Fumo still doesn't own this despite his years of labor in the anime industry, so he gives up his claim, he's not really Jean Starwind in disguise, he's really Vegeta… tee, hee
Hey, if you like my writing, I have plenty of other great, new stuff. The Wild Turks, a thuggy little mystery and mafia type story for Final Fantasy 7; One of a Kind, my funny action-packed Pokemon fic, using characters of my creation, as well as personal discovery, don't you love that; also, a Scooby Doo fic I wrote for fun, it's funny as hell, trust me, and it needs good ratings, it's called Scoby Doo and the Ghost of Alphonso Rivero's Career, doesn't that sound intelligently fun! Hey, maybe I can start a fan club, shabby! (give it up Fumo; from your sub-conscience)
Outlaw Galaxy: Old Habits Die Hard
Chapter 5
Jean stepped into the proper stance, right foot behind, left in front, turned side ways, knees bent. He kept his eyes squarely in front of him, waiting for the right time. Arms prepared behind his back, as the machine across from him fired. As his target barreled toward him, he swung his hands out and steeped into his swing.
Despite his perfect preparation, the bat in his hands struck the baseball at an imperfect angle, slightly to the bottom of the rapidly spinning circumference. The resulting change in momentum shot the ball straight up at the batting cage above him. The ball ricocheted off the top bar and cascaded down at Jean.
Jean instinctually covered his face with his hands and backed away. The ball came down and narrowly missed him, hitting the hard concrete, bounced a few times and rolled away harmlessly. Jean unshielded his face and sighed in disappointment.
"Nice one, Jean." Angelo called sarcastically as he leaned against a pole behind Jean's batter's cage. He was no longer in his dress-up clothes, now he donned his standard baggy black pants, gray insolated shirt, and white gloves.
They'd come here right after they went to Angelo's cheap little studio apartment in the lower class section of Blue Heaven. It was filled with a simple cot, some space chest for carrying things, some pieces of clothes, and a bathroom, that was basically it. When Jean had gone there, he had first wondered why some one would live like that if he could shell out 1,300 for a meal and not come out depressed.
Jean looked back at the other end of the enclosed batting cage, where the Baseball shooting machine had stopped it's incessant tumbling and rotating. His wong had run out, no more balls to redeem himself with.
"That last one counted as a hit." Jean said turning for the door.
Angelo frowned at him, "Yeah, in Horribleville." Angelo said sarcastically.
"Hey, you said who every gets the most hits has to pay! Not good hits!"
Angelo frowned more so, "Yeah right, that's implied!"
"Naw uh!" Jean said opening the door and handing his bat to a small kid who was waiting patiently.
Angelo pushed off the pole, "It's not considered a hit, when you nearly get pegged in the face! Now, it's my 6 to your 5, you owe me some cotton candy, bitch."
Jean slouched and sighed, "Fine… I can afford it"
Angelo smiled pleasantly to himself and started walking towards the bulk of the park.
The park was a fairly large amusement park near the Upper Starside of Blue Heaven. It's old-style Earth carnival looks where a pleasant alternative to the metal conduits and concrete streets of Blue Heaven. It was complete with ferris wheels and roller coasters, games and endless food stands, even synthetic grass that could have been real. Being it was a school day, and only one or so in the afternoon, the park was full of kids playing hooky, but it was still generally quiet.
Angelo walked along merrily as Jean dragged along behind him, "Speaking of affording…" Angelo started.
Angelo brought it up, Jean didn't, he was innocent from his next probing question.
Jean quickened his pace to catch up with Angelo, "Yeah, speaking of affording shit, how come you can afford huge-ass dinners, but you live in a shit hole."
Angelo turned to him with a frown, "It's only my temporary shit hole, I'm not gonna settle down there…"
"Then where did you get the money for a 1,300 wong dinner?!"
"Oh, come on," Angelo said pushing past a group of dirty looking teenagers who were crowded around a water gun game, "Can't I spend a little money on a friend I haven't seen for a long time and I thought was in jail or dead?"
"Yeah, but only if you have it." Jean accused, "Didn't you say you had a very low paying job on those Microbes of yours?"
"Microids." Angelo corrected
"Whatever."
"Well…" Angelo started, "I sold that crappy ship, the Firestarter."
"Oh…"
"It went for a good chunk of change. I could certainly afford a 1,300 dinner for my best bud."
"Oh…"
"And I could ask you the same question."
"Hmm?"
