Konichiwa Minna-chan! Thanks for all of your nice reviews. *Grins* I can’t believe how well this fic is doing! ^_^ I love you all!!!! And here it is! The long awaited car ride between Duo and Usagi!!! Yay! Oh! And the cameo appearances will probably have an extra chapter at the end of the fic. ^_^ I’m so happy! Even though I didn’t see anyone that went back and review the Change of Heart V_V() Is it really that bad? Oh well, I’ll continue it anyway. And by the way, I HATE “CHANGED FATES”!! I can’t think of a thing to write! And it’s so twisted up anyway! ARGH! Suggestions are welcome() Anyway... ON WITH THE FIC!!! ~~~~~~~ Disclaimer- .....Shut up and go away() *mutters* evil lawyers.... ~~~~~~~ recap- Usagi shrugged, “K.” She stood and stretched, “I’ll need someone to help me carry the food though, any volunteers?” Duo grinned, “I’ll go.” Usagi smiled, “Thanks. We’ll be back soon.” Relena was still too angered to notice the two leave. ~~~~~~~ Voices of the Soul Chapter Five By: Usagi Asia Maxwell ~~~~~~~ Duo’s eyes widened. Usagi had led him to her garage. It was separate from the house, so they had to go out of the back door to reach it. Inside there were at least nine cars. He blinked and turned to Usagi, “Whoa, Babe. Where’d you get all of these cars?” “Hmmm?” Usagi blinked, “Oh. Well, umm.... that one,” she pointed to a black stratus, “was my mom’s. And that one,” a green car of the same design, “was my dad’s. Those two,” A metallic blue formula f512 and a yellow convertible, “are my older sister’s, that one,” a red convertible with a large yellow sunflower on top of it’s beige hood, “is my other sister’s. The black Farari is the guy’s, and the rest are mine.” The rest, were three more cars. Duo blinked, “You’re family must really like cars()()” (An. Couldn’t think of anything to say()()) Usagi laughed, “I guess so. Personally, I prefer motorcycles. My sister taught me how to ride when we were younger.” Duo grinned, “ahhh..... so you’re one of the wild one’s, eh?” Usagi blushed and laughed again, “No... I just have good taste. Besides, SOMEone in my family has to have a LITTLE edge.” She winked and got into one of her cars. He stood there for a moment before he grinned wider and got in on the other side. She turned on the ignition and drove out of the garage. “Do you mind if I turn on the radio?” she asked glancing over at him. She turned onto a main road. “Sure, I mean, it is your car, ne?” She smiled and flipped through a few stations before she found a song she liked. “So babe, where’re we goin’?” he asked after a short silence. Usagi grinned, “There’s this great little place I found downtown. It doesn’t have a sign or anything, so you’d think it was nothing until you went inside. It has the best Miso in the kingdom.” Duo grinned, “If it has food that good, I doubt I’ve never been there. Let’s just hope you aren’t getting me excited over nothing.” Usagi pouted, “Oi! I never exagerate about food! It’s practically a sin!” Duo’s grin widened (A.N. I sure do have him grinning a lot, ne?), “Finally. someone who understands it’s holiness.” She smiled charmingly and spoke with an exagerated elegant voice, “Why thank you my dear sir. I do so apreciate good company.” He laughed, “I still don’t get it. You’re a lot different from Relena. I would have never guessed that you were related.” She snorted, “You just haven’t seen us in the right situations. We may seem different, but get us to argue and you can tell that we both have the same stuborn nature.” She paused, “So, How’d you meet ‘Lena-chan, anyway?” He hesitated slightly, “We met during the wars” Usagi let out a small, kind smile. “Don’t worry,” she said casually her eyes on the road, “I won’t pry. After all, everybody has their secrets.” Duo looked at her, completely relaxed. She was nice, “................. Do you mind if I ask you a question?” “Shoot” “You’ve always known Relena was your cousin?” “yup. Since the day she was born.” “How is that? I mean, she only found out she was a Peacecraft three years ago. Unless you’re a Dorlain.” She laughed, “You’re the inquisitive one, aren’t you?” He grinned, “Sorry, babe. My curiosity got the better of me.” “Ah-ha! Curiosity killed the cat, you know.” “Then I guess it’s a good