Mr. Chang wants to go through the painstaking process of choosing another best man." She turned to Wufei, who grunted his response. 'Some things will never change,' Hiiro thought. Ririna's scowl grew, but she complied.
Hiiro began to breathe in very deeply. 'I didn't know breathing was such an amazing thing,' he thought wryly. "Thanks," he grunted to Usagi. She winked at him. Hiiro wanted to laugh out loud, (AN: lol) but he managed to stop himself. 'What's wrong with me?' He took a good chance to look Usagi over. She had shimmering blonde hair that was pulled into a tight bun. Her eyes were a sapphire blue. Her hair and eyes were breath-taking, but their colors did not seem natural on her for some reason. He inwardly frowned. 'I'll figure that out later.'
Ririna interrupted his thoughts. "That tight bun of yours makes you look like an old woman, Miss Aino. Is your hair so frizzy that you have to pull it up that tight just to keep it under control?"
The said woman just smiled at Ririna. "No, Miss Peacecraft. It's just so long that if I didn't pull it up, it would only constantly be in my way. However, having my hair this length is an old family tradition for the females in my mother's family, so I keep it just out of respect for her." Ririna's face scrunched up; she was obviously trying to find something wrong with Usagi's answer. Usagi, however, smirked. "You shouldn't make that sort of face, Miss Peacecraft; it might stick." Laughter erupted, and Ririna slowly flushed. She turned on her heel and went to talk to her brother. Usagi winked at Hiiro again. This time, he did laugh, and by doing so, he managed to gain everyone's attention. Then he glared at all of them until they looked away again. Usagi smirked.
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Usagi was not having the time of her life, but she could not exactly complain. She definitely did not like Ririna Peacecraft, but she put up with the brat because Makoto liked her brother. The man named Treize kept staring at her. She hated when men did that. She would admit that she looked good, but there were many women who looked better than her. 'But Miss Peacecraft is not one of them,' she thought defiantly. 'If she's one of the only women he has contact with, I guess he would be desperate. If only he would talk to me instead of just staring at me.' Usagi did, however, enjoy watching the interactions between her group of friends and the newcomers. Usagi enjoyed people-watching.
Usagi then glanced at Minako, who was having an animated conversation with a blushing Quatre. 'Mr. Winner seems to be overwhelmed by my darling cousin. I feel sorry for the poor guy.' Wufei and Ami were walking around the room talking to people. They were currently talking to Trowa, Milliardo, and Makoto. Trowa was not talking back, however. He would just occasionally nod his head to show that he was paying attention.
Ririna was keeping her distance from Hiiro for once. She seemed to still be embarrassed by the scene she had made earlier. Instead, she was talking to a disgruntled Rei, an impassive Setsuna, a strangled-looking Duo, and an amused-looking Hotaru. Hiiro was having a polite conversation with Treize, who kept stealing glances at Usagi. 'They're probably talking about the weather,' an amused Usagi thought. 'It's a politically correct topic.'
Ami and Wufei walked toward Usagi. Usagi's look was innocent– too innocent. "Hey, you two. How are the lovebirds holding out?"
Ami blushed. "We're alright, Usagi. You looked lonely over here by yourself. Is anything wrong?"
Usagi gave her a soft smile. "Not really. I was just thinking about how forced the conversations around here look."
Ami frowned. "I think you're right, Usagi. How can we remedy this situation?"
Usagi's look grew sly. "We could always have lunch. Food always seems to relax people for some reason."
Ami laughed. "Some things never change, do they?"
Usagi joined in her laughter. "I certainly hope not. Then everyone would just stay confused all the time." Wufei rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath.
Ami looked up at him sharply. "Some things, however, need to change," she remarked. Wufei glared at her, and she gave him a dazzling smile. His glare noticeably lessened. Ami winked at Usagi, who started laughing again. The trio then walked to Makoto and suggested that lunch be served. She heartily agreed.
