Disclaimer: GW SM no. xD

This chapter is posted by my brother and therefore he demanded that it be dedicated to him. Yes. So there. Dedicated to brother.

Muahaha. He's my link to the internet. Oh, the internet … ;-; I miss thou. xD; But! I get Sundays! O.o;; Lol. It's actually an official rule. xD;; This chapter just wasn't done at that point … considering that I wrote it by hand … wow. I haven't done that since … a long time ago. xD;;

So my brother copied and pasted your lovely reviews for me and is now doing fanart for me. Muahahah. I pwn him. xD "Pwn" Lol. Just had to experience using that word. --; It annoys me.

So~ Happy reading! :D

…………………

The flight back from Dallas was delayed by twenty minutes, proof of the frailty of technology, man's most cherished accomplishment. Spring was only just settling in, the equinox still a fortnight or so away. By 7:30, it was already dark.

All window covers were pulled down on the plane, the overhead lights casting a faintly yellow and sickly gleam on the plastic walls. Every once in awhile, an infant would cry out, a short, keening wail that was quickly hushed by his mother. Mustn't wake anybody else. Mustn't stand out. Must conform. Must conform.

Usagi felt as if she were stuck in an overly ritzy bomb shelter. A tenuous sanctuary in which one had to tip-toe around without shoes, afraid that breathing too hard would trigger death, the Butterfly Effect, topple a chain of dominos. Like World War I and Stalin and Anne Frank. Like Ami and the President and Miss Relena.

The seating was the same as on the way to Dallas when she had had nothing beyond looking stupid to worry about; she was still next to the window. What now? Could she go so far as to say she was forever changed?

Minako was sleeping, exhausted after agonizing and panicking, crying as Usagi brushed back Ami's hair and stared at her pale face. She envied Minako and her sanctity of sleep. Her escape to innocence and white peace.

Even Hiiro was dozing slightly, maybe because the effects haven't quite hit home or maybe because of man's superb adaptability. During the wars, she was sure, he had grown accustomed to sudden coups and costly mistakes; it would have been unreasonable to lose sleep over every slight reversal, every tragedy, every betrayal.

But still … still!

There had been so much blood!

It made her want to buy her face in her hands and scream, "Stop it! Please, please…"

It made her want to retch with sorrow and lock herself in darkness where all she could hear, smell, feel was the dark and her fear.

Her hand hovered over Hiiro's shoulder. Should she disturb him to mitigate her own tragedies? She could feel the heat emanating off him.

Shaking her head, Usagi pulled away and casually slid the window cover up. It was completely dark outside. There was no sensation of movement, no titillation to distract her from that black sky. Black as hate. Black as Minako's – Hiiro's – darkened eyes when they had burst into the room, aghast.

But veiling that black was murky, muddy red. The memory of Ami's methodical killing of Mr. President, as if she were only slaughtering a pig. A lamb. A sacrifice in the name of Aries. But she was stabbing an entire future nation! His children and his children's children and their children and so forth.

And in that same manner, with a rolling of thunder, Hiiro had killed Ami's children and their children!

Hiiro had done it to protect her but … an entire nation! One day Ami's child could have discovered cold fusion! Could have ended war!

…………………

"And then? Did she hurt you?"

She shook her head fiercely but didn't meet his probing, calculating eyes. "No, only the President."

He frowned. "What did she say?"

"She said … she said she wanted war … she knew I wasn't Miss Relena! She scoffed at me and told me the bureaucracy was already corrupted and then…"

And then a sound of thunder, her heart pounding her ears, her world turning white as Minako ran to embrace her.

"The bureaucracy's already corrupted? The ESUN hierarchy?" Hiiro mused quietly.

"How many … how many just like her?" Trowa continued the train of thought, eyes narrowed and brow furrowed.

"There are always men who need money," Quatre sighed softly. "There's no way we can tell which are the spies, the traitors. Did she say anything else, Miss Usagi?"

She shook her head again, this time tiredly.

"And another war," Wufei murmured.

Duo rolled his eyes. "Screw the war. The only thing good about them are the nurses. Remember, Wufei? That time in Nagasaki when I faked sick? And the male nurse came and injected me with Lord knows what? Man! I thought for sure I was going to faint! He-"

"Screw the war?" Hiiro's' voice was dangerously low as he slowly looked up, glaring at Duo, eyes the color of veins. "And screw the rest of Earth? L2? All the other colonies pulled into the war? Screw Usagi and Minako and Relena?!"

He was standing at this point, voice halfway between booming and screeching. "Why don't you just screw humanity?! Why don't you just screw us?!" He gestured wildly at the rest of the pilots. "Why don't you just screw Heero Yuy and history?!" [1]

"Hiiro, calm down, please," Quatre murmured, laying a precautionary hand on his arm.