"I've heard from some of your compatriots, that you've recently come into a lot of money…"
Jean smiled at Angelo, "Yeah, actually."
"Where did you get it and how much do you got?"
Jean glanced quickly at a man in a giant dog suit, then back at Angelo as they walked along, "We recently raided some of the McDougals' accounts, they don't need 'em now. And I would say about… 2 and a half mil."
"2 and a half mil!?" Angelo yelled in astonishment a little too loud, attracting the attention of several passer-bys.
Jean put his hands in his pockets and his head down as he walked forward, "Don't get too attached, more then half of it's going to pay our bill to Fred Loe."
Angelo was stumbling behind as Jean continued walking, "2 and a half mil? That's more then we've ever seen in our lives!"
"I know, Angie." Jean said as he continued forward sighing to himself.
"Wha? Where is it, do you keep it on you?"
Jean smirked at Angelo, "Yeah, I got 2 million wong in my wallet right now, the rest's at home." Jean said sarcastically, but when seeing that Angelo was serious, he continued truthfully, "I keep it in cases in the storage room, in large bills and small bills, depending on the case, all unmarked, and real… I think…"
Angelo returned to his somber smile, "Just like in the olden days."
Jean smiled, "Don't trust banks that you could rob yourself, that's our motto. You know, access to our large expenditure is just one benefit of a job at Starwind & Hawking Enterprises."
Angelo chuckled to himself, "I'll be sure to take that into account when I decide."
Jean sighed. Even tough he knew Angelo would never lie to him, he got the feeling lately that Angelo was trying to hide something or was planning something under his nose. Jean was worried, but only a little, that when this supposed plan was revealed he would have to chose between his present, his crew, or the past, his beat friend in the universe.
Angelo and Jean finally made it to a vendor selling pink and blue cotton candy. Angelo pointed to it and smiled.
"Go get me a pink one, bitch."
Jean growled at him, "Stop calling me that. I'm not your bitch."
Angelo smirked at him, "Oh, stop your bitchin', bitch."
Jean sighed and went about his way. Buying two big fluffs of the pink cotton candy. Returning, the two found a nice spot to eat the edible insulation foam and watch the world go by. It was a long bridge over an artificial pond filled with algae water and tiny pieces of thrown away paper. Jean and Angelo leaned against the rail as the park goers walked by on this lazy Wednesday afternoon.
The cotton candy was a little stale, the water and space-scape was depressing to look at, and those stupid punk kids thought they were so cool skipping school, but Jean was happy to sit with his friend and chill.
"Jean…" Angelo said with some worry in his voice.
"Wha…" Jean said chomping his cotton candy.
"I wanna talk to you about Aisha."
"What you asking for her hand in marriage?"
"Shut up…" Angelo looked serious, but couldn't make eye contact with Jean.
"What?!" Jean asked annoyingly.
"You really upset her, you know?"
Jean stopped eating his candy, "Huh?"
Angelo took a small bite, "She really doesn't like how you treat her."
Jean seeshed, "Please! What's she been telling you?!"
"She's been telling me you don't treat her right…"
"What? She just told you this today?"
"Yeah…"
"All right!" Jean pushed off the rail, and stared Angelo straight in the face, "What is this thing between you and Aisha? I don't buy this friend shit anymore?"
Angelo stared back, "Don't change the subject, you're really bringing her down with your constant insults."
"Aaagh…" Jean blurted as he rested against the rail again, "She can take it, she's too dense to be hurt."
"See that's what I'm talking about, you just can't help yourself, that's what's upsetting her. And no, she's not, she is hurt by your insults."
Jean looked away, "Come on…"
Angelo continued his penetrating gaze, "I'm serious! She feels unappreciated, like no one cares about her."
"Oh please, we care about her, she's our strong-arm."
"That's another thing, she feels unappreciated and like all she's good for to you is grunt work. She thinks you only keep her so you can use her."
"Bah…" Jean gulped his cotton candy in one bite, and crossed his arms.
"What is with you anyway, why can't you just say something nice to her once in awhile?"
"She's annoying and I let her know, that's all. Besides why do you put up with her, you'd never have been so freakin' nice to her before."
Angelo ate some of his cotton candy, "Well, if you can change from a dare-devil to a love-struck puppy in four years, then I can change from an insensitive prick to a sensitive prick."
Jean frowned still, "I don't care, I'm not gonna change for a geeky little priss like Aisha Clanclan, queen of the universe."
