Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Angels and Demons ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

 

I'd like to thank the following people for reviewing:

 

Renanimeangel

Emerald Eyes

Red Tail

Sobakasu

 

I hope this next chapter keeps your interest in the story =)

 

…

 

Tokyo Tower was closed that night.

 

Tourists who happened to stumble upon the misfortune of being shooed away by the security guards posted around the tower trudged dejectedly back to their hotels or to some other lesser landmark. But nothing could compare to the red and white spectacle of Tokyo, a tribute to the glory of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, which stood out brightly against the dark background of the night sky.

 

Indeed a landmark no less majestic could host the bash of the year. People from all over the globe, artists and royalty, billionaires and politicians, had come to pay tribute to the charitable cause for the celebration; and paying they were. Winner Enterprises, Inc-International, in accordance with her majesty, the Queen of Sanq and the Royal family, has hosted a fundraising party for the benefit of the survival camps in the numerous wars that had sprung up all over the world.

 

The 5,000-dollar-a-ticket party was the talk of the town as onlookers lined up the streets, hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite movie stars and members of royalty. Inside, not a single flute of champagne or centerpiece was out of order as the guests started filing in through the elevators. A red carpet and a multitude of paparazzi greeted them as they stepped into the reception area of the party.

 

From there, the red carpet led them to the main area, where their names and positions were customarily announced. The party planner certainly spared no expense in decorating the Tower's main hall for the party. With a black, red and gold theme, guests were blown away by the magnificence of the hall. They have been to hundreds of million-dollar parties, but few could compare to this. WEI was definitely a company to invest in.

 

As soon as all the guests had mingled and seated, the announcer called for their attention.

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, I wish to present to you your hosts for this evening, the president of Winner Enterpises, Incorporated-International, Mr. Quatre Raberba Winner and her royal highness, the Queen of Sanq Kingdom, Relena Peacecraft.” From the main entrance of the party, Quatre and Relena came, arm in arm. Guest stood up and clapped their hands to which Quatre merely smiled a Relena motioned for them to settle down. They took their seats at the main table with their dates and special guests of the evening.

 

“Nice party, Qat” Duo whispered from his right. Quatre smiled at his `friend' and date and thanked him as dinner started. For about an hour or so, the tinkling of fine china and merry laughter of the A-list guests was all that was heard. Occassionally, Duo would lean over and whisper something naughty in Quatre's ear to get him all flustered, but most of the time, he acted befittingly toward the other guests and the Queen, who was sitting to Quatre's right.

 

After dinner, Quatre headed up the stage to deliver a rather lengthy corporate speech about the background behind the fundraiser, where the company will donate the party earnings and, of course, the obligatory thanks to everyone who came. The funds have also been tallied and it reached a whopping USD5.5M from the tickets and donations alone! The party couldn't have been more successful.

 

As the reporters were given an opportunity to ask questions, one of them had the audacity to ask about Quatre's personal life. Nonetheless, it was a question everyone in the room (and on the globe for that matter) was dying to hear the answer to.

 

“Mr. Winner, we've noticed that for all the functions you've ever attended, you've attended them alone, or with one of your sisters as a date. May we ask, who is this dashing young man you have chosen to accompany you tonight?” The reporter was from a rather famous celebrity magazine: Hi! Camera flashes went off in both Duo and Quatre's direction. Quatre was momentarily stunned, but he recovered pretty quickly.

 

“I really have no idea what this has to do with the fundraiser, however, to suppress all uncertainties, I will answer the question” he started diplomatically, “Mr. Maxwell and I, you could say, grew up together. It has been a really, really long time since we've seen each other; but, thanks to another friend of mine, we've met up again after so long. Duo is just a friend, nothing more and nothing less.” A collective sigh of relief was heard, and Quatre wondered why (could you say dense?). More camera flashes went off and Duo was starting to feel dizzy; Quatre, being used to it and all, was having no problem. “Thank you” he finished before stepping off the platform and heading back to his seat.

 

“Flawlessly handled. But you do realize that it has now brought up more suspicions than if you hadn't answered the question at all, do you?” Relena asked, fairly amused. Quatre grinned.

 

“Let them wonder” he replied, “Any publicity is good publicity.”

 

Inside he was a wreck.

 

“Good evening, Mr. Winner” a sultry voice murmured from behind him, later into the night, just after the program had finished, as they mingled with other guests. Quatre and Duo turned to see a sophisticated tawny-haired gentleman dipping his head to greet them. Beside him was a younger man with long platinum-blond hair, mimicking him movements.

 

“Mr. Khushrenada, a pleasure seeing you again” Quatre replied, shaking the taller man's extended hand.

 

“Call me Treize, please. You know better, Quatre” he smiled, “I wonder if you've met my partner? This is Zechs Merquise.” The platinum-blonde haired man bowed before shaking Quatre and Duo's hands.

