Lisa Enters The Miss Macross Contest

Chapter 3

What has gotten into me?

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Claudia and Lisa arrived at Lisa's home. Each were holding several shopping bags. Lisa opened the door and invited her friend to step in. The women put their bags down on the couch and Claudia started going through the newly acquired girly items. She took out a nice little dress from one bag and looked at it.

"This dress was a bargain, and it fits you so well, Lisa. You are going to have those judges wrapped around your fingers tomorrow," she said smiling. She turned towards Lisa and noticed she was anything but happy.

"I see you are nervous, honey," she declared approaching the Miss Macross candidate. "You will be okay. The girls and I will be there for you," she continued soothingly and placed her hands on Lisa's shoulders.

"I know, thanks Claudia," replied Lisa softly, wariness was evident on her face.

"This is just difficult for me. I... I haven't thought of myself as a woman for so long... since... Karl and I were together," she said. Claudia saw that her eyes were shiny, full of tears.

Not many people knew Lisa was such a sensitive person. She had gone through a lot of pain in her life. She grew used to put on a cold and professional shell to protect herself from more heartbreak. But Claudia, as her best friend, knew better. "Oh, honey..." she hugged Lisa motherly, understanding her feelings.

______


"Hi Rick! I hope you come see me in the dressing room tomorrow. XOXO - Minmei," read the note Rick Hunter found along a Miss Macross backstage pass. Someone, most likely Minmei herself, had slipped it under his door while he was on patrol.

He walked to his bed and placed both papers on top of his desk on the way. He laid down and stared at the celling. He started thinking of Minmei, but his thoughts drifted towards another person: Commander Lisa Hayes. After his encounter with Lisa at the beauty salon, he found himself thinking about her very often.

When he saw her back there, he froze and babbled helplessly. He couldn't take his eyes away from her until his intense gaze made her mad. He saw her turning red, not the blushing red; a deep red. "Or was it blushing?.... No, it couldn't be, he thought. "It had to be pure anger."

When Minmei finally came out, oblivious to what had been -or not been- going on between him and Commander Hayes, she greeted him with a kiss on the cheek. Rick saw Lisa leaving quietly.

But seriously, the whole thing hadn't really been his fault. At least, he tried to convince himself of that. It was her. She looked so different... so beautiful.

"Beautiful, he shook his head at the thought. "No way! She was a fussy old lady; correction, a fussy, old, loud-yelling lady! Yet, since then, whenever he saw her face on the panel of his veritech, he felt sort of happy, content.

"What is happening to you, Hunter?" he wondered before his tired eyes closed.

______


"Hey little brother!" exclaimed Roy catching up with Rick on a hallway the next morning.

"Hi Roy," Rick said and continued walking.

"What is it, Rick? Why the long face?" Roy asked.

"It is nothing," lied Rick.

"Don't give me that, I know you too well. Your face says you have problems; love related perhaps?" said Roy. "Let me guess... Minmei, right?"

"No, well... yes. It is just that she's been so busy with the contest that we have barely seen each other. And... and something else," answered Rick.

"Something or someone else?" inquired Roy.

"What do you mean someone else?" replied Rick shocked.

Roy grinned widely. "I've noticed the way you look at Commander Hayes, Rick."

"Me! No, Roy," exclaimed Rick. "Is it that obvious?" he asked to himself.

"Whatever! Rick." shrugged Roy.

______


The Miss Macross dressing room was already bursting with activity when the trio, Claudia and Lisa arrived. Almost all the candidates were there already; the famous Jan Morris among them. Kim caught Lisa's worried expression when she saw the movie star.

"She looks better on TV," Kim said intently.

"Don't worry Lisa, you are much prettier than her," Sammie comforted the Commander.

Lisa gave them back a faint smile.

In another corner of the dressing room, Minmei was getting ready. A beautician was just finishing her makeup, when the aspiring pop-star spotted one of her idols. As soon as she was ready, she rushed to ask Jan Morris for an autograph.

"Look!" said Vanessa, " isn't that the girl that was in the veritech with Lieutenant Hunter?" she asked seeing Minmei pass by.

"It seems like her," Kim answered.

"Do you think that Lieutenant Hunter and her are a couple?" asked Sammie, Kim shrugged.

"That would be a shame. He is so cute!" Sammie added.

Their conversation ceased when Claudia called them as it was Lisa's turn on one of the makeup stations. The women watched how the beautician worked her magic on Lisa's face. The hairdressing station came after and, as the final hour approached, it was time to dress up. Step by step, Lisa had been transformed into a beauty queen.

______


The auditorium was completely full two hours before the beauty pageant started. Roy, Ben and Max, who had arrived fairly early, sat next to each other. They were among the lucky ones who got seats in the front section; just five rows away from the stage. 20 Minutes before the stage curtain came up, Rick Hunter's seat was still empty.