Angelo looked back at the ground, "Then do it for me, cause if my old friend and my new friend can't get along with each other, then me joining your crew just won't work out."
Jean looked at him, "But that's not fair!"
Angelo looked at him with confusion, "What's unfair, you being nice once and awhile? People can be annoying, you just have to deal with it."
Jean made a exasperated sigh, "Fine… I'll try to be nicer to her."
Angelo smiled at him, "All right, you made a good choose, and you know the best way to make a Katarl Katarl forgive you don't you?"
Jean nodded, "Though her stomach…"
-------
"Pizza!" Jean called as he walked into the kitchen carrying several pizza boxes with him.
Angelo followed close behind him carrying more boxes, smiling brightly.
The crew already in the mess hall looked up at Jean in confusion. Melphina and Sazuka, who sat playing a chess game, but looked more like Sazuka was playing and Melphina was getting her ass kicked, turned up to look at Jean with a slightly puzzled look in their eyes. Jim looked up from the old-style paperback book, a copy of the Tolstoy's classic War and Peace.
"What?" Jim asked looking up.
Jean smiled, "I bought pizza."
Jim looked at Melphina and then back at Jean, "Why?"
Jean's smile faded gradually, "Just to be nice?"
Sazuka snorted in her dainty way, "Cheapskate Starwind buying pizzas just to be nice?"
Melphina smiled and got up from her seat, "I think that's great, you got pizzas so I wouldn't have to cook, that was thoughtful."
Jean turned to Angelo and smiled knowingly, and Angelo returned it. Melphina went to the kitchen to fetch some plates and Jim and Sazuka cleared the table. Angelo and Jean set their boxes down and took their chairs. Opening one of the boxes, Jim made a grossed out face.
"Ewww, this pizza is covered in pepperoni, sausage… steak… ground beef, bacon… Canadian bacon, I can't even see the cheese. This is like a giant heart-attack pizza, the only one who would eat this pizza would be…"
"I got it for Aisha." Jean interrupted, as he grabbed a slice with bell peppers.
The entire room froze, as Jean said that. Jim held the pizza box firmly in his hands as he looked at Jean with disbelief. Melphina dropped a fork on the floor as she turned to look at Jean as well. Sazuka stopped mid grab for a piece with mushrooms and olives, and burned her hand. All except, Angelo, who was seated patiently waiting for his piece of pizza.
"Is is so inconceivable that my man thought of some one else?" Angelo asked rhetorically.
"Jean thinking of what Aisha would want, yes!" Jim jeered.
Jean shook his head in seeming shame, but knowing Jean it probably was just a show. "Oh, come on it's not that out of the ordinary."
Melphina returned with the plates, "Actually, it is, but I think it's great that you did." She said as she gave Jean a quick hug from behind.
"So where is she, anyway?" Jean said as he took a bit of his pizza, but burned his tongue and put down on a plate.
"Uhh… she's been in her room every since she came home this afternoon" Jim said glancing at Melphina indiscreetly.
"But that was like 4 hours ago!" Jean said in amazement.
Melphina returned his knowing glance, "Yeah, something must have really upset her…"
Melphina and Jim glared at Jean, as Sazuka chuckled to herself. Jean made a helpless look.
"It wasn't me, she was mad before I said anything. When she was out with…"
All eyes turned to Angelo, who looked innocently them with a piece of cheese hanging out of his mouth from his slice of pepperoni.
He swallowed it and wiped his mouth with a napkin, "Ok, I'll admit I must have made her upset, I don't know though, but I'll go make peace."
Angelo got up and walked to the door and turned. He walked a few feet, then realized he didn't know where Aisha's room was.
"Hey…" Angelo heard Jean call as Jean came from around the corner, "It's wise to apologize with food so here." he presented to Angelo the box of pizza with the "Heart Attack Special" in it.
Angelo sneered, "Sure she won't bite my hands off?"
Jean sneered, "I'd use tongs if I were you."
Angelo waved the box off, "No thanks man, that's your peace offering, and you're probably gonna need it."
"Thanks for you concern." Jean said sarcastically.
"So where is her room?"
Jean pointed to a closed door at the end of the corridor, "Right there, man. And… can you ask her to come see me afterwards.
Angelo smiled in approval at his friend, "Ok."
Angelo walked down the hall toward the door. When he got to the door he gave a few hard taps. When there was no answer, Angelo fingered the button on the side of the door, the door was unlocked and it slide open on shaky hydraulic pumps.