"Now everyone tell me what they think," Makoto ordered, "or I won't be able to ever improve." Everyone nodded after seeing the look on her face. Then she smiled. "Well, what are you all waiting for? Let's eat!"
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Hiiro had to admit that Makoto was an excellent cook. Apparently everyone else thought the same thing; not even Ririna could find anything to complain about. After finishing the meal, everyone complimented Makoto on her excellent culinary skills. Milliardo seemed to take a special interest in her after the meal was over, and she did not exactly looked like she minded. 'After all,' Hiiro mused, 'it's her crush on him that got Ririna and Khushrenada invited.'
A voice interrupted his thoughts. "Are you catering the wedding, Miss Kino?" Quatre asked.
Makoto blushed slightly. "Yes."
Ami smiled and said, "Makoto is handling the food; Minako is helping me decide on the wedding gown, bridesmaids' dresses, etc; Michiru and Haruka are taking care of the ceremony music; Rei is decorating the church and reception hall; and Usagi is going to take care of the music during the reception."
Usagi broke in, "I am?"
Ami nodded. "Of course you are. You talk to The Three Lights – you know that Seiya would live in Antarctica for twenty years for you. And you can help, of course."
Usagi, however, was immediately shaking her head. "No, Ami, I'm not singing. I will get Seiya, Yaten, and Taiki to come for you; I will even play an instrument while they sing – but I'm not singing."
Ami sighed. "Whatever you say, Usagi. I hope you change your mind though."
Usagi winced. "Ames, I haven't gotten on a stage and sang since I was seventeen years old, and even then it was just to relieve my depression."
Minako nodded and added, "And we don't want to bring THAT up again. Usagi's teenage years are not something I'd care to repeat. But that's just my opinion."
Ami relented. "I'm sorry I brought it up again, Usagi. And you don't have to talk to Seiya again if you don't want to."
Usagi smirked. "Yeah, I'll just get Kakyuu to send them. They can't ignore an order from her. It'd be treason." Soon all the women were smirking.
Haruka grinned. "You do that, Usagi. And if Seiya comes near you...." She trailed off and made a violent motion in midair. Much to everyone's surprise, Michiru agreed with her instead of glaring at her. Minako actually made a comment, and everyone started laughing again, even the guys.
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"So what do you think?" Wufei asked as Hiiro was driving him home; he had ridden with Ami earlier. "About Ami and her friends, I mean."
"They seemed nice enough," Hiiro grunted, "but it's too soon to really tell. That Usagi Aino seemed interesting though."
Wufei laughed and replied, "You're just saying that because she got Ririna to let go of you and actually kept her away. No one's ever talked to Ririna like that before." Hiiro smirked his reply. Wufei added slyly, "Ask her out; she seems like a nice girl. If you end up falling in love, we could have a double wedding."
Hiiro scowled at Wufei. "I really doubt it," he replied coldly, causing Wufei to start laughing. He continued to laugh until Hiiro dropped him off at his apartment.
While he was driving home, Hiiro's mind was on the young women and young man he had met that day. They seemed to all have something in common – but the identity of that something eluded him. Rei Hino was just there to decorate for the wedding; Makoto Kino was merely providing the food. Usagi Aino was Ami's best friend, so that would be how Minako got involved. It also seemed that Haruka and Michiru were involved through the mysterious young woman that Hiiro Yui could not get out of his head. It seemed impossible that those women formed a group. They were too different to all be friends. They did not all really have anything in common – did they?
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Quatre smiled. He had made a lunch date with Minako Aino – though it was a bit more like she made a lunch date with him. Quatre liked Minako; she was very outgoing and energetic. She was nearly the exact opposite of him. The one thing they had in common that Quatre had noticed right away was their ability to sense emotions in others. He could feel all sorts of emotions, but Minako could specifically feel love and things related to love. In Quatre's mind, however, it was a fine distinction. He had never met someone with the same abilities as him before. Minako had informed him that her cousin Usagi had the same gifts but never used them. That was something Quatre could not understand. Why would she choose ignorance over the ability to help people with their problems? 'Well, Minako's cousin is most definitely a mystery, but I'm not going to worry about that right now. I have a lunch date tomorrow!'
