06:
Usagi stared at the ceiling of the medical room for the hundreth time, counting the number of brown splotches. "Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen." The door opened and she whipped her head toward General Kihono and Commader Mikoshi. She smiled pleasantly.
Kihono stared at this bruised boy. "It hurts when you smile, ne?" he asked gruffly.
Usagi's smile faded. 'So this guy is from Japan.' "No sir." She said as loud as she could.
Mikoshi smiled. "You are a very strong boy, Shenji, although I must ask you face-to-face: Are you attracted to other males?"
'Yes.' Usagi thought with a small inward grin. "No ma'am." she replied.
Mikoshi nodded and looked at General Kihono.
"Then why on earth would you tell fellow bunk mates Hiiro Yui, Wufei Chang and Duo Maxwell that you were—attracted to other males?" Kihono demanded.
Usagi smiled at this. "Well, Sir, Wufei thought I looked girly already, so I decided if it'd get him to stop making fun of me, I'd say I was gay. He hasn't made fun of me looking like a girl since."
Mikoshi laughed, surprised. "Very interesting, Shenji."
Kihono narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "So you are prone to lying, boy?"
Usagi raised her eyebrows. 'Dang, talk about tough crowd.' "Uh, no sir. I was ah—only doing what I thought would be ah—proper at that moment." She glanced up at Kihono, who looked even angrier. "Besides!" she protested, whiningly, "he would have KILLED me! I mean literally, because I had an 'illness,' which wasn't even REAL, and I only made it up BECAUSE of Wu-asshole—mind my language—and now everyone HATES me and I—"
"Shut up!" Kihono roared, agitated. He rubbed his temples and growled. "Damn boy talks too much for his own health."
Mikoshi let out a small smile of apology to a now dumbfounded Shenji. "He means 'Refrain from talking.' General Kihono, I think you should explain what exactly we are here for, hm?"
Kihono smirked slightly. "Yes, that's a great idea. Shenji, you're not doing too well here, are you?"
Usagi frowned. Obviously she wasn't doing well at ~all~ here. "No sir, I'm not. But I try really hard—"
"Hey, hey, hey. Stop talking." Kihono glared at the boy, then continued on more lightly. "Commander Mikoshi and I have a plan to get you toughened up a little bit. Extra training! Extensive training! Three hours a day alone with Hiiro Yui."
"WHAT!" Usagi almost fell off of the cot. "Hiiro Yui? Are you crazy? I can't do that! I long to live my life to its fullest, sir!" she squealed, causing the two commanding officers to cover their ears.
"Boy, are you sure you've hit puberty yet? You've got an awfully high voice for a sixteen-year-old!" Kihono yelled above Shenji's ranting.
Usagi closed her mouth abruptly. "Runs in the family. But I'm telling you: I can't train with Hiiro Yui, sir. He's too—I can't." 'Plus, I'd spend the entire time staring at his gorgeous features.' She added silently.
Mikoshi grinned. "Shenji, you don't have a choice." Her grin fell into a smirk. "If you don't train with Hiiro, we'll have you train with Wufei."
"Hiiro then, no discussion needed." Usagi said quickly, willing to do anything withOUT Wufei in it.
Mikoshi laughed a bit and smiled at Kihono, who frowned.
"Well, it's settled then. You'll begin training sessions promptly at 12." Kihono smirked.
Usagi gulped. "12 at night? Like midnight?" she squeaked.
Kihono decided not to comment on the boy's voice and nodded, clenching his fists. "We are not usually this lenient, but you need some serious help if you're going to be of any use as a soldier."
'Soldier.' Usagi smiled. "Yes sir! I promise to do my best and work my hardest. One question, though."
They both looked down at Shenji expectantly.
"Will I," Usgai thought hard to find the right words, brow furrowing in contemplation. "Will I gain respect from my other cadets?" She looked up at her leadership with hope all over her features.
Mikoshi leaned down next to the cot and smiled at Shenji. "Shenji, you know you're our youngest-looking, shortest, most feminine-acting trainee, right?"