thing I’m not a cat. And even if I was, wouldn’t I get nine lives?” (AN ^_^ Duo’s pretty clever, ne? Usagi too. Am I getting them out of character? Nawww.....) Usagi glanced at him and flashed a brief smile. “Hmm... you seem to me like the type of person that would have use them all up by now.” *grin* “I always keep a spare. So...?” “Relena might not have known she was a Peacecraft, but I did. My mother was her father’s sister. We told her that she was my cousin, we just didn’t tell her how. I guess she always just considered it some weird family thing. She was pretty naive back then.... still is really” He raised an eyebrow at her, “She’s naive? You seem to be more naive than her. She’s got this weird all powerful thing goin’ on. Scares the crap out of me sometimes. But you look like you just got finished making daisy-wreaths or something” (An- It’s true! I was looking through still shots of Relena, and she always has this freaky nobility look on! It frightens me...) It was true. Usagi did give off the appearance of total innocence. He found he liked it. Liked ‘her’ might have been more appropriate. It was odd though, this wasn’t the type of conversation he normally had with a gorgeous blond. Each time he opened his mouth he had to remember his promise to Relena. ‘Stupid princess.....’ Usagi grinned wickedly, “Ahh.... but that’s just the blond hair and blue eyes. I’m really an instrument of evil, or so I’ve been told.” Duo raised an eyebrow, “How so, ‘oh wicked one’?” She grinned, “I dunno. I normally don’t give evidence... Generally, I’d have to kill anyone I’ve told,” at this he snorted. “But,” she continued oblivious, “You appear to be trustworthy, ne?” He winked at her, “You have my utmost secrecy” She debated it for a moment and decided he was telling the truth. “It’s not my fault really,” she explained, “I just try and bring a little joy into the people around me. I mean, everyone has to laugh. So, I give them something to laugh about...” His eyes widened happily, “You’re a rogue!” (An- I was looking for a better word than meischeif maker for Duo to say, and I found this in my thesoraus. I love it!) She laughed in spite of herself, “I am not! I prefer Professional mischief-maker.” She got a determined look in her eyes, “Besides, When Yaten and Seiya are around, it’s either prank, or be pranked, and I’ll be cursed if I let them get to me first...” He looked at her funny, “I’ll be cursed??” He couldn’t help but smile when she blushed. She looked cute like that. “Saa()! Heh, I have to watch myself in front of Chibi-Chibi. She tends to, ah, repeat what she hears, and loves to do it in front of important people. I think she knows it embarrasses me. She caught Yaten and I arguing before, let’s just say, ah, it wasn’t pretty...” He laughed deeply, and she smiled. He had a nice laugh... It was so deep, that she could feel it’s reverberations deep in her abdomen. (An, you know how if you hear a really loud, or really deep drum, you can feal it in your stomach? No? Maybe it’s just me()()) She liked how it felt. It almost tickled. He smiled, “She’s a cute kid. How’d you come to get her?” Her face changed. She wasn’t smiling anymore, and a sort of whistful sadness entered her eyes. She sighed, as one does when remembering something unpleasant. “She was orphaned when she was just two. It was late last year. An Oz enthusiest decided to show his disaproval of Relena and her pasifistic ways. It happened in downtown Tokyo. Relena was schedualed to have a meeting to discuss Japan’s role in the Unified Nation. She had called an hour earlier to tell the delegates that she was going to be a few hours late. Thank god her flight was cancelled...,” Her eyes grew slightely misty, and she little more than whispered the rest, “He went to the middle floor of the building, and blew himself up. The kono yoru was right next to a public park... Chibi-chan and her parents were having a picknic there, it was her mother’s birthday. I was in the area when it happened. I don’t know why I did it, but the moment after the explosion, I started running towards the building. I knew Relena was suposed to be in there. I wasn’t thinking. It was hell for the first few hours. No one knew where she was. The news teams