About five miles away, Minako was having the same thoughts, but she was sharing them with Usagi. "– and he's SO sweet! He can sense emotions in an even more complex way than I can! And I have a lunch date with him tomorrow!" Minako had stars in her eyes. "I'm the luckiest girl on earth!"
Usagi smirked and replied, "Didn't you say the same thing when you were dating Yaten?"
Minako scowled. "Yeah, but at least he said good-bye to me, unlike Seiya. Is Haruka still cursing whenever she thinks about him or sees him on television?"
Usagi's smirk faded into an unreadable look. "Yes, she is. I don't think Haruka will ever change. I don't think I would want her to."
Minako nodded her agreement. Then her face gained a sly look. "Have you made a date with Hiiro Yui? He's a little emotionless for my tastes, but I'm sure the two of you would get along just fine."
Usagi made a face, then she suddenly became serious. "I just hope that Miss Peacecraft doesn't kill him before the wedding. I would hate to see Mr. Chang's face if he found out that his best man had been murdered." Minako laughed. They pulled up at Usagi's apartment building. "Good night, Usagi."
"I'll see you later if not sooner, cousin dear." Minako laughed again at Usagi's words and drove away.
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Trowa smiled – that is to say, the corner of his mouth twitched – when he walked into the circus tent. His sister's circus had just arrived. Unfortunately, the Dead Moon Circus had just left, so the people here would have to give an amazing performance in order to keep the crowd. That was why Trowa was there. He was going to help Catherine with her act; no other clown had managed to go through her act without moving once.
Trowa thought about the party he had attended earlier that day. Wufei's fiancee seemed to be an interesting woman. She seemed more than capable of keeping him in line. Trowa mentally smirked. It seemed that Wufei's "weak onna" days were over. Well, it was about time.
There was something different about the young women at the party. It seemed like they were a chain of friends and employees instead of a group of friends. Ami was friends with Usagi Aino. Usagi's cousin, Minako, was attending. The Three Lights apparently knew Usagi, and so did Haruka Tenou and Michiru Kaiou. Rei Hino and Makoto Kino were just hired for the wedding. Then why did it seem like they were keeping some big secret? It seemed like not even Wufei knew about whatever they were hiding. 'Well,' Trowa thought, 'I'll just have to find out, won't I?'
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The engagement party was in May. The wedding was to take place the following April. In the meantime, Ami and Wufei wanted everyone to get together at least one more time before preparations for the wedding began. So in December, they decided to throw a Christmas party.
They invited not only the usual group, but they also invited the main staff at Winner Corporation and OZ. And, just to add some spice, Ami invited the Oniwaban Assassins – without telling anyone except Usagi.
Sparks would fly, and they wouldn't all be romantic.
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I know I skipped a lot of time there, but I needed a bit of breathing space for the characters. Minako and Quatre are now officially a couple, but they aren't engaged *coughyetcough*. ^_________^ Don't worry, I won't keep you waiting TOO long. *evil grin* I hope you enjoyed! Don't worry, Mamo-baka will get bashed. His time is coming.
Coming up, Shikaru is introduced! But who is he? And how will Hiiro react to him before he realizes who he really is? Stay tuned!!
Koneko
Disclaimer: I own the Cinderella tape I'm watching with my little sister right now. I don't own Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon. I own the tape of The Rescuers that we're gonna watch after Cinderella. I don't own Mobile Suit Gundam Wing. I do own Tranquility and my very OC Shikaru (WHO is he, anyways?).