Inside, it was dark and cold. It was void of any artificial lights, and she had the visor on her porthole tightly closed. The air conditioning was on full blast, in Angelo's estimation, he could have kept ice in that room. Angelo fumbled along the wall for a light switch, he could barely make out a bed and large lump on top of it.
"Don't turn on the light. Please leave me alone…" Aisha's voice could be heard from the lump.
Angelo wandered in carefully, "Aisha it's me."
There was no reply.
Angelo felt around and found the edge of the bed, and carefully lowered himself on to the side, "Aisha, I'm really sorry… I didn't want to make you feel bad…" Angelo said with sympathy.
From the bed he heard some movement under the covers, "You didn't do anything… I've just been thinking"
"Well, I'm sorry I made you think."
There was more movement under the covers, but no answer.
"Why… why did you get so angry before, what did I do?"
Aisha's head suddenly appeared from under the bottom edge of the covers, her gray hair a mess. "I'm sorry about that it's just… maybe it was your fault, maybe it was something I just needed to vent, but…"
Angelo winced in the darkness, Aisha chuckled a little to herself .
"Well, It's just that your question made me think of all the things I don't like about being here…"
"Oh…"
"I just wanted to be alone for awhile…"
"Well, all I can say is I'm sorry I made you feel bad, but you know, if you let your feelings boil up inside of you, you're just gonna feel worse. All I can say is, these people, no matter how snotty or dumb they act, they really do care about you."
Aisha smiled in the dark, and made a little satisfied sound.
"Have you been 'thinking' for the four hours since you got here?" Angelo asked looking around.
"No, I thought for a few minutes, then fell asleep, I didn't get enough caffeine, and then you woke me up."
Angelo chuckled to himself, and quickly leaped off the bed, "Well kitty cat, I'm not sorry for that. You've been in here for too long. The night is young, the pizza's hot, and people have got things to say to you!" he said in a booming voice, as he grabbed a hold of the large comforter and yanking it off Aisha and threw it to the corner of the room.
Aisha squealed as she tried to shield her nearly naked body. Angelo didn't stay to see it anyway, he quickly turned and left the room, slapping the door switch as he left so the hydraulic door closed behind him.
Angelo chuckled as he walked back into the hallway. Jean was still waiting there, propped against the wall a few yards down the hall, pizza box in hand. Jean gave Angelo an inquiring look, and Angelo shrugged back.
"She'll be out in a second."
In several seconds, the door to Aisha's room slid open, and out came Aisha. Her hair was tied with a hair band, she was wearing a big human t-shirt and a big pair of draw-string shorts that looked a little dirty.
"Hey Angelo did you say pizza…" She said but stopped short when she saw Jean was waiting in the hall as well.
Jean sort of shuffled to the side and looked at his feet, "Um… I wanna apologize to you Aisha…"
Aisha raised one eye brow, and made a confused look, "You wanna what?"
Jean looked to Angelo, Angelo gave him a little smile. Jean scratched the back of his head, "Well… I know, sometimes… I can be kinda cruel, and so… I wanna say I'm sorry, and I'll try to be nicer from now on."
Aisha turned toward Angelo, who gave her a little smile as well. Aisha turned back with a smile, "Thanks Jean."
Jean held out the box, "I also got you a… peace offering."
Aisha all at once tackled Jean, giving him a huge hug. Her arms wrapped all around Jean, squeezing his body tight. Jean looked out in a disturbed manner, confused about what had happened and about what to do next. Angelo contained a chuckle.
"Oh Jean! You're so sweet! No wonder Melphina loves you so much" Aisha squealed into his chest.
Jean winced, "Uh, thanks."
Aisha finally let go of him. Immediately she grabbed the pizza box out his out stretched hands. She opened it and studied it's contents, she then gave a resounding delighted yell and blasted past Jean, nearly knocking him over, down the hall and turned into the kitchen. Within the steely walls of the mess hall, Aisha could be heard yelling inaudible things gleefully.
Angelo couldn't suppress his amusement at the situation any longer, he balled out laughing. Jean wasn't as merry, he gave out an exasperated sigh and slouched in his stance.
Jean rubbed the back of his head, "I hate saying sorry…" Jean mumbled.
Angelo recomposed himself, wiping a tear from his eye, "You're a sweet guy, Jean."
Jean gave him a sly smirk, "Bite me, Angie."