Usagi frowned. "I don't understand—"
"You'll only gain respect when you deserve it." Kihono explained, leaning against the doorframe. "Hiiro Yui gets so much respect because he puts his life into his training. You, however," he pointed a finger at the boy and laughed, "you're as lazy as my son back home. You're a coward, you run away when you're supposed to be running toward, and you're barely passing each class, except Battle Field Education/Strategies, and I don't even know how you're passing that." He plunged into his next words. "If you want respect, you better earn it. Second semester is in one month. I better see a big change in you, Shenji, or go home." That said, Kihono nodded to the two people in the room, and left.
Usagi blinked back tears. She couldn't cry in front of Commander Mikoshi. "He's really got faith in me." She grumbled sarcastically, trying to cover up her weakness.
Mikoshi smiled and placed a tender finger on Shenji's nose, like she did for her eight-year-old and home. "You'll grow up, Shenji." She cooed lovingly, like a mother to her child. "And when you do, I promise, everyone will respect you. Until then, you've got to forget the comforts of home, release the old you, and put your heart and soul into this camp. Otherwise, you're useless to us here. Now, get some rest. General Kihono is expecting you at line-up in the morning." She stood again and smiled at Shenji's blushing face, appreciative face. Before she left the medical room, she turned. "Oh, and Shenji?"
Usagi blinked.
"I have faith in you." Mikoshi nodded to the smiling boy and left the room, turning out the lights behind her.
"I have to get better," Usagi decided with finality, pounding the sheets with emphasis. "And Hiiro Yui's going to make sure of that." Peacefully, Usagi fell asleep.
~**~
"Tee he he."
"Shut up, Duo."
"Okay. Tee he he."
"I mean it, Duo."
"Yep, sure, okay. Tee—"
"Quiet. Now."
"'K. Bwahahaha!"
Duo fell off of his cot, writhing in laughter. "Whoo hoo! This is gonna be so fun. Haha, tee hehe!" he rolled around on the ground, clutching his sides.
Wufei and Hiiro observed him with disgust. "Maxwell, I'm glad you find this so amusing. Now would you mind getting up—"
"Imagine Hiiro, training a—training Shenji! Bwahaha! Of all people, Shenji!" Duo felt tears slide down his face and snorted, laughing even more.
Hiiro bristled. "I thought you and Shenji were friends."
"Sure we are! But hell, I wouldn't be alone with him for the world! He admitted he was gay, what other persuasion do I need?" He wiped his eyes and chuckled. "Three hours alone with him. Hey, invite me to the wedding, okay?" he erupted into more laughter.
Wufei smiled. "Duo, be quiet."
Hiiro glared at them both.
"And your kids better not have more than five toes!" He shouted, laughing even more.
Wufei snorted, then hid it with a cough, glancing quickly at Hiiro and hiding, with difficulty, a large smile.
"Duo—" Hiiro began.
"So who would be the guy in the relationship?" Duo questioned through his laughter.
Wufei let out a chuckle, then quickly sneezed.
"Duo, shut up." Hiiro growled, looking around for something to hit the wheezing-laughing boy with.
"And, would you two live in a big house with a—a white p-picket fence?" he coughed from so much laughter, quickly turning red, and purple.
Wufei finally let loose and laughed along with Duo.
Hiiro found a sharpened pencil, then smirked. "I wouldn't be laughing so soon. I can easily refer you both to Shenji."
The room was deadly silent.
Hiiro's smirk deepened and he strolled out of the room, leaving two confused boys behind him.
"Hiiro, you wouldn't!" Duo yelled, swinging around and hitting Wufei in the face with his hair by mistake.
Wufei sputtered. "Maxwell, get your rat-tale out of my face!" He yelled, clawing at the hair.
Duo focused wide eyes on the Chinese boy. "You think he was serious?"
"Well, even if he was, I'm sureyou and him would be happy together." Wufei smirked.
"That was dirty, Wu-man!" Duo whined pitifully.
Wufei grinned. "So are you, but do you see me complaining?"
Duo frowned, suddenly wishing he was with Quatre and Trowa.
Elsewhere, Hiiro stood in the doorframe of the medical center, watching Shenji sleep. He frowned. 'Get ready, boy. I'm putting you through the same hell they put me through.'
And then he smirked.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Another chap! Now I gotta write su'more. Thanks Tenshi Chikyuu! I'm glad you like the story so much!
Thanks everyone else for your reviews!! Individual thanks will happen as soon as I stop being so lazy, hehe!