Warnings: Ririna Peacecrap and Mamo-baka bashing. Major OOC-ness for Wufei (around Ami, anyway) and some for Hiiro. Haruka gets violent (or wants to), some possible mentioned Haruka/Michiru, but no real yuri (I can't write it). Hiiro has not-very-nice thoughts toward Milliardo and Treize, and gets glomped by Ririna Peacecrap. *shudder* Usagi may seem OOC with a sugar-sweet attitude toward Ririna that is obviously fake. AU for Gundam, but the senshi do exist. I'm gonna change the storyline a bit, but that will come into play later. So as far as all of you know so far, everything in the senshi world happened as it was originally written. Things with Mamoru will be explained. The girls do all know each other, but the guys don't know that. They think that the girls just met for the wedding and they don't all have something in common.
Ages:
Okay, Desert Fox asked why I put "It's not polite to inquire about a lady's age" under Setsuna's name but put all the other ages. I was merely referring to the fact that Setsuna (even though she died during StarS) is well over a thousand years old, possibly older. I didn't want to say "older than dirt" under her name (I do fear the Garnet Rod. *shudder* If you've read And I Thought My Family Was Weird, you'd know why).
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Complicated
Chapter Two: The Maid of Honor
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Hiiro glanced around the tastefully decorated restaurant. Quatre, Duo, and Trowa were already there, as well as Ririna, Treize, Milliardo, a young man, and several women he assumed to be Ami's friends. One of the ladies, a brunette, walked up to him. "Hello, and welcome to Jupiter's Sanctuary. I'm Makoto Kino, and this is my restaurant."
"HHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!" A pink blur latched itself to Hiiro's arm, causing him to gasp and wince in pain. (AN: I DID warn you about OOC-ness..... Hiiro winced!! *hallelujah*)
Makoto's smile could only be considered sinister. "You must be Hiiro Yui. I was told by Mr. Maxwell over there that this would happen when you got here, but I wanted to see it for myself." Hiiro responded by glaring at her. 'His glare would cause Tranquility Tsukino to shiver, but it wouldn't work on Serenity. After all, her glare is much worse.' Makoto smirked at this thought. Then she thought, 'It's too bad the Quartet had to leave. I'd love to see his reaction to those happy-go-lucky girls.' The Quartet's circus was leaving that afternoon, so they only had time in the morning to help.
Makoto cleared her throat, gaining Hiiro and Ririna's attention. "Mr. Yui, let me introduce you to everyone. This is Mr. Milliardo Peacecraft," Hiiro nodded in his direction, "and Mr. Treize Khushrenada, both of whom I am sure you know already." She pointed to a raven-haired woman. "This is Rei Hino. She's an interior designer, and she helped us decorate the restaurant. This," Makoto pointed to the blonde woman speaking to Rei, "is Minako Aino. She's a local model, and she's on the national volleyball team. (AN: Don't ask how I came up with this.) She's Ami's best friend's cousin." She pointed to the young man and an aqua-haired young woman speaking nearby. "This is Michiru Kaiou, the violinist and painter, and with her is her partner, Haruka Tenou, the pianist and race car driver." A black-haired young woman walked into the room, followed by a green-haired woman. "This is Hotaru Tomoe, an intern at the hospital. After her is her guardian, Setsuna Meiou, an astrologist." She paused a moment. "Ami's best friend is also here, but she is helping Ami and Wufei unload out back. They should be in here in a moment, and then we can start."
A few minutes later, Wufei walked through the kitchen door. He was holding hands with a blue-haired woman and was followed by another blonde. Makoto smiled at them. "Wufei, do you want to introduce your fiancee to everyone?" All eyes were on them. Quatre was the only one that had met Ami, and everyone wanted to know the person who could change Wufei.
Wufei grunted. "Everyone, this onna," he paused a moment as the young woman elbowed him, "excuse me, this beautiful young lady is my fiancee, Ami Mizuno." He then introduced everyone to Ami. (AN: I'm too lazy to type up an intro for everyone else, 'cuz you all already know their professions and everything.)
