Special thanks to trulyanimelover06 and all my reviewers.
Dedications in alphabetical: .CriMsonxLadY., Aihsire Atha, Alice, AngelfishXD, AyameRose, Blackcat8794, Byron Lancaster, cagallifangurl, colourfulgurl, Dhevz, eternalasucaga, Fii aka Ficchan, hellopanda23, Jodeist, Joker Oak, Katina Uchiha, kamille murasame, KazumiSakura, Litari Hatake, Lynca Blanchard, Miyu Nanami, mokonamodoki93, mrs. zala, Mwah Z, patzie24, ren, sakurayamato1, SaKuRaYukIe, Sandyx5, Sawagi-chan, stubbornheroine, The Blue Mask-cara, The Only Love For Soujiro Seta, trulyanimelover06, Tuna, VamyMeth, yuki001, Yuniee
Disclaimer: I do not own gundam seed.
... ... ...
Previously...
Changing the topic, Cagalli said, "So I guess this isn't from you right?" Cagalli waved a folded piece of paper in front of Meyrin. "I just received it."
"W-What? No! It's not!" Meyrin quickly replied. "I already stopped!"
Smiling gently back at the magenta haired girl, Cagalli unfolded the paper. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
Knowing something was wrong, Shinn and Athrun rushed over to Cagalli and read the contents of the letter. It said:
I know your secret.
... ... ...
Chapter 19
"Cagalli, stop pacing around. You're making me dizzy," Kira told his sister who was walking back and forth for the last half an hour.
"Kira I'm doomed! Doomed I tell you!" Cagalli lamented.
Kira sighed. Just a few hours ago, Cagalli received a letter revealing that somebody in their school knew her secret. Now, the twins were back home thinking of a solution.
"For all we know, it could be just another prank. Cagalli, are you really sure?" Kira asked.
"Yes Kira, whoever knows!" she snapped back.
"There's nothing much we can do now," Kira said calmly. "I mean, the person hasn't even stated his demand yet. He probably just wants to see some chaos."
Cagalli finally joined her brother on the couch. He was right after all. No point panicking now. Whoever that person was probably just wanted to mess with her head.
"So how did you convince Athrun?" Kira asked. "He saw the letter too didn't he?"
"Oh..., that," Cagalli replied.
Flashback
"Cagalli?" Athrun looked at the blonde confused. What secret could she be hiding?
"I think it's time to tell him, Cagalli," Shinn spoke up.
Cagalli was horrified. No. She couldn't tell Athrun just yet. She was not mentally prepared. She glared at Shinn. Threatening him, no, begging him not to tell.
"What's going on?" Athrun asked anxious. What could Cagalli be keeping from him?
"You see...," Shinn started.
Cagalli was screaming inside her head. She would have already pounced on Shinn had Athrun not blocked her way.
"Cagalli's joining the beauty pageant," Shinn said bluntly.
"What? You are?" Athrun asked.
"Huh? I am?" Cagalli asked.
End of flashback
"You're joining the pageant?" Kira asked Cagalli.
"Yes apparently. And you've got Shinn to thank for that," Cagalli said annoyed.
"Did Athrun buy it?" Kira asked.
"Yea, I think he did. Shinn did a job in convincing him," Cagalli replied.
"Do you want me to kill Shinn for you?" Kira asked his sister. He knew that she was probably pissed off with Shinn.
"It's alright," Cagalli lazily waved a hand. "I've already taken care of him. I doubt he would be coming to school for the next few days."
The next day...
"Cagalli! I didn't know you're joining the pageant! You didn't tell me!" Lacus suddenly appeared in the school hall, accusing Cagalli of hiding something so important.
"I didn't know either..." Cagalli muttered quietly to herself.
"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that," Lacus said.
"I made a bet with Shinn and I lost," Cagalli said. "Now I have to join the pageant as punishment. It was suppose to be a secret until then but now everyone knows," Cagalli took a quick glance at Athrun. He looked liked he believed it.
"I'm so excited Cagalli!" Lacus clasped her hands together. "We have to go shopping! You know, for the evening gown and all!"
