A pair of large purple eyes stared at the yard calculating her move. She was POSTIVE that her prey was here. She spotted a move off to her left but knew it was not the one she wanted. Then she saw it, just out of the corner of her eye she saw the leaves twitch. Moving as carefully as her cramping muscles allowed she moved around back and behind the bushes. Taking a moment to recognize the prey again she allowed herself a small smile. Moving silently she reached up and brought her hand down on it back.
" TAG! CHRIS IS IT!!!! RUN!" Marcail screamed at the top of the lungs she had inherited from her mother. Turning she high tailed as fast as she could. IT was time for the play her father called the Hail Marry. Or hit and run your butt off.
~*~
"School is evil, no more school." Seventeen-year-old Marcail Maxwell groaned as she simultaneously banged her head on the table. She had been trying to do her Trig homework and was failing miserable.
"Problems?" Jay O' Winter the biggest pest in the known world and for some funked up reason her best friend questioned.
"Don't even act like you get this." She warns rolling her eyes. "We graduate in two weeks and they continue to pile the work on. Don't they realize that we have more important things to do than study?" Reaching up she twisted one of the diamond earrings that her father had given her on her last birthday. It had become a habit of hers to do so when she was frustrated or annoyed.
"No Marc they believe, that we the senior class, have nothing to do all day but sit around on our butts. Or they're doing it just to keep you busy and out of trouble before your graduate." Jay smirks at her sarcasm oozing from his voice.
"Jay just because your father was elected representative of this colony doesn't mean you suddenly get to act all high and mighty." Marcail snarls her violet eyes flashing. She was tired of studying, school, of being tired, and on top of that, she was in no mood to put up with Jay's snide comments right then.
"What Marc PMS got ya today."
"That's it." She snaps, one second he was sitting there calmly trying to make sense out of the Trig book, that was laying open in front of him, the next he was rolling on the floor with Marc as he desperately tried to cover his head.
"Marc, okay, okay enough come on already." He manages to yelp before screeching as her fingers got perched on his blond, overly gelled hair. "NOT THE HAIR."
The sounds of footsteps pounding up the stairs were heard a second later. Jumping off of Jay she nods her head in satisfaction as she studies her handiwork. His normally immaculate hair was sticking up in various places. What wasn't sticking up was now falling unceremoniously into his eyes. He looked like a rag muffin, which was a fare cry from his normal preppy look.
"Marc it took me forever to fix that this morning." He wailed his brown eyes wide as he began faked tears.
Rolling her eyes, she waves the 'everything's okay' at her younger brother Peter. Nodding, he rolls his eyes and turned back down the hall obviously finding out whatever it was he had been looking for. True to form a few moments later he was heard yelling down at their mother.
"Its okay Mom, Jay was being stupid and Marcail was beating him down again."
"Marcail you be nice to that boy." Her mother's calm voice floated up the stairs through the open door. "And what have we told you about fighting."
"It is not the proper behavior of a young lady." She mouths along with her mother before winking at Jay.
"Yes, Mom." She calls back down the stairs. "We'll be good."
"Now if only I could believe that." Was the only reply.
Rolling her eyes she set the chairs she had knocked down when she had tackled Jay, back upright. "Okay let's start back from the beginning."
"You should have been a fullback." Jay groans as he plops himself back into the chair while trying to get his hair back into some semblance of order.
Snorting, Jay nods, "I should hope not!"
Leaning over she smacks him in the head. "Shut up and help me with this."
"Yesum." He replies rubbing his head. "Okay your going to take the cosine of..."
An hour later they finally stopped the slow torture. Marcail didn't know why people went through all the trouble they did to get information from people by means of pain. All they had to do was stick them in a Trig class and they would have what they needed in no time. Especially if Jay was teaching it. Chris normally helped her with math but then again he had decided to drop off the face of the earth.
"That is a wrap."
"I had better not flunk this work sheet Jay." She warns around a yawn.
"You won't. Hey your heading over to Chris's tonight for dinner right?"
"Yes, point?"
"Get him to help he is a pro at math."
