Chapter 38

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Testing a New Pilot

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:Tuesday:

The close group of friends made their way to school after dropping of Sammy. Serena was skipping and smiling between the guys.

Trowa was eyeing her. "Its like yesterday never happened. She has some strange mood swings." He commented to his friends.

"I know. Its weird but it could be another quality of a pilot. Not letting the past get in the way of what you need to do in the present." Replied Quatre. Wufei nodded in agreement.

They walked into the building and passed the main office. "Oh we have to sign up!" Serena stopped and pulled out a pen and quickly wrote her name along with Quatre's and Trowa's with their singing act.

"Oh that's right! I have to sign up as well." Duo snatched Serena's pen. "Hey!" and quickly wrote his name and his comedy act. Serena took her pen back before heading off to her first class.

"I'm so excited. I'll knock them dead!" Duo smiled happily. "More like scare or disgust them to death." Muttered Wufei. The other pilots just ignored him and walked away. When they were all out of sight he signed himself up and quickly left the scene before he could change his mind.

They all settled into their first class of the day. The intercom buzzed on with the unpleasant voice of Relena. "Good morning everyone! I'm so glad to see that the sign up sheet for the Talent Show is really filling up! Just remember that tomorrow is the last day to sign up because we need to approve of the act and how long it will be and when everyone will go. So practice, practice, practice! I'll see everyone on Friday!" and the intercom buzzed off.

Duo made like he was hanging himself. "Her voice is like nails on a blackboard." The others just nodded in agreement.

The day went by rather uneventfully. They only had one other run in with Relena but Serena got rid of her pretty quickly before she could annoy them anymore that she already was.

Serena turned to her partners in the Talent Show and rubbed her hands together. "Ok guys. We need to practice. I have the perfect song for us to sing. Its all so perfect!" her eyes glittered as she smiled.

The guys looked at each other. Quatre coughed and stepped forward. "We wanted to do something before we started practice." He placed a hand behind his head and smiled sweetly at her.

Serena frowned slightly. "What can be that important? We need all the practice time we can get. I want to win!" She shot her fist into the air.

Heero stepped up. "It is important. It will only take a couple of hours." He said quietly.

The blond girl's eyes widened. "Hours? It will take that long?" "At least." "At least!" Serena screeched.

The guys cringed. "I don't like repeating myself." Stated Heero. Serena glared hard at the Japanese boy, crossing her arms in the process. "Fine, yes at least a couple of hours but it will be worth it." He promised.

"Ok I will go along with this." She turned to Trowa and Quatre. "But after this I want your full attention and then we will practice for hours. Got it?"

The two boys just nodded.

"Ok. Led me to where we need to go. The sooner we get this over with the sooner we can practice."

They returned back to the mansion, silent the whole way.

"Serena!" cried Sammy as he launched himself at her. Serena lifted her little brother up and gave him a hug. "How was your day tiger?" She kissed his cheek and held him closely. "It was great. I played with clay and puppets and cars and all kinds of neat stuff and I drew some pictures for you." He looked shyly up at his sister. He remembered the last time he drew something for her.

Serena smiled. "That's great Sammy. I'm so glad you are enjoying yourself." She set him on his feet. "I'll look at it later. I need to take care of some things and then I have to practice. I'm going to be a Talent show!" Sammy smiled and clapped. "You're going to come and cheer your sister on right?" she winked.

"Of course!" Then Sammy yawned and rubbed at his eyes. "Oh it looks like someone is tired after his wonderful day. Go take a nap until dinner ok?"

Sammy silently nodded then hugged his sister's legs and absently waved at the pilots as he made his way up to his room and shut the door. Serena smiled softly after him until Trowa gently put his hand on her shoulder. "Let's get going." She nodded and they went down a barely used hallway.

"I've never noticed this hallway before." Commented Serena as she looked around in wonder.

"Its not suppose to be noticeable." Replied Duo. Serena swung around to look at him and raised her eyebrow.

"You'll find out in time." Said Trowa.

The blond just shrugged her shoulders and followed her friends down the hallway. They came to a couple of doors. They entered one and Quatre closed the door behind them.

"Ok guys you are really weirding me out right now. What is going on?" Heero stepped out of the way to show a machine. Serena walked closer to it and her eyes widened. She turned to the pilots and frowned slightly. "Is this what I think it is?"