"I wonder where is the boss?" asked Ben.

"Don't worry, Ben, he will be here," answered Roy.

"Why are you so sure Commander?" inquired Max.

"There are some things Rick Hunter wouldn't miss for anything," said Roy smirking.

Roy knew his little brother well. Although the young Lieutenant was on call that night, he wasn't at the base. Instead, he was in the packed auditorium trying to reach his seat. On his way, he was pushed, pulled, and stepped-on; but it was all worth it. At last, he spotted his friends and made it to their side bumping into some people here and there.

"Hey Rick! Max and Ben were starting to fear you wouldn't make it," said Roy.

"Boss!" greeted him Ben.

"Happy to see you Lieutenant," added Max

"Hi," said Rick and sat down.

"I knew you'd be here, little brother. After all, you wouldn't miss the chance to see Commander Hayes in a bikini," teased him Roy.

"Roy! I am not here for the Commander. I am here to see Minmei," said Rick unconvincingly.

"You greedy devil!" said Roy. Rick blushed. "Alright, alright. You can see her too," continued Roy. Ben and Max chuckled.

______


"It is time," said Claudia. The trio nodded. Captain Gloval had let them stay with Lisa in the dressing room before the contest, but now, they had to return to the bridge. The Zentraedi had been peaceful until then, but there was no guarantee they would stay that way. With Lisa gone, the captain trusted Claudia and the trio to be ready in case of an emergency.

"We will be watching form the bridge," said Kim.

"I wish we could stay," said Sammie, "there are so many cute soldiers out here!" she added.

Vanessa rolled her eyes at Sammie and then talked to Lisa. "Commander, you look fantastic. Don't worry about a thing. Just enjoy the moment."

"Thanks, Vanessa. I will try," answered Lisa.

The trio said goodbye and started leaving. Claudia waited until they were a few steps away and then looked at Lisa in the eye.

"I know how you feel, honey. But remember, you can do this," she said with the authority tone she often used on the bridge. Lisa nodded affirmatively. "Now, go get them!" she added and hugged her friend. Then she joined the rest of the bridge crew.

Lisa sat alone in a makeshift cubicle. The wait was nerve wracking and she felt completely out of place. "What I am going to do now?" she thought looking at her refection in a mirror. Then she placed her elbows on her knees and buried her head between her hands.

______


Thanks to his backstage pass, Rick was let in the dressing room. He looked around cautiously to find Minmei without bothering any other candidate, but he couldn't see her. He passed by some cubicles and then he saw a lonely woman sitting holding her head between her hands. Was she crying?

"Are you okay?" he asked approaching. Lisa's green gaze met his.

"Commander Hayes!" he said shocked. She was stunningly beautifully in that moment.

"Lieutenant Hunter!" she said surprised. "It seems we meet everywhere lately," she added. His eyes were fixed on her as he uttered some unintelligible noises.

"It is not polite to stare at a lady, Lieutenant," she said noticing his look.

"Sorry, Commander, I was just... I... I will go now," he said blushing and turned to leave.

"No, wait," she said, not knowing why. She stood up. Rick turned back to face her.

"Thanks for asking how I was," she said and smiled

"My pleasure," he managed to say nervously. An awkward pause followed.

"Commander..."

"Lieutenant..."

They spoke at the same time. They looked at each other and smiled amused at the situation. They weren't used to stand so close and talk in friendly terms.

"You go first," said Rick.

"I was just wondering why are you here," she said.

"I... I... came to see a friend," he said uncomfortably.

"The girl at the beauty salon?" asked Lisa.

"Yes," he said

"Is she your girlfriend?" she inquired cautiously, and felt her heart beating faster. "What am I doing?" she asked herself. Rick stammered. "Oh, I am sorry, Lieutenant. That is non of my business," she added noticing his reaction.

"No, don't worry Commander. Minmei is just a friend," he said trying to sound convincing.

"I see," she said relieved."Why do I care, anyway?" she wondered. "What were you going to ask?" she inquired.

"I wasn't going to ask something. I was just going to wish you good luck, Commander," he said.

"Thanks," said Lisa blushing. She gave him a shy smile.

"She is even more beautiful when she smiles," he thought dazed.

"All candidates get ready," yelled a voice in the middle of the room. "All visitors please exit the dressing room."

"That is my call," she said.

"Yeah," he replied, wishing he could stop time right there. Lisa started to walk out of the cubicle.

"Commander?" Rick said stopping her.

"Yes?"

"You look beautiful tonight," he said surprising himself. "What has gotten into me?" he wondered.

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Provide your comments here:

Posted on: 2004-05-28

• How did this happen
• That sourpuss?
• What has gotten into me
• Adrenaline
• Critical
• Love live the queen