 

“Zechs Merquise? But I thought—aren't you Queen Relena's brother, Milliardo?”

 

“Ah yes, a tragic story” Zechs smiled ruefully, “But ever since I abdicated the throne, father hasn't been able to forgive me, hence the name change.”

 

“Pretty screwed up father if you ask me” Duo muttered. Zechs shot him a grin but Quatre elbowed him hard, making him yelp.

 

“You could say that.”

 

“Mr. Khushrenada” a female voice, though it was deep, called. They all turned to see, heading their way, a brown-haired woman in a black cocktail dress. She held in her hand two flutes of champagne.

 

“Ahh, Quatre, meet my date for the evening and my chief advisor, Lady Une” Treize said. Une shook Quatre's hand after she deposited Treize's drink in his hand.

 

“Une, darling, have you seen Noin? I'd also like to introduce her to Mr. Winner and Maxwell” Zechs said, smiling. Une shrugged.

 

“Last I saw, she was—“ she stopped, “Oh, there she is.” A rather beautiful blue-haired woman was heading their way.

 

“Hello” she greeted, “Lucrezia Noin.” She introduced herself casually and shook hands with Quatre and Duo. “Mr. Winner and Mr. Maxwell I presume?” she asked, getting positive replies, “You'd better watch out, your faces will be plastered all over the tabloids at precisely seven a.m. tomorrow morning.” Duo simply laughed.

 

“I'm counting on it” he replied, “You sure choose your women well, Mr. Merquise.”

 

“Women…?” Zechs looked at Noin. “Oh, heavens, no. She's a friend and my secretary, nothing more. We both swing the other way. By going with each other, we also turn heads the other way. More inconspicuous, you see” he explained. Quatre and Duo `oh'ed then looked between Treize and Zechs. “Yep” was all the answer they got.

 

“So you're with…?” Duo asked Noin, gesturing to Une.

 

“Duo!” Quatre scolded, jabbing him in the ribs. Duo moaned and clutched the offended part again. Noin merely laughed.

 

“Wrong again. I'm with someone else; so is Une. I--”

 

“Wufei?!” came a sudden shocked gasp from Treize's lips as the aforementioned Chinese man walked past his line of vision, abruptly cutting off Noin's statement. Quatre looked around but didn't see him.

 

“Wufei? He's… around here somewhere. I invited him to come as Sally's date so that she wouldn't get bored watching over me” he explained, still searching for the missing guy. Une looked interested.

 

“Did you say Sally? As in Sally Po?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

 

“Um… yeah… my sister, um, hired her as my doctor and bodyguard” Quatre replied, looking suddenly nervous.

 

“She didn't tell me she was working for WEI…” Une thought out loud. Noin noticed Quatre's apparent discomfort.

 

“Sally's Une's… you know…” she offered. Quatre's mouth parted to form an `oh'.

 

“So why were you looking for my good buddy Wufei?” Duo asked Treize, who was apparently still looking for his housemate. When the question was delivered, both Treize and Zech's head snapped towards the shorter boy who shrunk back, away from their seemingly angry glares.

 

“What do you mean `good buddy'?” Treize asked, eyes narrowing.

 

“Hey! He's just my housemate is all” Duo held up his hands defensively, letting out a nervous laugh. He looked around for an escape route and found Wufei milling about the other guests. He made a run for him and ducked behind his housemate. “Wu-man, those two dudes over there… the ones with Qat… yeah, the ones angrily stalking over here now… they're going to kill me” he hissed, using Wufei as a shield. Wufei turned to where the braided baka was gesturing as saw two familiar figures stalking his way.

 

“Chang, what did this boy mean when he called you his `good buddy'?” Zechs asked, dangerously handsome. Wufei could only roll his eyes.

 

“In case you forgot, we are in a room full of people with reporters around. I do remember you saying that you didn't want to attract the wrong publicity” he shot back calmly. Duo could've kissed him as the fire-breathing dragons calmed into lizards. “Duo's my housemate, okay? Nothing more.” Then it dawned on Duo…

 

“Hey, Wu, are you three—“ Wufei clamped a hand down on the baka's lips before any more stupid lines managed to escape.

 

“Sally was looking for Quatre, show me the way” he ordered instead. Treize and Zechs breathed a sigh of relief and followed the departing pair to the point of their origin. There, they discovered that Sally had already found her boss and was scolding his ears black and blue, to Noin and Une's amusement.

 

“Milliardo” came an elegant female voice. Whoever she was, was well cultured; it was apparent in the way she sophistically rolled her `r'. Zechs smiled and turned to the source of the voice.

 

“Relena” he replied pulling his sister into a warm embrace.

 

“Is there a meeting I do not know of?” she asked, fairly amused, looking around the circle they formed.

 

“None, whatsoever, my dear sister, but do join us” Zechs offered. Introductions and handshakes went all around.