(I'm back in the mood I guess, review it and I'll finish it some day)
Hey, if you like my writing, I have plenty of other great, new stuff. The Wild Turks, a thuggy little mystery and mafia type story for Final Fantasy 7; One of a Kind, my funny action-packed Pokemon fic, using characters of my creation, as well as personal discovery, don't you love that; also, a Scooby Doo fic I wrote for fun, it's funny as hell, trust me, and it needs good ratings, it's called Scoby Doo and the Ghost of Alphonso Rivero's Career, doesn't that sound intelligently fun! Hey, maybe I can start a fan club, shabby! (give it up Fumo; from your sub-conscience)
Outlaw Galaxy: Old Habits Die Hard
Chapter 5
Jean stepped into the proper stance, right foot behind, left in front, turned side ways, knees bent. He kept his eyes squarely in front of him, waiting for the right time. Arms prepared behind his back, as the machine across from him fired. As his target barreled toward him, he swung his hands out and steeped into his swing.
Despite his perfect preparation, the bat in his hands struck the baseball at an imperfect angle, slightly to the bottom of the rapidly spinning circumference. The resulting change in momentum shot the ball straight up at the batting cage above him. The ball ricocheted off the top bar and cascaded down at Jean.
Jean instinctually covered his face with his hands and backed away. The ball came down and narrowly missed him, hitting the hard concrete, bounced a few times and rolled away harmlessly. Jean unshielded his face and sighed in disappointment.
"Nice one, Jean." Angelo called sarcastically as he leaned against a pole behind Jean's batter's cage. He was no longer in his dress-up clothes, now he donned his standard baggy black pants, gray insolated shirt, and white gloves.
They'd come here right after they went to Angelo's cheap little studio apartment in the lower class section of Blue Heaven. It was filled with a simple cot, some space chest for carrying things, some pieces of clothes, and a bathroom, that was basically it. When Jean had gone there, he had first wondered why some one would live like that if he could shell out 1,300 for a meal and not come out depressed.
Jean looked back at the other end of the enclosed batting cage, where the Baseball shooting machine had stopped it's incessant tumbling and rotating. His wong had run out, no more balls to redeem himself with.
"That last one counted as a hit." Jean said turning for the door.
Angelo frowned at him, "Yeah, in Horribleville." Angelo said sarcastically.
"Hey, you said who every gets the most hits has to pay! Not good hits!"
Angelo frowned more so, "Yeah right, that's implied!"
"Naw uh!" Jean said opening the door and handing his bat to a small kid who was waiting patiently.
Angelo pushed off the pole, "It's not considered a hit, when you nearly get pegged in the face! Now, it's my 6 to your 5, you owe me some cotton candy, bitch."
Jean slouched and sighed, "Fine… I can afford it"
Angelo smiled pleasantly to himself and started walking towards the bulk of the park.
The park was a fairly large amusement park near the Upper Starside of Blue Heaven. It's old-style Earth carnival looks where a pleasant alternative to the metal conduits and concrete streets of Blue Heaven. It was complete with ferris wheels and roller coasters, games and endless food stands, even synthetic grass that could have been real. Being it was a school day, and only one or so in the afternoon, the park was full of kids playing hooky, but it was still generally quiet.
Angelo walked along merrily as Jean dragged along behind him, "Speaking of affording…" Angelo started.
Angelo brought it up, Jean didn't, he was innocent from his next probing question.
Jean quickened his pace to catch up with Angelo, "Yeah, speaking of affording shit, how come you can afford huge-ass dinners, but you live in a shit hole."
Angelo turned to him with a frown, "It's only my temporary shit hole, I'm not gonna settle down there…"
"Then where did you get the money for a 1,300 wong dinner?!"
"Oh, come on," Angelo said pushing past a group of dirty looking teenagers who were crowded around a water gun game, "Can't I spend a little money on a friend I haven't seen for a long time and I thought was in jail or dead?"
"Yeah, but only if you have it." Jean accused, "Didn't you say you had a very low paying job on those Microbes of yours?"
"Microids." Angelo corrected
"Whatever."
"Well…" Angelo started, "I sold that crappy ship, the Firestarter."
"Oh…"
"It went for a good chunk of change. I could certainly afford a 1,300 dinner for my best bud."
"Oh…"
"And I could ask you the same question."
"Hmm?"
"I've heard from some of your compatriots, that you've recently come into a lot of money…"
Jean smiled at Angelo, "Yeah, actually."