Cagalli made a face. Great. She had to be subjected to this torture too. It was the consequence of lying in the first place.
"Let's go today after school!" Lacus said excitedly. "I'll ask Mir to come along. It's only too bad that Shiho can't come too. She has to make sure that Yzak doesn't skip out on his anger management classes."
The girls won the fund raising competition. It was a very close one. The boys lost by a miserable ten bucks. Yzak blamed the traitor, Dearka, for them losing. The latter had betrayed them by buying a meal from the girls' cafe just to please his girlfriend. As the girls emerged victorious, Shiho took the opportunity and forced Yzak to go for therapy.
After school...
Immediately after the final bell rang, Lacus dragged Cagalli out of school to the mall. Athrun and Miriallia tagged along.
"Cagalli get into this one!" Lacus said as she shoved Cagalli into the changing room. "Try this one too!" Lacus said as she tossed another gown to Cagalli.
Cagalli was handed thousands of gowns all in a myriad of colours and different designs. Some had giant bows while others had sparkles and gems intricately embedded in. Cagalli preferred the plainer ones but she was still going to strangle Shinn for all of this. There was no contemplation on that.
"Cagalli, are you done?" Lacus asked impatiently. "Tell you what, let me help you," Lacus said as she forced her way into the changing room with Cagalli.
"Lacus, get Cagalli to try this one!" Miriallia joined in as she tossed another dress over to Lacus.
Athrun sat by the sofa outside the changing room and waited patiently for the girls.
"Cagalli! Stop being difficult!" Lacus commanded. "Mir! Come in! I need your help!"
Without hesitation, Miriallia jumped in.
Outside, Athrun wondered how the three of them managed to squeeze in and his face paled upon hearing screams.
"Grab her!"
"No! Pull it!"
"Athrun! Helpp meee!"
"Let's try this one!"
"Grab her legs! I'll handle the top!"
"Force her in!"
"Pull!"
Miriallia and Lacus acted like maniacs and Athrun feared for his girlfriend's safety. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Lacus and Miriallia emerged out of the changing room. Both of them had dishevelled appearances and were covered in sweat.
"Presenting, the future Miss Archangel!" Miriallia announced as she and Lacus made way for Cagalli to walk out.
Athrun's breath was blown away instantly. Cagalli wore a strapless pale blue gown embedded with tiny glass bead sequencing. It was as if Cagalli came out from a fairytale. The other shoppers, who were passing by, all stopped to marvel at Cagalli's beauty.
"So Athrun, what do you have to say to us?" Miriallia joked.
"Thank you," Athrun murmured, as he continued to look at Cagalli. Not once did his eyes leave her.
"Hey! I heard that you know!" Cagalli snapped. "It's not as if you haven't seen me in a dress before so stop gaping! And same goes for the rest of you!" Cagalli pointed to the onlookers who were staring at her too.
The day of the pageant...
The day that all the male population in the school looked forward to finally came. The students were gathered in the auditorium for the beauty pageant.
Cagalli sat by the vanity table in the makeshift dressing room. She hated her plight. She couldn't believe that she had to compete in some ridiculous beauty pageant just to cover up a lie. Maybe she should just pull out. She could do it. She could just say that she chickened out in the end. But then again, the Cagalli her friends knew was not a quitter. Cagalli sighed. This was going to be one hell of a torturous day.
"What do we have here?" Meer Campbell suddenly appeared beside Cagalli. "You're competing too Hibiki?"
"Yea, you've got a problem with that?" Cagalli replied annoyed. She was in no mood to entertain Meer.
"It's best for you to pull out now Hibiki," Meer told her menacingly. "Better save your face because I'm going to win."
"If you're so sure of winning Campbell, you don't have to worry about me," Cagalli retorted. Cagalli was now very sure. She was not going to pull out of the pageant. She was going to stick around to get onto Meer's nerves. Cagalli knew that was not very mature of her but she hated the thought of Meer poking fun of her for quitting.
"You're going to regret it Hibi... Oh Athrun!" Meer suddenly exclaimed.
Cagalli turned around and sure enough, her prince was standing by the side, a bouquet of tulips in his arms, glaring murderously at Meer.