After a prolonged silence filled with the whisper of Hiiro's panting and hate-filled glare at a wide-eyed Duo, he yanked his arm free of Quatre and stalked out of the room.

There as a long, stiff silence.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry you and Miss Minako have been dragged into this. I'm … I'm…"

She felt his hand cover hers warmly.

"Don't worry. We've all sworn to keep the two of you safe, even Hiiro." He paused. She still wasn't looking up at him. The rest of the room was frigidly silent. "Especially Hiiro," he amended.

Usagi nodded halfheartedly and looked up into his blurry eyes.

Only then did she realize she was crying.

…………………

"Is Usagi okay?" she asked quietly, standing by his door. Hiiro started and turned around.

"She's still … upset."

Minako sighed and leaned heavily against the doorframe. "I'm worried."

There was a lapse into silence. Then softly, solemnly, he replied, "So am I."

…………………

The next day, news of Mr. President's assassination along with Lady Une's and Miss Relena's testimonies, was splattered all over the newspapers.

Stoves were left burning and babies untended as each family rushed to watch the news. The promise of war was again in the air as people's hearts were once more filled with dread, alarm, and resentment.

…………………

"Look, Usagi!"

Usagi didn't look.

Minako sighed and fairly shoved the ad in the blonde's face.

Usagi batted it away.

"Well, it you won't look, I'll tell you about it." She ignored Usagi's feeble protest. "There is a Michiru Kaioh concert tonight nearby!"

No response.

Minako threw her hands up in the air. "Michiru Kaioh! Your sister! Not to mention, there'll be an art show afterwards of her paintings. Can you imagine? Michiru Kaioh painting! As if she weren't talented enough al-"

"Yes."

Minako perked up and cocked her head, glad to get a word out of her friend, however infinitesimal. "Yes?"

A pause. Usagi still didn't look up. "Yes, I can imagine."

Minako blinked, and her shoulders fell, smile drooping. "Come now, Usagi. Surely you're over it by now? It wasn't even your fault! There was nothing you could have done."

"There was something I could have done."

"Something…?" Minako bit her lip. It was as if she had unwittingly opened Pandora's box. Usagi never acted like this! Usagi was chipper, upbeat, sunny. At times, maybe a little of a perfectionist and philosopher but never like this! Like suicide was no more than five minutes away. Like she was weighed down by a lifetime of mistakes.

"Yes, something."

"Like?" She wondered if Usagi was enjoying being difficult.

"I could have been Michiru. I could have taken Ami down. I could have … I could have…"

She could hear Usagi breathing. "Could have…?"

"Never mind."

More silence. Minako folded the newspaper carefully and sighed. "Usagi … what is your relationship with Michiru?"

"We're sisters," she stated matter-of-factly.

"And?"

"It was just my luck that my parents adopted Perfection."

"Perfection, huh?" Minako sat down on the bed. "Perfection…"

"I'm sure you've read the stories. Michiru Kaioh composed her first sonata at age six. Michiru Kaioh mastered the violin at age seven. Michiru Kaioh came out with her signature brand at age ten. Michiru Kaioh became internationally known at age eight. Michiru Kai-"

Minako's hand was on hers, and Usagi was breathing heavily.

"Calm down, Usagi. Calm down."

She took several deep breaths and then said, brokenly, "I admired her beyond words. I admired her more than I admired my mother."

"But?"

"But in even the purest of admiration is a seed of envy. And that seed grew. And flowered. And bore fruit. And one night … one night, I was standing in Michiru's bedroom with a pocket knife."

She felt Minako's hand tense over hers.

"She was sleeping, breathing gently, my beautiful, perfect sister. And I stood like some forlorn, petulant child in pajamas I had outgrown. Walking toward her. I could see the knife in the dark. And I could see her throat."

Minako's hand was almost crushing hers now.

"But I couldn't do it." She swallowed hard. "I couldn't kill my perfect sister. I couldn't do it." She was crying now. Minako's grip had loosened considerably.

"Nobody ever found out. But I knew. I knew that that night I was five inches away from stabbing my sister. I knew that deep down I was twisted and covetous and stupid. I knew." She pulled her hand away from under Minako's and covered her eyes with it.

"Everybody makes mistakes, Usagi," Minako started softly.

"Michiru never made a mistake. Michiru … Michiru…" Usagi was sobbing now, hand moving from covering her eyes to her mouth. "God, I miss her. I miss my old life, Minako. I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to be here anymore. I hate this. I hate Michiru, Relena, and you…you…"

And the bitter tears fell as Minako's arms encircled her, rocking her.

…………………

Hiiro sighed heavily and leaned against the door.

 I hate this … I hate Michiru, Relena, and you … you…

He pursed his lips and looked down. He had came to alert the two of dinner but even he knew now was not the right time.

You…you…

It felt as if she were speaking directly to him, hurling those sharp words of hate at him. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Damn it, I'm sorry."