After he was finished, Ami gestured to the woman behind her. "Everyone, this my best friend, Usagi Aino. She's Minako's cousin, and she's going to be my maid of honor." At this, Ririna protested loudly. Hiiro was going to be Wufei's best man, and she wanted to "walk up the aisle towards him as if [we were] actually getting married." Ami interrupted her arguments. "Usagi has been emotionally supporting me for over ten years now. It's one of the only ways I can think of to even begin to pay her back." Ririna scowled, but Hiiro inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. He would have physically sighed, but Ririna was cutting off his air.
Usagi smiled sweetly-- too sweetly. "Miss Peacecraft, you might want to let Mr. Yui go. We wouldn't want the best man to die of suffocation before Mr. Chang and Ami actually got married, would we? I don't really think Mr. Chang wants to go through the painstaking process of choosing another best man." She turned to Wufei, who grunted his response. 'Some things will never change,' Hiiro thought. Ririna's scowl grew, but she complied.
Hiiro began to breathe in very deeply. 'I didn't know breathing was such an amazing thing,' he thought wryly. "Thanks," he grunted to Usagi. She winked at him. Hiiro wanted to laugh out loud, (AN: lol) but he managed to stop himself. 'What's wrong with me?' He took a good chance to look Usagi over. She had shimmering blonde hair that was pulled into a tight bun. Her eyes were a sapphire blue. Her hair and eyes were breath-taking, but their colors did not seem natural on her for some reason. He inwardly frowned. 'I'll figure that out later.'
Ririna interrupted his thoughts. "That tight bun of yours makes you look like an old woman, Miss Aino. Is your hair so frizzy that you have to pull it up that tight just to keep it under control?"
The said woman just smiled at Ririna. "No, Miss Peacecraft. It's just so long that if I didn't pull it up, it would only constantly be in my way. However, having my hair this length is an old family tradition for the females in my mother's family, so I keep it just out of respect for her." Ririna's face scrunched up; she was obviously trying to find something wrong with Usagi's answer. Usagi, however, smirked. "You shouldn't make that sort of face, Miss Peacecraft; it might stick." Laughter erupted, and Ririna slowly flushed. She turned on her heel and went to talk to her brother. Usagi winked at Hiiro again. This time, he did laugh, and by doing so, he managed to gain everyone's attention. Then he glared at all of them until they looked away again. Usagi smirked.
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Usagi was not having the time of her life, but she could not exactly complain. She definitely did not like Ririna Peacecraft, but she put up with the brat because Makoto liked her brother. The man named Treize kept staring at her. She hated when men did that. She would admit that she looked good, but there were many women who looked better than her. 'But Miss Peacecraft is not one of them,' she thought defiantly. 'If she's one of the only women he has contact with, I guess he would be desperate. If only he would talk to me instead of just staring at me.' Usagi did, however, enjoy watching the interactions between her group of friends and the newcomers. Usagi enjoyed people-watching.
Usagi then glanced at Minako, who was having an animated conversation with a blushing Quatre. 'Mr. Winner seems to be overwhelmed by my darling cousin. I feel sorry for the poor guy.' Wufei and Ami were walking around the room talking to people. They were currently talking to Trowa, Milliardo, and Makoto. Trowa was not talking back, however. He would just occasionally nod his head to show that he was paying attention.
Ririna was keeping her distance from Hiiro for once. She seemed to still be embarrassed by the scene she had made earlier. Instead, she was talking to a disgruntled Rei, an impassive Setsuna, a strangled-looking Duo, and an amused-looking Hotaru. Hiiro was having a polite conversation with Treize, who kept stealing glances at Usagi. 'They're probably talking about the weather,' an amused Usagi thought. 'It's a politically correct topic.'
Ami and Wufei walked toward Usagi. Usagi's look was innocent– too innocent. "Hey, you two. How are the lovebirds holding out?"
Ami blushed. "We're alright, Usagi. You looked lonely over here by yourself. Is anything wrong?"
Usagi gave her a soft smile. "Not really. I was just thinking about how forced the conversations around here look."
Ami frowned. "I think you're right, Usagi. How can we remedy this situation?"