"Where did you get it and how much do you got?"
Jean glanced quickly at a man in a giant dog suit, then back at Angelo as they walked along, "We recently raided some of the McDougals' accounts, they don't need 'em now. And I would say about… 2 and a half mil."
"2 and a half mil!?" Angelo yelled in astonishment a little too loud, attracting the attention of several passer-bys.
Jean put his hands in his pockets and his head down as he walked forward, "Don't get too attached, more then half of it's going to pay our bill to Fred Loe."
Angelo was stumbling behind as Jean continued walking, "2 and a half mil? That's more then we've ever seen in our lives!"
"I know, Angie." Jean said as he continued forward sighing to himself.
"Wha? Where is it, do you keep it on you?"
Jean smirked at Angelo, "Yeah, I got 2 million wong in my wallet right now, the rest's at home." Jean said sarcastically, but when seeing that Angelo was serious, he continued truthfully, "I keep it in cases in the storage room, in large bills and small bills, depending on the case, all unmarked, and real… I think…"
Angelo returned to his somber smile, "Just like in the olden days."
Jean smiled, "Don't trust banks that you could rob yourself, that's our motto. You know, access to our large expenditure is just one benefit of a job at Starwind & Hawking Enterprises."
Angelo chuckled to himself, "I'll be sure to take that into account when I decide."
Jean sighed. Even tough he knew Angelo would never lie to him, he got the feeling lately that Angelo was trying to hide something or was planning something under his nose. Jean was worried, but only a little, that when this supposed plan was revealed he would have to chose between his present, his crew, or the past, his beat friend in the universe.
Angelo and Jean finally made it to a vendor selling pink and blue cotton candy. Angelo pointed to it and smiled.
"Go get me a pink one, bitch."
Jean growled at him, "Stop calling me that. I'm not your bitch."
Angelo smirked at him, "Oh, stop your bitchin', bitch."
Jean sighed and went about his way. Buying two big fluffs of the pink cotton candy. Returning, the two found a nice spot to eat the edible insulation foam and watch the world go by. It was a long bridge over an artificial pond filled with algae water and tiny pieces of thrown away paper. Jean and Angelo leaned against the rail as the park goers walked by on this lazy Wednesday afternoon.
The cotton candy was a little stale, the water and space-scape was depressing to look at, and those stupid punk kids thought they were so cool skipping school, but Jean was happy to sit with his friend and chill.
"Jean…" Angelo said with some worry in his voice.
"Wha…" Jean said chomping his cotton candy.
"I wanna talk to you about Aisha."
"What you asking for her hand in marriage?"
"Shut up…" Angelo looked serious, but couldn't make eye contact with Jean.
"What?!" Jean asked annoyingly.
"You really upset her, you know?"
Jean stopped eating his candy, "Huh?"
Angelo took a small bite, "She really doesn't like how you treat her."
Jean seeshed, "Please! What's she been telling you?!"
"She's been telling me you don't treat her right…"
"What? She just told you this today?"
"Yeah…"
"All right!" Jean pushed off the rail, and stared Angelo straight in the face, "What is this thing between you and Aisha? I don't buy this friend shit anymore?"
Angelo stared back, "Don't change the subject, you're really bringing her down with your constant insults."
"Aaagh…" Jean blurted as he rested against the rail again, "She can take it, she's too dense to be hurt."
"See that's what I'm talking about, you just can't help yourself, that's what's upsetting her. And no, she's not, she is hurt by your insults."
Jean looked away, "Come on…"
Angelo continued his penetrating gaze, "I'm serious! She feels unappreciated, like no one cares about her."
"Oh please, we care about her, she's our strong-arm."
"That's another thing, she feels unappreciated and like all she's good for to you is grunt work. She thinks you only keep her so you can use her."
"Bah…" Jean gulped his cotton candy in one bite, and crossed his arms.
"What is with you anyway, why can't you just say something nice to her once in awhile?"
"She's annoying and I let her know, that's all. Besides why do you put up with her, you'd never have been so freakin' nice to her before."
Angelo ate some of his cotton candy, "Well, if you can change from a dare-devil to a love-struck puppy in four years, then I can change from an insensitive prick to a sensitive prick."
Jean frowned still, "I don't care, I'm not gonna change for a geeky little priss like Aisha Clanclan, queen of the universe."