"Are those for me?" Meer asked excitedly as she reached out for the flowers.
"No. They're for Cagalli, my girlfriend," Athrun stated flatly. He was very annoyed with Meer for treating Cagalli so badly.
"Aww... Don't be like this darling..." Meer said seductively.
"Move aside Campbell, you're in my way. It's annoying," Athrun said cruelly. "No, scratch that. You're annoying."
Meer stared at Athrun in shock. She couldn't believe that Athrun just said that to her. She? Annoying? "You'll regret saying that Athrun! Both of you will regret this! Hmpt!" Meer said as she walked off indignantly.
"These are for you," Athrun said as he handed the bouquet to Cagalli.
"Thanks," Cagalli blushed.
"Err... Good luck," Athrun said as he bent over to give Cagalli a peck on the cheeks. "I'll see you later ok?" he said as he left the dressing room.
The first round of the pageant was the swimsuit competition. Cagalli came out on stage wearing a green bikini. The other male students would have gone wild at Cagalli if it weren't for the over-protective boyfriend and brother sitting in the front row glaring threateningly at them.
The second round was the talent competition. Meer blew the students away with her voice, singing 'Quiet Night'. Cagalli was rather impressed. She never knew that Meer actually had some talent within her.
It was now Cagalli's turn to perform. As Meer walked backstage, she purposely stopped beside Cagalli.
"Beat that Hibiki," Meer smirked.
Ignoring Meer, Cagalli walked towards the grand piano placed in the middle of the stage. She was going to play 'River Flows in You' by Yiruma. That was her favourite piece and she decided to play it. The whole auditorium was silent except for the gentle melody that flowed through the air as her fingers ran over the ivory keys. Everyone was marvelled at the beautiful music she played. It was so calming. As she played the final note, the crowd erupted into applause. It was obvious that everyone enjoyed her music.
The third round, the evening gown completion, ended as soon as it started. Cagalli stood out the most, in a good way of course, with the grace and poise instilled to her as a child. Cagalli carried herself out much better than all the other girls.
"And the winner of Miss Archangel is..." Miss Murrue Ramius announced. Everyone waited in anticipation, though they had a clear idea who was going to win, only one person left such an impact on them.
"Meer Campbell, you are first runner-up, meaning Cagalli Hibiki, you are the new Miss Archangel!" Miss Ramius said.
"What?" Meer cried, appalled she didn't win.
"Miss Campbell, if you don't mind," Mr La Flaga said. "Please move out of the way for the reigning Miss Archangel to take her place."
Meer's eyes were as wide as a goldfish. "B-But..." Before she could complain anymore, she was chased out of the stage by Miss Badgiruel.
As Miss Ramius placed the banner and the crown on Cagalli, the rest of the gang ran up stage to see her.
"Congrats Cagalli!" Lacus gave the blonde a hug. "I knew you would win!"
"Of course Lacus," Kira said proudly. "She's my sister after all."
"Aww, you are all making her blush!" Miriallia teased as Cagalli's face resembled that of a over-ripened tomato.
... ... ...
"Cagalli! Hurry up or we're going to be late!" Kira hollered after his sister who was taking a long time.
"Sorry! I couldn't find my homework," she said as she rushed down the stairs. "Morning Athrun!" she greeted the bluenette who was waiting patiently by the front door. The three of them would always walk to school together since the twins' house was on Athrun's way to school.
There was a crowd gathered on the large steel gates of Archangel Academy.
"What's happening over there?" Kira asked curious as they approached the school.
"I don't know," Athrun replied.
"Maybe the teachers went on strike," Cagalli suggested. "We won't have classes then."
"Very funny Cagalli," Kira teased. "You're only saying that because you couldn't find your homework."
"I found it in the end ok!" she defended herself.
"But it's probably not done," Kira continued teasing.
"Of course it's done! The reason why I couldn't find it is because I did it one week ago," she retorted.
"There she is!" they heard someone yell.
There were sudden flashes of light. SNAP!
To be continued...
I don't play the piano but I love listening to that piece by Yiruma. You should listen to it if you haven't heard it yet. Can you guess what's happening? It's obvious right?