Usagi's look grew sly. "We could always have lunch. Food always seems to relax people for some reason."
Ami laughed. "Some things never change, do they?"
Usagi joined in her laughter. "I certainly hope not. Then everyone would just stay confused all the time." Wufei rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath.
Ami looked up at him sharply. "Some things, however, need to change," she remarked. Wufei glared at her, and she gave him a dazzling smile. His glare noticeably lessened. Ami winked at Usagi, who started laughing again. The trio then walked to Makoto and suggested that lunch be served. She heartily agreed.
"Now everyone tell me what they think," Makoto ordered, "or I won't be able to ever improve." Everyone nodded after seeing the look on her face. Then she smiled. "Well, what are you all waiting for? Let's eat!"
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Hiiro had to admit that Makoto was an excellent cook. Apparently everyone else thought the same thing; not even Ririna could find anything to complain about. After finishing the meal, everyone complimented Makoto on her excellent culinary skills. Milliardo seemed to take a special interest in her after the meal was over, and she did not exactly looked like she minded. 'After all,' Hiiro mused, 'it's her crush on him that got Ririna and Khushrenada invited.'
A voice interrupted his thoughts. "Are you catering the wedding, Miss Kino?" Quatre asked.
Makoto blushed slightly. "Yes."
Ami smiled and said, "Makoto is handling the food; Minako is helping me decide on the wedding gown, bridesmaids' dresses, etc; Michiru and Haruka are taking care of the ceremony music; Rei is decorating the church and reception hall; and Usagi is going to take care of the music during the reception."
Usagi broke in, "I am?"
Ami nodded. "Of course you are. You talk to The Three Lights – you know that Seiya would live in Antarctica for twenty years for you. And you can help, of course."
Usagi, however, was immediately shaking her head. "No, Ami, I'm not singing. I will get Seiya, Yaten, and Taiki to come for you; I will even play an instrument while they sing – but I'm not singing."
Ami sighed. "Whatever you say, Usagi. I hope you change your mind though."
Usagi winced. "Ames, I haven't gotten on a stage and sang since I was seventeen years old, and even then it was just to relieve my depression."
Minako nodded and added, "And we don't want to bring THAT up again. Usagi's teenage years are not something I'd care to repeat. But that's just my opinion."
Ami relented. "I'm sorry I brought it up again, Usagi. And you don't have to talk to Seiya again if you don't want to."
Usagi smirked. "Yeah, I'll just get Kakyuu to send them. They can't ignore an order from her. It'd be treason." Soon all the women were smirking.
Haruka grinned. "You do that, Usagi. And if Seiya comes near you...." She trailed off and made a violent motion in midair. Much to everyone's surprise, Michiru agreed with her instead of glaring at her. Minako actually made a comment, and everyone started laughing again, even the guys.
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"So what do you think?" Wufei asked as Hiiro was driving him home; he had ridden with Ami earlier. "About Ami and her friends, I mean."
"They seemed nice enough," Hiiro grunted, "but it's too soon to really tell. That Usagi Aino seemed interesting though."
Wufei laughed and replied, "You're just saying that because she got Ririna to let go of you and actually kept her away. No one's ever talked to Ririna like that before." Hiiro smirked his reply. Wufei added slyly, "Ask her out; she seems like a nice girl. If you end up falling in love, we could have a double wedding."
Hiiro scowled at Wufei. "I really doubt it," he replied coldly, causing Wufei to start laughing. He continued to laugh until Hiiro dropped him off at his apartment.
While he was driving home, Hiiro's mind was on the young women and young man he had met that day. They seemed to all have something in common – but the identity of that something eluded him. Rei Hino was just there to decorate for the wedding; Makoto Kino was merely providing the food. Usagi Aino was Ami's best friend, so that would be how Minako got involved. It also seemed that Haruka and Michiru were involved through the mysterious young woman that Hiiro Yui could not get out of his head. It seemed impossible that those women formed a group. They were too different to all be friends. They did not all really have anything in common – did they?