"Assuming he is there right?" She grumbles thinking about the third part of their four-par group. At his nod she continues. "No thanks, I would rather eat dirt, fly wing, or sit through one of Uncle Wufei's Justice rants. Besides now that he is going to college he doesn't have time for us poor high school kids remember? I haven't seen him in over a year." She grumbles while closing her book.
"You should still ask him."
"I will drop dead first"
"Your loss."
"I don't see a loss." She snaps back her eyes flashing.
"Fine, I really need to get home though. Mom wanted me home early tonight. Something about some news that Dad wanted to tell me."
"Fine, fine." Letting the argument drop she follows him out the door. "I will follow you out."
"Mar, Mar." Her nine-month old sister coo's up at her.
"What are you doing in the hall way darling?" She questions a smile tugging at her lips. Brushing back a lock of red hair from her for head she scoops the tiny infant up.
"Oo oo." She says pointing at her.
"You were looking for me?" Nodding her head rapidly she crosses her green eyes in an effort to focus better on her moving target.
"You and your family." Jay says rolling his eyes playfully.
"What your practically one of us so what are you gripping about?" She teases back. Jay was an only child and he and Marcail had taken to each other, like sugar and water, when she had found him crying on the first day of school. She being herself had offered to let him play with one of her eight "styth's", as she had called Deathscythe back then. As they say the rest was history after that. He loved the homey feeling of the Maxwell house and the fact that all of them accepted him as one of there own giving him the love and support that is own family lacked.
"What having eight brother and sister's isn't enough? Never mind that when your Mom decided that she had given birth to enough she started adopting every poor thing that caught her eye." That was something he respected about Hilde and Duo Maxwell. Over the years they had become some of the wealthiest people on the colony. They hadn't let it get to them, and thier love and understanding overflowed everywhere they went. Just the sheer number of children they had spoke how much they loved people.
"Sure, sure." Nudging him with her shoulder she opened the door for him.
"Hurry dork I have to get ready, were having dinner at they YUY's. Its formal tonight cause there are some diplomat people coming, and Aunt Relena needs Mom to be there so we're all going."
"Oh so you get to spend the evening with diplomat know it all's uh? That is almost as much fun as having a family dinner at my house." Jay's family was very cold natured to there youngest son. They said he hung with rif raf and they refused to accept any accomplishments in his life. That was why he had taken to the Maxwell's so well. They offered the support and comport that no one else would. After many a fight with his parents he could be found sleeping over at their house on the couch in Marcail's room, no one asked and no one questioned him. They had even given him a spare key.
"Don't get me started." She grips rolling her eyes. "No no sweetie." She says turning her attention to her sister. "The earrings are off limit." Extracting the earring from the tiny fist she smiles as Jay.
"Good night I will see you tomorrow in Chem that is if I can keep my eyes awake that long."
Laughing he nods. "Bye bye Tina." He says while kissing the tiny cheek.
Waving at him the tiny infant sticks her thumb into her mouth and lays her head down on Marcail's shoulder.
"She says bye." Marcail translates. Waving once more she walks back into the house.
"Mom when do we leave?"
"What was that Sweetie?" Hilde Maxwell's voice rang easily throughout the house, it always amazed Marcail how she could hear her mothers voice whenever her mother wanted to be heard.
Walking into her parent's room she smiles at her mother. "When are we leaving?"
"In about an hour that gives you enough to take a shower and get ready."
Nodding her head she hands the now sleeping Tina over. "When is Dad going to be home?"
"Right now." Duo Maxwell's calm voice rang into the room.
"Daddy." Marcail says a huge smile crossing her face. Before practically leaping across the room and grabbing him in a huge hug. "I missed you." She whispers. Duo had been gone for about two weeks on a thing for Lady Une. Whenever her father was gone for an extended period of time Marcail didn't feel complete.
Watching the two Hilde felt a smile spread across her face. Marcail and her father had always been close, ever since Duo had brought them back from the earth. How they resembled each other had always amazed them. They were both light brown headed, which they wore in a long braid, matching violet eyes and the same mischievous attitudes until they were messed with.