were even braudcasting that she had died in the explosion. With the size of the blast, no one in the building had survived. Then we got word from Relena and things pretty much settled down.” “They had teams go out to seach for the near-by wounded. I went to look on my own. And I found her there. Her parents had done a good job of sheilding her from the blast... She only had a few cuts... I managed to calm her down so the medics could make sure she was alright. She wouldn’t let me leave her after that, not that I would have anyway. She was terrified. And she wouldn’t stop crying... All I could get out of her was her name. She hasn’t really talked much after that.” Usagi smiled whistfully, “I’m so glad that she can’t remember the accident... She’s far too innocent to have seen all of that... I don’t really know much about her. She’s such a strange girl, doesn’t tell me anything... But she’s so sweet... and full of love...” Duo gently sweazed the hand she had on the clutch. “Hey,” he said quietly, “You ok?” She gave a pitiful little excuse of a laugh. She sniffled and braudcasted a smile, “I’m fine. Everythings ok now anyway, It’s foolish of me to cry.” He gazed at her uncertainly. He wasn’t sure that she was alright, and he didn’t think that she told him everything that was upsetting her, but he wouldn’t pry; she hadn’t. “Hey!” she said interrupting his thoughts, “We’re here!” ~~~~~~~ Duo and Usagi were both laughing by the time they walked into the lounge, their arms heavy with food. The scene that greated them was hilarious to say the least. Wufei and Chibi-Chibi (she had apperently been unable to sleap without Usagi there) were both sitting crosslegged in front of the large TV. Both had video game controllers in their hands. On the screan, two characters, Xiaou and Whorang by the names above the life bars, were fighting. Various shouts of encouragement for both players were loudly echoing in their ears. Then, almost without warning, two letters were declared by the game: “K.O!” Wufei growled in frustration and threw down his controller, “Argh NO! I hit her first!” The game didn’t seem to care as it declared, “Ling Xiaou WINS!” Chibi Chibi giggled and Wufei whirled on her, “You cheated!” She smiled and repeated gleefully, “You cheated!” Wufei’s face reddened indignantly. Flustered, he yelled out the first thing that came to his mind, “Copy-cat!” Chibi-Chibi’s gleefull smiling continued. She kicked up her foot, causing her slipper to fly off, pointed her index finger straight in the air and declared, “Copy-cat!” Wufei growled and nearly lunged at her, outraged, “LITTLE BRAT!!!” “Little brat!” More giggles followed. Apperently she was having “a good ole’ time”. Wufei on the other hand, was not. “Argh!!!!” She giggled gleefully and wiggled her stuffed rabit, which was almost as large as she, around by it’s paw. Usagi giggled and emptied her load on a small end-table. “Chibi-chan, are you bugging Wufei-san?” Quatre jabbed Wufei in the ribs just as he was about to say “yes”. Chibi Chibi turned towards her, a happy smile meant only for her. She launched herself at Usagi with a jubilant cry of, “Bunny!” She jumped up and hugged her waist tightly. Usagi laughed and looked down at her daughter, “D’ja miss me?” She seemed pleased with Chibi Chibi’s nod and, “Chibi!” Relena was sitting in a chair across from Seiya. Her eyes were fixed steadily on his face. Yaten was staring at her with the most annoyance Usagi had ever seen on his own. He stared at her dreamy eyes and burst, “My God ,woman! His face hasn’t changed from the way it was when you started staring at him an hour ago! And I’m pretty sure it won’t if you look away!” Usagi blushed. “Yaten!” she repremanded, shocked. “What?” he countered annoyed. At her frown and pleading eyes, he pouted, “She’s worse than Minako for Kami’s sake! She’s been like this since you left!” Relena blinked and turned her head away from Seiya, who was once again sporting a sweatdrop. “I am not worse than Minako,” she said calmly. Yaten snorted, “Are too! At least she’s outright about it! You just shove your ugl-” “Yaten!” Usagi yelled, overpowering whatever word he was saying, “Here have some food!” before he could protest, she shoved a rather large serving