 

“Miss Relena” came another female voice. Soon enough, its owner appeared behind Relena. She had long, straight blonde hair and prominent eyebrows that forked off at the ends. Quatre and Duo's jaws dropped but the girl did damage control.

 

“Dorothy Catalonia” she introduced herself, shaking the hands of both shocked boys. Quatre and Duo recovered; thankfully, no one noticed their temporary lapse of sanity. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Winner and Maxwell” her head whipped to stare at Treize “I didn't see you at our dear Uncle Dekim's reading of the will, cousin.”

 

“Probably because I didn't go” Treize replied boredly, “I couldn't see what that dead old bat could possibly bribe me with.”

 

“What about a daughter?” Jaws dropped all around; but none were so shocked as Zechs and Wufei.

 

“A DAUGHTER?!” they yelled at the poor Oz president. Treize backed up.

 

“I promise you, I never slept with any woman enough to get her pregnant” he assured. Then, before Wufei and Zechs could get a chance to react, he realized his mistake and corrected it. “I mean, I never slept with any woman at all.”

 

“Nice save” Sally laughed, noting her fuming ex's delayed reaction.

 

“Her name's Maremaia. Previously Barton, now she's a Khushrenada. Dekim adopted her just after she was born.”

 

“Probably taught her how to worm her way into my company. Well he can forget it” Treize declared, “I'll go over there and sort it out tomorrow. Maremaia can stay with the Bartons for all I care.”

 

“Nice” Dorothy smirked, then turned to Relena, “Miss Relena, don't you think it's time that we head back to our hotel? I do believe that it's getting late; and, even as the best bodyguard on Earth, in a deserted street where your pink limo is easily discernible, I won't be able to protect you all that well from kidnappers.”

 

“And my humble servant speaks” Relena laughed, looping her arm through Dorothy's. To her bodyguard she said: “Very well, then. Do bring the car around while I wrap up here with the other guests.” Dorothy nodded and started to head off.

 

“Excuse me” Quatre muttered and darted after her. As the elevator doors shut behind them, Quatre called her attention. “You're Raziel. The angel of mysteries.” Dorothy smirked yet again for the hundredth time this past half-hour.

 

“I could never conceal my true self from a fellow cherub, can I?” she stated simply.

 

“What are you doing here?” Quatre asked.

 

“Nothing really. Looking for some mystery to create or solve. I swear, it's boring as hell up there, excuse the pun” she replied breezily, “You have to admit, a pink limo? Now that is one great mystery; my best work ever!” she laughed sardonically. Quatre's brows creased as he tried to figure out the angel's mad humor. He couldn't; she was the angel of mysteries after all, it was her job to be mysterious.

 

“So are you Relena's guardian angel?” he asked. Then he suddenly realized the illogicality of the statement.

 

“No, of course not! That's too obvious” Dorothy frowned, “Her angel I think is Pancho or something like that. You know, the butler who always hangs around her, I kind of forgot his name.” The elevator arrived at the bottom floor. “Anyway, we really need to go. I still have to find that stupid car. Would you believe Pancho lost his cellphone? Oh, well. Could you ask a bodyguard of yours, the best please, to chaperone Miss Relena down? Thanks” she thanked before Quatre had a chance to speak. Then from afar: “Anyway, nice seeing you Remliel. Do try to stay away from that devil. I've heard of him, he's bad news.” Quatre nodded, seeing her off before joining the elevator back up to the party.

 

“So she was?” Duo asked in a hushed voice. Quatre simply nodded and called Rashid to accompany Relena down.

 

“So Quatre, while you mysteriously disappeared” Zechs started, emphasis on `mysteriously', “we were all talking of going clubbing on Saturday. Are you available at that time? Say around seven or eight?” Quatre thought for a minute then sighed.

 

“I'm afraid not. I have a dinner-meeting with a very important client actually” he muttered dejectedly. Everyone looked crestfallen. “Maybe I can go next time instead?” he suggested. Everyone shrugged.

 

“Sounds okay” they nodded, a bit dejectedly.

 

“Don't worry. It's okay. I'm sure Treize and Zechs understand the perks of presidency” he attempted a joke to lighten the mood. Indeed, his bright smile and glowing aquamarine orbs soothed them; inside he was just as disappointed as they were. Duo, somehow, felt it; but he shrugged it off. He wasn't in the position to argue.

 

Sighing, Quatre headed up the stage and announced to the crowds his thanks for them being able to attend the function; this signaled that the party had ended and that it was the proper time for the guests to leave.

 

Duo slept over at Quatre's that night.

 

…

 

About the last line, I couldn't help it. I didn't know how to close the scene. Anyway, for your four-one-one, they didn't do anything, kay? That comes later in the story.

 

Next chapter: Trowa and Heero are introduced! Finally! =) Be patient everyone. =)