"How is my girl?" Duo questions his smile spreading across his face at he sight of his oldest daughter.
"Just fine." She replies. "I would be better if I had a certain Gundam though." Laughing at the familiar joke Hilde puts the infant down in her crib.
"You had better go and get dressed." Hilde warns her. "You don't have much time."
"Ya, ya." Marcail grumbles, before giving Duo one more hug and heading off.
Feeling strong arms wrap around her waist Hilde turns into Duo's hug. "Hey." She whispers smiling up at him.
"Hey yourself."
"How was your trip?" She questions noting the tired look on his features.
"I am fine." He promises noting the concern in her eyes. "Just tired."
"You up to going to Heero's? It is formal."
"Ya I can handle it. Just let me sleep for three days afterwards okay?"
"Sure, sure go get dressed, take a shower whatever it is you need to do to get ready." She instructs pushing him toward the shower before heading off to make sure that everyone was ready. Marcail would be the only one who would have to actually participate in the event, as the others were too young. The older children would look out for the younger ones in the playroom and nursery.
Walking into the tiny tot room she smiles at the children playing there.
"Violet, Chris are you ready?"
Looking up at her mother through her dark purple eyes the tiny two-year-old frowns.
"I no take bafe I already had one." She points out with a frown on her face as she looked at her clean clothes.
"Me to." The little boy next to her nods, while playing with his blocks.
"Mommy, I four now." He says a smile on his face as he reminds her of the fact that his birthday had been yesterday.
"I know sweetheart." She says smiling tenderly at the first child they had adopted. He and Tina both held special places in her heart and she loved them as much as she loved the children that had come from her womb. "And no Violet you don't have to take a bath."
"OOD." She mumbles going back to whatever baby game she had going on in her head. Stifling a laugh she smiles tenderly at Marcail's counter part in baby hood.
"It is almost time to go so don't get dirty okay?"
"Ota." Was he only response from the tiny Duo.
"Peter, Mitchelle, Jasmine, Chris, and Solo are you ready yet?"
"YES MOM." Came the unanimous reply. Shaking her head at the older children's ability to answer at the same time she smiled. "Fine then Solo, you and Jasmine have baby duty. Mitch you and Pete make sure that Marc doesn't need anything and get everyone loaded up. Also Jaz make sure Mitchell has everything set alright?
Mitchell was the beauty of the family, with long dark hair and sky blue eyes and a sunny disposition. The only problem was she was blind. She had been born a normal healthy baby but when she was three she got a fever and before they realized what was happening she had lost her eyes sight, her retina had been burned completely. She was never upset about it though and would often laugh when people forgot that she was blind.
"Yes, Mom." Came the calm reply from the older two children. The younger two though hated baby duty.
"BUT MOM."
"No, buts now get to it. Your father is home and we both still need to get ready."
"Fine then." Came the resigned sigh.
Walking back into the room she sighed softly before giggling.
"Having trouble dear?" She questions a taunting smile on her face. Duo hated wearing a tie and because he had never learned to tie one on properly.
"Don't start." He warns. Before letting her quick fingers fix his tie for him.
"Mom do you think this will work?" Marcail questions walking in with a questioning look.
Looking up at her eldest Hilde smiles softly. Marcail looked absolutely gorgeous with a dark violet, mock turtleneck dress. Her long hair was in a loose inverted braid with the tendrils that always escaped around her face and throat curled. She looked absolutely feminine, well, except for the fact that if you knew what to look for, the outline of a gun was visible on one thigh.
"Did you get that dress altered too?" She questions.
"Mom." Marcail says, her eyes rolling in annoyance. "Were going to the Yuy's. Now I know a lot of people think that only a crazy idiot who wants death would like attack Relena with Heero around but Mom there are a lot of crazy people around."
"What does this dress do sweetheart?" Duo questions a slight smile on his face at his daughter's strategy. She was very much correct though.
"If pull on this string." She says pulling a string out of somewhere. "Then two slits form that stop about three inches down my thigh." She shrugs. "More agility."