of sushi into his mouth. He glared at her but stayed silent. Usagi sighed and turned towards someone who would be more usefull, “Seiya-kun, would you help me with this stuff?” She jestured towards the large pile of food on her end-table. He got up and streched, “Sure ,Odango.” Pretty soon everyone had found a comfortable position (on the floor for most of them) and began to eat. Much to Wufei’s delight (though he tried not to show it), Usagi had convinced Duo that they should bring him back some Chinese food. Duo had only agreed because she promised him a hamburger and fries. She didn’t want to see another, ‘conflict’. When she was finished eating, Chibi Chibi quietly crawled onto her mother’s lap. Usagi put down her food and look down at her daughter. The small girls eyes were almost closed and she snuggled into Usagi’s lap. Usagi strok her hair lovingly. “Chibi-chan...” she murmered softly, “It’s past your bed-time. I think you should go to sleap.” Chibi Chibi looked up at her and pouted. Her bottom lip trembled and she sniffled. “Chibi...” she complained to her mother. Usagi shook her head and tapped the childs nose lightly. “Why don’t you go get ready, and I’ll be in later to tuck you in, ne?” Chibi Chibi started to protest, “Bu!” “Go” Usagi comanded as close to sternly as she could get to the young girl. Chibi Chibi huffed, but walked out obidiently none the less. Usagi stared out tenderly after her. The small bags under her eyes showed that the plane ride had taken it’s toll, but she looked happy and content none the less. Relena smiled as she looked at her cousin. She didn’t exactly approve of the way Usagi had a child at her young age, she was barely an adult after all, but she looked so serene sitting there with her daughter. Though undoubtably hectic, it must have been nice to have a family. “You know Usagi, for being adopted, she looks a lot like you.” Usagi laughed, “I know. Isn’t it weird? I mean, neither of her parents are related to me. Maybe it’s because I have such an influence on her, ne?” Relena looked at her scrutinously, “You sure you adopted her?....” Usagi blushed and laughed, “Yeah, Lena. I’m pretty sure. I mean, I think I would have remembered() Besides, who in my family has pink-red hair?” Relena opened her mouth to reply, but held back when Chibi Chibi stumbled into the room in her night gown, dragging the bunny behind her. Usagi stooped down and picked the sleepy child up. After taking the pins out of her hair, which was pretty long for a child of her age, she put them in her pocket. She started to walk to the door when she heard a murmured, “Chibi!” from the bundle in her arms. “Hmm?” Usagi questioned. She glanced down and saw the child’s arms outstretched towards Seiya. Seiya raised his eyebrows, got up from his chair, and silently walked over to the two. Usagi began to hand him the child when Chibi Chibi’s grip on her shirt tightened. Usagi blinked but both of them got the point and walked towards her room. No one really said anything after they left, it was just a calm, relaxing quiet. Softly, music began invading the room. It sounded far away, it was a nice classic sort of lullaby. Relena smiled wistfully, “That song is nice. I wonder what it’s called. Usagi will have to make me a copy of the CD it’s on.” Taiki glanced up from his book, “It’s called “The Little Horses” a traditional piece that no one really knows the author of. And it’s not a CD. It’s Usagi.” Relena smiled, “Oh. That explains it.” She quietly went back to the little food she had left. Quatre’s eyes widened, “Really? Usagi-san sings?” Yaten yawned, “Yup.” Duo grinned, “No way! I don’t believe it. Besides, that song sounds old, she’s the contemporary type, I can tell.” Taiki raised his eyebrows again and put down his book. “If you don’t believe me, come see for yourself.” He got up and walked toward the bedroom with music floating out of it. Duo, who didn’t feel like interrupting on his own, grabbed Quatre’s arm and followed. They stood outside of a large, blue room. A sign on the door read “Chibi Chibi’s room” in red paint. Inside, Usagi sat on a bed next to Chibi Chibi. She was leaning over her, so her hair fell about them both like a curtain onto the red comferter She stroked