"Yeah. Now keep an open mind…." Duo trailed off as Serena's narrowed.

"Are you trying to tell me that you interrupted prime practicing time for me to play a video game!" She yelled.

Duo started to nod. "Ye…" But he cut himself off and looked at Heero and Trowa.

Heero looked down in concentration. "Yes it's a video game. Just try to beat it as fast as you can without getting killed." He concluded and shot the others to go along with his story.

"And why am I doing this? What is the point?" She looked around at her friends in question.

Trowa walked close to her. "Just trust us. Please do as Heero says and then everything will be explained in time."

"This is really freaky guys but I trust you so I'll follow your wacky idea." Serena sighed as she walked over to the machine and sat in it. "What am I doing again?" Before she could look back Heero was at her side, leaning close to her. She blushed and tried to ignore how close he was to her.

"What you need to do it maneuver these handles and levers here and try to destroy the opposition and stay alive. That means not getting hit." He turned to her and looked into her eyes. "Got that?" he whispered. Lashes lowered over blue eyes as she looked back. "Yes. I'm not totally inept. I use to play video games all the time." Her eyes got a far away look in them as she seemed to remember something from so long ago. She blinked and shook her head. "Now get out of my way so that I can finish this."

Heero shrugged and booted up the system before backing away and going to a different consol that monitored what she was doing and the others gathered around him.

For 3 hours Serena was at this machine.

"Take that you evil monster! Bam Bam!" Her eyes had a hard look as she virtually killed opposing mobile dolls.

The guys were looking between her and the consol in front of them with wide eyes. "She is killing at this. Incredible." Said Quatre.

"I told you she would be good." Trowa looked smug as they all watched Serena beat the crap out of the mobile suits.

"I have to admit that she impresses me." Stated Wufei.

"Oh wow. Wufei is impressed by a woman. Will wonders never cease!" teased Duo. Wufei came back with a "Baka" and a slap on the head. "OW!"

"Am I done yet?" Serena complained from her seat. "I'm all sweaty! Its been hours."

"A little longer." Heero turned up the dial on the difficulty scale as he had been doing since they started.

They kept it up for another hour before Heero finally let her quit.

"Thank God! I didn't think you'd ever let me out of there. So now are you going to tell me what that was all about?" She eyed the 5 boys closely.

"Oh Serena didn't you want to take a shower? And we still need to practice." Quatre intervened before anyone could answer Serena. Her eyes widened. "Practice!" She shot out of the room and back down the hall. "Trowa and Quatre I plan to see you two in the music room in 45 minutes for practice and we aren't leaving until I say so!" with that parting remark she was gone.

The 5 Gundam Pilots all looked at each other with knowing looks. "I believe a call to the Doctors is in order." Said Heero. He picked up a nearby phone and dialed. "Hello? Doctor J?"

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Serena came back down the steps refreshed and ready for action. She found all the guys in the living room waiting. "No time to waste. Let's go." All 5 of them got up and followed her to the music room. She went in first, followed by Trowa then Quatre. When Duo tried to come in as well the door was shut in his face. "Hey!"

Serena opened the door back up and smiled sweetly. "I'm sorry but only the three of us are going to hear what we are doing before the Talent Show. Sorry. Go find something else to do because this is top secret until Friday. You are the competition after all." And she closed the door on his face again.

"Ouch, watch it next time!"

"Sorry" was barely heard through the padded walls.

Duo turned to the remaining pilots and pouted. "That is so not fair! I wanna hear!" he whined. Heero rolled his eyes. "Baby."

"I don't have to stand here and take this. I'm going to my room and practicing my own act and no one can listen until Friday either!" The last part was directed at the closed and locked door but music was already filtering though. He humphed and stomped to his room.

Heero smirked and turned to Wufei. "Want to grab a bite to eat or something?" he asked.

Wufei looked a little nervous and avoided eye contact. "No, no. I think I'm going to go to sleep. See you later." And he booked it to his own room and closed and locked the door.

The last pilot sighed and quietly made it to his own room and quietly shut the door.

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Yes I am done. I'm sorry for the long wait but this second semester of college was really kicking me in the ass. I did manage to pull off a good grade so it all wasn't for nothing! So now it's the summer and I should have more time to update my stories. That and I'll be bored without my girls around. So tell me what you think!

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Sylver-Tyger