Angelo looked back at the ground, "Then do it for me, cause if my old friend and my new friend can't get along with each other, then me joining your crew just won't work out."
Jean looked at him, "But that's not fair!"
Angelo looked at him with confusion, "What's unfair, you being nice once and awhile? People can be annoying, you just have to deal with it."
Jean made a exasperated sigh, "Fine… I'll try to be nicer to her."
Angelo smiled at him, "All right, you made a good choose, and you know the best way to make a Katarl Katarl forgive you don't you?"
Jean nodded, "Though her stomach…"
-------
"Pizza!" Jean called as he walked into the kitchen carrying several pizza boxes with him.
Angelo followed close behind him carrying more boxes, smiling brightly.
The crew already in the mess hall looked up at Jean in confusion. Melphina and Sazuka, who sat playing a chess game, but looked more like Sazuka was playing and Melphina was getting her ass kicked, turned up to look at Jean with a slightly puzzled look in their eyes. Jim looked up from the old-style paperback book, a copy of the Tolstoy's classic War and Peace.
"What?" Jim asked looking up.
Jean smiled, "I bought pizza."
Jim looked at Melphina and then back at Jean, "Why?"
Jean's smile faded gradually, "Just to be nice?"
Sazuka snorted in her dainty way, "Cheapskate Starwind buying pizzas just to be nice?"
Melphina smiled and got up from her seat, "I think that's great, you got pizzas so I wouldn't have to cook, that was thoughtful."
Jean turned to Angelo and smiled knowingly, and Angelo returned it. Melphina went to the kitchen to fetch some plates and Jim and Sazuka cleared the table. Angelo and Jean set their boxes down and took their chairs. Opening one of the boxes, Jim made a grossed out face.
"Ewww, this pizza is covered in pepperoni, sausage… steak… ground beef, bacon… Canadian bacon, I can't even see the cheese. This is like a giant heart-attack pizza, the only one who would eat this pizza would be…"
"I got it for Aisha." Jean interrupted, as he grabbed a slice with bell peppers.
The entire room froze, as Jean said that. Jim held the pizza box firmly in his hands as he looked at Jean with disbelief. Melphina dropped a fork on the floor as she turned to look at Jean as well. Sazuka stopped mid grab for a piece with mushrooms and olives, and burned her hand. All except, Angelo, who was seated patiently waiting for his piece of pizza.
"Is is so inconceivable that my man thought of some one else?" Angelo asked rhetorically.
"Jean thinking of what Aisha would want, yes!" Jim jeered.
Jean shook his head in seeming shame, but knowing Jean it probably was just a show. "Oh, come on it's not that out of the ordinary."
Melphina returned with the plates, "Actually, it is, but I think it's great that you did." She said as she gave Jean a quick hug from behind.
"So where is she, anyway?" Jean said as he took a bit of his pizza, but burned his tongue and put down on a plate.
"Uhh… she's been in her room every since she came home this afternoon" Jim said glancing at Melphina indiscreetly.
"But that was like 4 hours ago!" Jean said in amazement.
Melphina returned his knowing glance, "Yeah, something must have really upset her…"
Melphina and Jim glared at Jean, as Sazuka chuckled to herself. Jean made a helpless look.
"It wasn't me, she was mad before I said anything. When she was out with…"
All eyes turned to Angelo, who looked innocently them with a piece of cheese hanging out of his mouth from his slice of pepperoni.
He swallowed it and wiped his mouth with a napkin, "Ok, I'll admit I must have made her upset, I don't know though, but I'll go make peace."
Angelo got up and walked to the door and turned. He walked a few feet, then realized he didn't know where Aisha's room was.
"Hey…" Angelo heard Jean call as Jean came from around the corner, "It's wise to apologize with food so here." he presented to Angelo the box of pizza with the "Heart Attack Special" in it.
Angelo sneered, "Sure she won't bite my hands off?"
Jean sneered, "I'd use tongs if I were you."
Angelo waved the box off, "No thanks man, that's your peace offering, and you're probably gonna need it."
"Thanks for you concern." Jean said sarcastically.
"So where is her room?"
Jean pointed to a closed door at the end of the corridor, "Right there, man. And… can you ask her to come see me afterwards.
Angelo smiled in approval at his friend, "Ok."
Angelo walked down the hall toward the door. When he got to the door he gave a few hard taps. When there was no answer, Angelo fingered the button on the side of the door, the door was unlocked and it slide open on shaky hydraulic pumps.