~Review, pleasE?~
azure_chan
Usagi stared at the ceiling of the medical room for the hundreth time, counting the number of brown splotches. "Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen." The door opened and she whipped her head toward General Kihono and Commader Mikoshi. She smiled pleasantly.
Kihono stared at this bruised boy. "It hurts when you smile, ne?" he asked gruffly.
Usagi's smile faded. 'So this guy is from Japan.' "No sir." She said as loud as she could.
Mikoshi smiled. "You are a very strong boy, Shenji, although I must ask you face-to-face: Are you attracted to other males?"
'Yes.' Usagi thought with a small inward grin. "No ma'am." she replied.
Mikoshi nodded and looked at General Kihono.
"Then why on earth would you tell fellow bunk mates Hiiro Yui, Wufei Chang and Duo Maxwell that you were—attracted to other males?" Kihono demanded.
Usagi smiled at this. "Well, Sir, Wufei thought I looked girly already, so I decided if it'd get him to stop making fun of me, I'd say I was gay. He hasn't made fun of me looking like a girl since."
Mikoshi laughed, surprised. "Very interesting, Shenji."
Kihono narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "So you are prone to lying, boy?"
Usagi raised her eyebrows. 'Dang, talk about tough crowd.' "Uh, no sir. I was ah—only doing what I thought would be ah—proper at that moment." She glanced up at Kihono, who looked even angrier. "Besides!" she protested, whiningly, "he would have KILLED me! I mean literally, because I had an 'illness,' which wasn't even REAL, and I only made it up BECAUSE of Wu-asshole—mind my language—and now everyone HATES me and I—"
"Shut up!" Kihono roared, agitated. He rubbed his temples and growled. "Damn boy talks too much for his own health."
Mikoshi let out a small smile of apology to a now dumbfounded Shenji. "He means 'Refrain from talking.' General Kihono, I think you should explain what exactly we are here for, hm?"
Kihono smirked slightly. "Yes, that's a great idea. Shenji, you're not doing too well here, are you?"
Usagi frowned. Obviously she wasn't doing well at ~all~ here. "No sir, I'm not. But I try really hard—"
"Hey, hey, hey. Stop talking." Kihono glared at the boy, then continued on more lightly. "Commander Mikoshi and I have a plan to get you toughened up a little bit. Extra training! Extensive training! Three hours a day alone with Hiiro Yui."
"WHAT!" Usagi almost fell off of the cot. "Hiiro Yui? Are you crazy? I can't do that! I long to live my life to its fullest, sir!" she squealed, causing the two commanding officers to cover their ears.
"Boy, are you sure you've hit puberty yet? You've got an awfully high voice for a sixteen-year-old!" Kihono yelled above Shenji's ranting.
Usagi closed her mouth abruptly. "Runs in the family. But I'm telling you: I can't train with Hiiro Yui, sir. He's too—I can't." 'Plus, I'd spend the entire time staring at his gorgeous features.' She added silently.
Mikoshi grinned. "Shenji, you don't have a choice." Her grin fell into a smirk. "If you don't train with Hiiro, we'll have you train with Wufei."
"Hiiro then, no discussion needed." Usagi said quickly, willing to do anything withOUT Wufei in it.
Mikoshi laughed a bit and smiled at Kihono, who frowned.
"Well, it's settled then. You'll begin training sessions promptly at 12." Kihono smirked.
Usagi gulped. "12 at night? Like midnight?" she squeaked.
Kihono decided not to comment on the boy's voice and nodded, clenching his fists. "We are not usually this lenient, but you need some serious help if you're going to be of any use as a soldier."
'Soldier.' Usagi smiled. "Yes sir! I promise to do my best and work my hardest. One question, though."
They both looked down at Shenji expectantly.
"Will I," Usgai thought hard to find the right words, brow furrowing in contemplation. "Will I gain respect from my other cadets?" She looked up at her leadership with hope all over her features.
Mikoshi leaned down next to the cot and smiled at Shenji. "Shenji, you know you're our youngest-looking, shortest, most feminine-acting trainee, right?"