But there was no answer. And Relena, all of Relena, was wilting, was dying.

…………………

Ooo. I think I'm mentally unstable right now. xD; Poor CMH! It's suffering the full effects of my instability. xD;; I just realized that I labeled this a humor/romance. Lol. This is my humor. Welcome to my world. xD But writing this was .. yeesh. I couldn't tell if it were long enough until … wow. What I thought was going to be four pages ended up being two and a half. xD;;; Pathetic. --; So I had to add on to it. Which means, happily, that CMH is shorter by a chapter! Because I merged two of them. xD;;; So! Yay! Thanks for reading! I look forward to brother dearest copying and pasting more of your reviews. xD;;; Pwn pwn pwn. Lol. Still hate that word. Yours, Angel.

Notes:

1. "Why don't you just screw Heero Yuy and history?!" – Heero Yuy … as in the guy Hiiro is codenamed after. :D

Black Aura-Sama: Lol. Thank you. xD The twisted mood continues this chapter. And forty days. Wow. What have I subjected myself to? --; But it's good I have my brother … haha. ::pets:: And thank you for telling me that I used Ami twice. xD;;; I edited the prologue and the last chapter because of that. xD;;

Usagi Asia Maxwell: Urk … blood. ::feels faint:: Lol. I can write about it. I just can't see it. xDxD;; Wow! Another theater person … it seems as if there are quite a few at fanfiction.net. --; Thank you! Thank you! I doubt I'll ever publish anything … --; And Usagi just got more OOC. xDxD Funny that you should mention it. xD; Work on that parody! Workworkwork! And post it! Lol. :D

AznxAngel: Lol. Not much "action", sorry. xD;; Maybe I should've made the plane crash. xDxD;; I'll be sure to consider it next time they travel anywhere. :D

LiLSeReNiTiE: I couldn't believe I changed it that much either. xD;;; My poor, beautiful plot. xDxD Urk … maybe my poor, beastly plot. --;

Ashika: Hrmm … seems like you talked to my brother. Lol. And I don't hate you. At least not as much as I hate him. Well … "hate" xDxD Kidding. :DDD Was he polite? O.o;; Lol. But ha! I did update before forty days! Heh heh. :D

Water Angel1: Lol. I was also surprised. --; It was late at night. xD;; But it's a urk … pleasant turn. xD;;

Leeanna-Marie-Malfoy: Lol. I used to be restricted … could only get online after 8:00 p.m. and for no more than two hours total in one day. Parents used AOL controls that timed every. Single. Second. ;-; Gosh, I miss the internet. Lol.

Starrika: A veryvery tempting idea. Lol. I am just as torn as Hiiro between the two. xD Minus the Relena hallucinations. But! With luck, I hope to achieve the Hiiro more open bit and then proceed to romance. --; Hopefully. With a lot of luck. I love themes … feel good things like Hiiro becoming more open. xD I stick them in whenever … lol … and that's why everything I write seems to end up so … cheesy. xDxD Thank you for such a flattering review! :D

Jupiter Angel: Lol. Well. Semi giving up. I did, however, completely let go of AIM and any other kind of cyber chatting device. xDxD;;  And whether or not I update on Easter depends on whether or not I'm particularly inspired before then. xD;; "Inspired" =  "unstable again". :DDD

Xixi: xDxD;;; I can see it. The Ami = Dorothy-ness. --; But I was blog browsing … and you know the Sailor Moon Live Action? O.O;; Lol. There was a picture of evil!Ami from the Live Action … and … I don't know. I needed somebody evil. So I thought back to that. Yes. That's all. xD;;

Tenshi-Hotaru: Lol. What is this play about? :D Since I'm actually in time and everything. xD

Deidre Marie: Lol. My semi-return. The return of my brother. xD;; And I think my feedback falls into the kind that you describe. xD Lol. Especially with the "burst of emotion" bit. :D But I agree … it's refreshing to get reviews like yours. :3 "Do they duct tape themselves?" Lol! I've never really drawn Relena [or analyzed] so … I'll take your word for it. xD Hrmm … that raises problems … And with the rituals … I have to admit that I've never thought about it. Lol. I feel like an idiot. xD;; I've always equated rituals with artistic processes and I didn't realize until now that what Usagi and Minako are doing, in the purest form, was acting. Artistic process! Thank you for pointing that out. :D Uaa. And I love it when people ramble in reviews. xD It gives me so many ideas, insights, etc. Your review has been extraordinarily helpful – another way to get the three closer. :D [always had been a problem for me – stepping from cold!Hiiro to I-think-I'm-in-love!Hiiro. Lol. Which is why writing romance gives me headaches. xD But thank you so much. :D]

Forty Days and Forty Nights … ::whimper:: Is it half over yet?? Lol. ;D