I JUST HAD TO WRITE IT. They had to look pretty. And party. But that's not all. Muwahahahahhahahahaha!!!
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--Misplaced in Space – Chapter Nineteen; Starting Anew--
Kryss and Nicole made a conscious decision that they were not going to let their friends pout like this before Ashley's departure. At the close of the meeting the day before they had watched Ashley and company troop out solemnly, the click-click of Ashley's crutches on the metal floors the only sound they had heard with the exception of a few yes and no grunts whenever conversation was attempted.
This could not stand. Their friend was about to leave the ship; she was being accused of murder…their Ashley.
The least they could do was party fucking hearty.
So the two imp girls trotted back and forth in the room Duo and Kryss shared in their underwear, clothing for the evening laid out on the black, silken sheets of the bed. Nicole hovered near the bathroom mirror putting in her contacts, while her blonde companion flipped idly through a brochure of the 04 colony, which they would be stopping at very soon for a 'supply run,' wherein they would sneak Ashley into the Winner Mansion and a brand-spanking new identity. After that, the girls would hijack their disguised friend and whomsoever had the balls to accompany them to one of the clubs in the brochure Kryss was perusing. Tonight, they seriously were beyond all the babysitting, the crime, the scandal. Escape was badly needed for everyone, for the sake of sanity.
It was with this in mind that Kryss put her finger upon the spot. "Elusion," she decidedly said aloud. "We're going to Club Elusion tonight, on 64th and main. 04's hot nightspot for those who need to get away 'n such. It boasts yummy things like a hot sushi bar, cheap drinks for those who need to marinate their troubles in alcohol, a live DJ spinning trance and techno. That's the place. It's even decorated in a get-away beach style!" She grinned cattishly, turning around the informative page to show pictures of a room with a definite raver feel, plus very realistic palm trees all over the place with lighted leaves.
"Awesome," the brunette grinned in agreement as she put her contact case in her bath stuff bag and walked around to her clothing, her eight ponytails bobbing as she walked, and her long bangs framing her face as brilliant purple streaks. She pulled on a loose, long-sleeved purple fishnet top over the black sports bra she wore, showing off the flat stomach she had gained in all her pilot training, while remaining somewhat modest. She added a purple and black plaid mini-skirt with many silver bells she had attached to the silver rings dangling from black straps on the skirt. She finished the look with purple and black striped knee socks and calf-high black boots with decadent furry trim, and then added a black velvet choker with a silver bell on it.
While she had dressed her cohort had slipped into a pair of very baggy, very black men's jeans with a crushed blue velvet belt that she had tied ragged blue ribbon bows to all around, the ends of the bows falling around her like a weeping willow to add a dramatic, personal flare. She also wore a periwinkle, blue, and black cheongsam tank top with intricate frog clasps at her throat and across her chest. She wore her hair was half-down in front, the back half tied up in a tight, elegant bun. With bright blue and black sneakers and a pair of sparkling fairy wings, she was all set.
The two grinned at each other happily and began to cackle manically. "This will be most fun," Nicole stated happily.
"Yes."
"Perhaps we should release the Bakagami, now that we are decent?" She gestured toward the closet, where the muffled sounds of Duo's protest had long ago ceased.
"Nah, he likes it in there."
"Are we sure he can breathe?"
"…Does it matter?"
"…Point."
More laughter.
Ashley could only have been more upset had she actually killed Shou Chen. Not only was she being hunted to be put on trial and most likely awarded a death penalty, she had to leave her friends, the pilots, everything she had come to call home ever since she had left to search for her lost friends. She could only speculate as to whether or not this path she had chosen was better than being cryogenically frozen while computers looked for another inhabitable planet. Regardless, right now she would have seriously considered choosing becoming a human Popsicle in favor of her current development.
Now she sat in a limousine, yet again, cruising through the streets of 04 toward Quatre's rather large home. She chose to ignore her imp friends, who were in entirely too good a mood for the present situation. What did they eat for breakfast anyway? She speculated that perhaps they had had more of Rashid, the Maganac's coffee and were feeling the high from it, hence the strange behavior. Though they were dressed up pretty spiffily for just seeing her off to her new home…and why the Kuroneko-sama backpack?
She blew out her cheeks in an exasperated manner. Why bother to analyze their behavior? They were both psychotic, in spite of rhyme or reason. She was not even going to begin wondering why Duo was still unconscious and had been dragged into the limo by Heero and Wufei by the girls' command.
Why bother anyway? This was not going to be her world anymore, at least not for who knew how long. It could take months, maybe even years to crack into Hebi's defenses. Proving her guilt would be near impossible, and with so much suspicion toward the Peace Milion, the cards were stacked against them.
She started to panic inwardly then. Months? Years? YEARS? How could she handle this? She was already going to have to play something she was not, an endeavor she was less than anticipating, and now… What about her family? What about her poor dogs? Were they worried about her? Did they need her? Were they chunks of ice now with only computer sensors to protect them?