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Quatre smiled. He had made a lunch date with Minako Aino – though it was a bit more like she made a lunch date with him. Quatre liked Minako; she was very outgoing and energetic. She was nearly the exact opposite of him. The one thing they had in common that Quatre had noticed right away was their ability to sense emotions in others. He could feel all sorts of emotions, but Minako could specifically feel love and things related to love. In Quatre's mind, however, it was a fine distinction. He had never met someone with the same abilities as him before. Minako had informed him that her cousin Usagi had the same gifts but never used them. That was something Quatre could not understand. Why would she choose ignorance over the ability to help people with their problems? 'Well, Minako's cousin is most definitely a mystery, but I'm not going to worry about that right now. I have a lunch date tomorrow!'
About five miles away, Minako was having the same thoughts, but she was sharing them with Usagi. "– and he's SO sweet! He can sense emotions in an even more complex way than I can! And I have a lunch date with him tomorrow!" Minako had stars in her eyes. "I'm the luckiest girl on earth!"
Usagi smirked and replied, "Didn't you say the same thing when you were dating Yaten?"
Minako scowled. "Yeah, but at least he said good-bye to me, unlike Seiya. Is Haruka still cursing whenever she thinks about him or sees him on television?"
Usagi's smirk faded into an unreadable look. "Yes, she is. I don't think Haruka will ever change. I don't think I would want her to."
Minako nodded her agreement. Then her face gained a sly look. "Have you made a date with Hiiro Yui? He's a little emotionless for my tastes, but I'm sure the two of you would get along just fine."
Usagi made a face, then she suddenly became serious. "I just hope that Miss Peacecraft doesn't kill him before the wedding. I would hate to see Mr. Chang's face if he found out that his best man had been murdered." Minako laughed. They pulled up at Usagi's apartment building. "Good night, Usagi."
"I'll see you later if not sooner, cousin dear." Minako laughed again at Usagi's words and drove away.
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Trowa smiled – that is to say, the corner of his mouth twitched – when he walked into the circus tent. His sister's circus had just arrived. Unfortunately, the Dead Moon Circus had just left, so the people here would have to give an amazing performance in order to keep the crowd. That was why Trowa was there. He was going to help Catherine with her act; no other clown had managed to go through her act without moving once.
Trowa thought about the party he had attended earlier that day. Wufei's fiancee seemed to be an interesting woman. She seemed more than capable of keeping him in line. Trowa mentally smirked. It seemed that Wufei's "weak onna" days were over. Well, it was about time.
There was something different about the young women at the party. It seemed like they were a chain of friends and employees instead of a group of friends. Ami was friends with Usagi Aino. Usagi's cousin, Minako, was attending. The Three Lights apparently knew Usagi, and so did Haruka Tenou and Michiru Kaiou. Rei Hino and Makoto Kino were just hired for the wedding. Then why did it seem like they were keeping some big secret? It seemed like not even Wufei knew about whatever they were hiding. 'Well,' Trowa thought, 'I'll just have to find out, won't I?'
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The engagement party was in May. The wedding was to take place the following April. In the meantime, Ami and Wufei wanted everyone to get together at least one more time before preparations for the wedding began. So in December, they decided to throw a Christmas party.
They invited not only the usual group, but they also invited the main staff at Winner Corporation and OZ. And, just to add some spice, Ami invited the Oniwaban Assassins – without telling anyone except Usagi.
Sparks would fly, and they wouldn't all be romantic.
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I know I skipped a lot of time there, but I needed a bit of breathing space for the characters. Minako and Quatre are now officially a couple, but they aren't engaged *coughyetcough*. ^_________^ Don't worry, I won't keep you waiting TOO long. *evil grin* I hope you enjoyed! Don't worry, Mamo-baka will get bashed. His time is coming.
Coming up, Shikaru is introduced! But who is he? And how will Hiiro react to him before he realizes who he really is? Stay tuned!!
Koneko