Inside, it was dark and cold. It was void of any artificial lights, and she had the visor on her porthole tightly closed. The air conditioning was on full blast, in Angelo's estimation, he could have kept ice in that room. Angelo fumbled along the wall for a light switch, he could barely make out a bed and large lump on top of it.
"Don't turn on the light. Please leave me alone…" Aisha's voice could be heard from the lump.
Angelo wandered in carefully, "Aisha it's me."
There was no reply.
Angelo felt around and found the edge of the bed, and carefully lowered himself on to the side, "Aisha, I'm really sorry… I didn't want to make you feel bad…" Angelo said with sympathy.
From the bed he heard some movement under the covers, "You didn't do anything… I've just been thinking"
"Well, I'm sorry I made you think."
There was more movement under the covers, but no answer.
"Why… why did you get so angry before, what did I do?"
Aisha's head suddenly appeared from under the bottom edge of the covers, her gray hair a mess. "I'm sorry about that it's just… maybe it was your fault, maybe it was something I just needed to vent, but…"
Angelo winced in the darkness, Aisha chuckled a little to herself .
"Well, It's just that your question made me think of all the things I don't like about being here…"
"Oh…"
"I just wanted to be alone for awhile…"
"Well, all I can say is I'm sorry I made you feel bad, but you know, if you let your feelings boil up inside of you, you're just gonna feel worse. All I can say is, these people, no matter how snotty or dumb they act, they really do care about you."
Aisha smiled in the dark, and made a little satisfied sound.
"Have you been 'thinking' for the four hours since you got here?" Angelo asked looking around.
"No, I thought for a few minutes, then fell asleep, I didn't get enough caffeine, and then you woke me up."
Angelo chuckled to himself, and quickly leaped off the bed, "Well kitty cat, I'm not sorry for that. You've been in here for too long. The night is young, the pizza's hot, and people have got things to say to you!" he said in a booming voice, as he grabbed a hold of the large comforter and yanking it off Aisha and threw it to the corner of the room.
Aisha squealed as she tried to shield her nearly naked body. Angelo didn't stay to see it anyway, he quickly turned and left the room, slapping the door switch as he left so the hydraulic door closed behind him.
Angelo chuckled as he walked back into the hallway. Jean was still waiting there, propped against the wall a few yards down the hall, pizza box in hand. Jean gave Angelo an inquiring look, and Angelo shrugged back.
"She'll be out in a second."
In several seconds, the door to Aisha's room slid open, and out came Aisha. Her hair was tied with a hair band, she was wearing a big human t-shirt and a big pair of draw-string shorts that looked a little dirty.
"Hey Angelo did you say pizza…" She said but stopped short when she saw Jean was waiting in the hall as well.
Jean sort of shuffled to the side and looked at his feet, "Um… I wanna apologize to you Aisha…"
Aisha raised one eye brow, and made a confused look, "You wanna what?"
Jean looked to Angelo, Angelo gave him a little smile. Jean scratched the back of his head, "Well… I know, sometimes… I can be kinda cruel, and so… I wanna say I'm sorry, and I'll try to be nicer from now on."
Aisha turned toward Angelo, who gave her a little smile as well. Aisha turned back with a smile, "Thanks Jean."
Jean held out the box, "I also got you a… peace offering."
Aisha all at once tackled Jean, giving him a huge hug. Her arms wrapped all around Jean, squeezing his body tight. Jean looked out in a disturbed manner, confused about what had happened and about what to do next. Angelo contained a chuckle.
"Oh Jean! You're so sweet! No wonder Melphina loves you so much" Aisha squealed into his chest.
Jean winced, "Uh, thanks."
Aisha finally let go of him. Immediately she grabbed the pizza box out his out stretched hands. She opened it and studied it's contents, she then gave a resounding delighted yell and blasted past Jean, nearly knocking him over, down the hall and turned into the kitchen. Within the steely walls of the mess hall, Aisha could be heard yelling inaudible things gleefully.
Angelo couldn't suppress his amusement at the situation any longer, he balled out laughing. Jean wasn't as merry, he gave out an exasperated sigh and slouched in his stance.
Jean rubbed the back of his head, "I hate saying sorry…" Jean mumbled.
Angelo recomposed himself, wiping a tear from his eye, "You're a sweet guy, Jean."
Jean gave him a sly smirk, "Bite me, Angie."
(I'm back in the mood I guess, review it and I'll finish it some day)