How was she going to protect the people she loved playing the part of a maid or whatever in the Winner mansion? How in the name of God could she?
…But what else COULD she do? Her choices were impossibly limited, stuck between a rock and a hard place. This was her only choice for right now. Do what she could with what she had. It had worked up until now. Besides, she only had to play the part for guests in the house or when she went outside. Maybe she could make some new friends in the mansion. Maybe…
A tap on her shoulder interrupted her thoughts. Turning her head, she found her jade eyes meeting the blue-green of Quatre's. He blinked at the turmoil in her eyes, then smiled gently and patted her shoulder. "We're here."
ooo
The teenagers had thought the mansion was large at the costume ball, but when it was empty the place was positively enormous. The ceiling seemed to stretch up and up and up into eternity, the shimmering chandeliers like the distant suns of foreign planets, and the floors extended outward to meet impossibly far walls. Two stairways swooped downward around the entryway like embracing arms, leading up to a sort of overhang that stretched into hallways, which in turn branched into bedrooms and smaller hallways with more rooms. From the assembly's vantage there was a dining room beneath the overhang, centered perfectly betwixt the staircases. A long table stretched into the back of the room, which was trimmed with vases of delicate wildflowers upon its finished cherry wood top. A kitchen was likely tucked back behind the stairs and out of view, preventing obstruction in the dining area's immaculate presentation.
The visual tour abruptly halted as Quatre commanded their attention with a cheerful, "Welcome to my home…again, I suppose." He turned to face the group, a gentle smile playing at his lips. He enjoyed having company, sans reporters, cameras, and snooty noblemen he did not know terribly well. No elbow rubbing would be necessary with his guests tonight, and for that he was most grateful.
With that he turned and led the menagerie into a sort of den off to one side of the stairwells, furnished with neutral colors, tans and browns and whites with flecks of red and yellow here and there. There was a large corner piece sofa set off to one side, with a large lounge chair in the opposing corner, all tan and chocolate plush material. Ashley sullenly sunk into the large chair, and was surprised to find she literally did sink into the well-cushioned piece. Setting her crutches to one side she leaned back in the chair with a sigh. Well, perhaps she could handle this…
As the others made themselves comfortable, admiring the simple calming yellow of the walls and yet another chandelier, in came a tall, elderly man in khaki slacks and a royal blue polo shirt. He was balding with a sharp nose and triangular face, hardened with time. His eyes, however, contrasted against his chiseled face as a soothing hazel that twinkled with flecks of blue and purple.
However, mostly importantly, he looked like a somewhat darker-skinned Jeeves, namesake of the popular "Ask Jeeves" website.
The Earth-born trainees stared for a moment as Quatre introduced the man, "Everyone, I'd like you to meet my assistant and head caretaker here, Bernardo Pasquale. Bernardo, these are my friends from Earth I told you about, Nicole, Kryss, Anna, Nick, and this is Ashley," he rested gesturing toward the tall girl. "She'll be the one staying with us for awhile, my new 'sister.'" He smiled, looking toward Ashley.
That had snapped her attention from staring at the man Quatre called Bernardo. "S-sister?!" she stuttered, "Excuse me?"
The shorter boy ducked his head. "That is, if you want to be. You may pick your identity, but I figured it would be much more pleasant if you passed for my sister. No one would question one more relative of mine, and that way you can still intercept information directly if any guests happen to visit…and we do receive a lot of guests here, whether or not I'm away."
She could only blink. She had to admit, the idea was positively thrilling. Being a Winner, living here and still being able to get a slice of the action? It sounding pretty good, considering the alternative was damaging the Peace Milion's reputation irreparably, being caught by whatever brand of space police happened to be around, and finally, a gruesome death (and she was so young). Why not?
"Sure, as long as Jeeves is cool with it," she replied. There was no other alternative than to stay, so she should at least take a good deal when she could get it.
Bernardo raised his eyebrows. "Jeeves?"
Anna piped up, "Yeah, you know, the guy from 'Ask Jeeves!' You're his double!" It was so much easier to explain these things when someone else vocalized the collective's thought. Her impish friends and Nick nodded eagerly in agreement.
The caretaker looked a question to the head of house. " 'Ask Jeeves…?" The Arabian youth shrugged in response, leaving him to rub his forehead and simply smile out of politeness. "I have no qualms with your taking control of the house in Master Winner's absence."
"Okay…" she nodded and thought a moment, looking around at her friends. She would not be able to protect them now, Nicci, Kryss, Anna, Nick…but they would be all right with the G-pilots. They had to be.
"Okay, then call me…Vicci. Short for Victoria, of course." She smiled sweetly, though her face soured a bit as a small army of women with make up and hair supplies came flitting in behind Bernardo, whom she had decided would be affectionately know as "Jeeves."
And so, the makeover began.
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