her daughter’s hair. Seiya sat in a corner, a guitar in his hands, which he strummed softly while Usagi sang: Hush bye bye, Don't you cry Go to sleepy little baby When you wake you shall have All the pretty little horses Hush bye bye Don't you cry Go to sleepy little baby When you wake you shall have All the pretty little horses Blacks, and bays, dapples, and grays All the pretty little horses Blacks, and bays, dapples, and grays Coach and six a little horses Hush bye bye. Don't you cry Go to sleepy little baby When you wake you have sweet cake And all the pretty little horses A brown, and gray, black, and bay And a coach and six, little horses A black, and bay, brown, and gray And a coach and six, little horses. Hush you bye, don't you cry Oh, you pretty little baby Go to sleepy little baby Oh you pretty little baby Quatre was impressed. Her voice floated and dipped in and out of the notes perfectly. Duo blinked, “Dang.” Usagi looked up from the sleeping child, her eyebrows raised. “I know,” she commented quietly, careful not to wake her charge, “Seiya and I normally get to the middle of “The Prayer” or “Habanera” before she even starts to get tired. I guess she was really wiped today. She’s completely knocked out.” Duo blinked, that wasn’t really what he as talking about, but oh well. As they all left the room, Seiya gently grabbed Usagi’s wrist. “I’m going to bed, “ he said, “You should get some sleep too. It’s pretty late. G’night” He kissed the top of her head tiredly, and she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Usagi blinked, “Hmm?” She looked down at her watch and gasped, “Oh my gosh! It’s almost two! I’ve got to be at work tomorrow at eight!” (AN- it’s almost 2:00 Am here too() I should have stopped a while ago, but I love you guys too much for that!) Quatre blushed, “I’m so sorry to have kept you up so late Usagi-san. We should get going so that you can get some sleep” Usagi walked with them to the lounge, “Oh it’s all right! I’m glad you came over! We’ll have to do this again sometime, ne?” Quatre smiled, “Of course Usagi-san. Maybe a bit earlier though()” Usagi and Duo laughed. Usagi told everyone about the time, and soon, they were all either asleep, or going somewhere so that they could be. ~~~~~~~ Done!!!!! A solid eight pages of work ,baby! Mwahahah!!!! everyone saw Chibi Chibi AFTER she was exhausted from a full day of traveling! I wonder what they’ll think of her TOMOROW!!!! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! *blinks* erm, yeah() Anyway! I am so tired! And guess what! I’m fifteen!!!! YAY!(July 4. Presents are welcome. ^_^) You know, a really good present is a nice, LONG review!! o.0--* Wufei- Like anyone would actually review this.... *growl* My fans wil boycot! To think! I was beaten my a chibi onna no ko?!?! Masaka!!!!!!!!! #V_V Asia-chan- *snorts and mutters* what fans...? ^_^= = =* Duo- I could beleive it, Wu-man. You suck at video games. ^-^ Chibi-Chibi- *nods and repeats* You suck!! @.o--* Wufei- *turns very red and looks like he’s about to explode* V^_V^ Quatre- It’s true Wufei, You’re a much better fighter in reality though. &^_^& Usagi- It’s sort of odd though... Isn’t the inside of a Gundam just like a video game? //.o(), ()^_^= = =*, ()o.0--*, -_-, Vo_vo() All Pilots- Uhhh... ()^_^= = =* Duo- It’s not quite the same Usagi...() &o.0& Usagi- *innocently* Yes it is! I’ve watched the series! It’s exactly the same! I bet you I could pilot a Gundam. ^o^= = =* Duo- *laughs* you? No offense Usa-chan, but I’m not sure you could handle it. I mean, first of all, you aren’t strong enough to push the levers. B- You don’t know how to operate it. And last, Your favorite color is PINK! I mean, you’re good at things, just not this.... And by the way, How is your favorite color Pi- *BOOM!* 0.0= = =* Duo- *blinks and looks up as Usagi waves from the cockpit of Deathscythe as she flies it around above his head* &^_^& Usagi- It’s just like the sailor V game! Weee! ^-^ Chibi Chibi- *nods* Wee! Pilots- AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! *they all run towards Usagi and try to get her out without causing any damage while Chibi Chibi giggles and claps her hands* 0.o Asia-chan- Uh yeah. Anyway, review! Ja minna-san!!!