Usagi frowned. "I don't understand—"
"You'll only gain respect when you deserve it." Kihono explained, leaning against the doorframe. "Hiiro Yui gets so much respect because he puts his life into his training. You, however," he pointed a finger at the boy and laughed, "you're as lazy as my son back home. You're a coward, you run away when you're supposed to be running toward, and you're barely passing each class, except Battle Field Education/Strategies, and I don't even know how you're passing that." He plunged into his next words. "If you want respect, you better earn it. Second semester is in one month. I better see a big change in you, Shenji, or go home." That said, Kihono nodded to the two people in the room, and left.
Usagi blinked back tears. She couldn't cry in front of Commander Mikoshi. "He's really got faith in me." She grumbled sarcastically, trying to cover up her weakness.
Mikoshi smiled and placed a tender finger on Shenji's nose, like she did for her eight-year-old and home. "You'll grow up, Shenji." She cooed lovingly, like a mother to her child. "And when you do, I promise, everyone will respect you. Until then, you've got to forget the comforts of home, release the old you, and put your heart and soul into this camp. Otherwise, you're useless to us here. Now, get some rest. General Kihono is expecting you at line-up in the morning." She stood again and smiled at Shenji's blushing face, appreciative face. Before she left the medical room, she turned. "Oh, and Shenji?"
Usagi blinked.
"I have faith in you." Mikoshi nodded to the smiling boy and left the room, turning out the lights behind her.
"I have to get better," Usagi decided with finality, pounding the sheets with emphasis. "And Hiiro Yui's going to make sure of that." Peacefully, Usagi fell asleep.
~**~
"Tee he he."
"Shut up, Duo."
"Okay. Tee he he."
"I mean it, Duo."
"Yep, sure, okay. Tee—"
"Quiet. Now."
"'K. Bwahahaha!"
Duo fell off of his cot, writhing in laughter. "Whoo hoo! This is gonna be so fun. Haha, tee hehe!" he rolled around on the ground, clutching his sides.
Wufei and Hiiro observed him with disgust. "Maxwell, I'm glad you find this so amusing. Now would you mind getting up—"
"Imagine Hiiro, training a—training Shenji! Bwahaha! Of all people, Shenji!" Duo felt tears slide down his face and snorted, laughing even more.
Hiiro bristled. "I thought you and Shenji were friends."
"Sure we are! But hell, I wouldn't be alone with him for the world! He admitted he was gay, what other persuasion do I need?" He wiped his eyes and chuckled. "Three hours alone with him. Hey, invite me to the wedding, okay?" he erupted into more laughter.
Wufei smiled. "Duo, be quiet."
Hiiro glared at them both.
"And your kids better not have more than five toes!" He shouted, laughing even more.
Wufei snorted, then hid it with a cough, glancing quickly at Hiiro and hiding, with difficulty, a large smile.
"Duo—" Hiiro began.
"So who would be the guy in the relationship?" Duo questioned through his laughter.
Wufei let out a chuckle, then quickly sneezed.
"Duo, shut up." Hiiro growled, looking around for something to hit the wheezing-laughing boy with.
"And, would you two live in a big house with a—a white p-picket fence?" he coughed from so much laughter, quickly turning red, and purple.
Wufei finally let loose and laughed along with Duo.
Hiiro found a sharpened pencil, then smirked. "I wouldn't be laughing so soon. I can easily refer you both to Shenji."
The room was deadly silent.
Hiiro's smirk deepened and he strolled out of the room, leaving two confused boys behind him.
"Hiiro, you wouldn't!" Duo yelled, swinging around and hitting Wufei in the face with his hair by mistake.
Wufei sputtered. "Maxwell, get your rat-tale out of my face!" He yelled, clawing at the hair.
Duo focused wide eyes on the Chinese boy. "You think he was serious?"
"Well, even if he was, I'm sureyou and him would be happy together." Wufei smirked.
"That was dirty, Wu-man!" Duo whined pitifully.
Wufei grinned. "So are you, but do you see me complaining?"
Duo frowned, suddenly wishing he was with Quatre and Trowa.
Elsewhere, Hiiro stood in the doorframe of the medical center, watching Shenji sleep. He frowned. 'Get ready, boy. I'm putting you through the same hell they put me through.'
And then he smirked.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Another chap! Now I gotta write su'more. Thanks Tenshi Chikyuu! I'm glad you like the story so much!
Thanks everyone else for your reviews!! Individual thanks will happen as soon as I stop being so lazy, hehe!
~Review, pleasE?~
azure_chan