"How high up?" Duo questions his brows flying to his hairline.
"Dad." She warns rolling her eyes. "Don't start."
"Here honey." Hilde says snickering, now it was Duo's turn to be angry. Reaching into her jewelry box she pulls out a pair of violet earrings. "Put these in."
Eyeing them curiously she nods. "Thanks Mom." She murmurs, before replacing her own diamond ones with them. Frowning at the picture she made she sighed in defeat before walking out while she muttered something about preferring pants and grease to dresses and perfume.
Chuckling slightly, Hilde turns and blinks at the frown on her husband of 18 years. "What is that frown for?"
"Uh?" Duo says turning.
"Oh I was just thinking about how many guys are going to throw themselves at her. How come she had to get so curvy?"
Laughing Hilde wraps her arms around his waist as she smiles up at him. "And here I was thinking about how relived she and I both were that she has such a tomboyish figure and didn't end up with my curves."
Looking down at her Duo blinks in astonishment as he looks her over. "There is nothing wrong with your curves."
"Maybe to you." She mumbles, rolling her eyes. "But being as endowed as I am is a far cry from the lack of curves I had when I was younger Duo. As active as Marcail is it would be a problem for her. A lot of girls deal with being curvy differently as some are very active but Marcail would go crazy."
"Women are confusing." He grumbles before capturing Hilde's lips in a tender kiss. It felt so good to be back home, to be back in the arms of the women he loved.
"Come on or were going to be late." Hilde warns pulling back a few moments later.
"Ine den." Duo pouts, while imitating their four-year-old son.
"Oh stop pouting there is always tonight after the party."
Grinning at his wife he winks at her promising that he would take her up on that offer.
~~~
Marcail sat absolutely still as she felt the grease ooze down her shirt. She looked up from her tools and took in the three faces of her best friends. Shove a bucket of grease down HER back will they? Make sure her life is hell because she is the only girl, who kicks their butts, will they?
The boys slowly backed up as they stared at the look on her face with growing horror. When she picked up the wrench they turn and ran. She was going to kill them.
Marcail was gaining and about two feet behind Jason when she felt strong-arms wrap around her waist. Looking up into highly amused black eyes she glared back. " Uncle Wufei!" she growled.
" It is unlady like to kill people at your age." He informed her in a serious tone hiding his laughter.
" But uncle Wufei," she hissed thinking fast, " I must serve justice to those violators."
" The only justice you will serve is to a bath tub." He argued.
Marcail turned her hot gaze on the three boys promising revenge. They were going to pay for making her take a bath. The boys gulped they did not know who was scarier, Heero who was chewing them down, or the violet eyed girl who was promising death with her eyes.
~~~
Glaring at Chris across the table Marcail contemplated on throwing the dinner knife that she had been using for the meal. He had not stopped watching her from his position across the table since she had arrived. At first she had been shocked to see him standing there but all she wanted to do right now was rip his eyes out. He had even had the audacity to try to act like nothing had happened in the last year.
"You really should stop glaring so." Her mother whispers in her ear.
Shooting her mother a glance she turned her glare to her plate instead. She hated men sometimes. Of course the only friends she had were male, because girls were to, well girly, for her. Especially the ones that cried if they broke a nail, looking down at her own chipped and chewed on nails she almost snorted. She wanted to go home now. She felt naked in this dress, like she always did and wanted nothing more than to escape.
"Ladies and Gentlemen." Relena says standing up. Looking up from her food Marcail grins at the elegant women. Over the years, to her at least, Relena Yuy and her Mother had not aged a day but grown more beautiful and wise. She respected them both highly and was greatful for being able to learn so much from them. "The dancing will be starting in a few minutes so if we could all make our way there please."
Standing with the rest Marcail fought back the urge to run and hide. Dancing was an evil all of it's own and she had never really mastered the art of it. Her arms and legs were to long to actually handle the movements gracefully. So she avoided it like the plague and watched her parents as they moved gracefully with complete envy.
"So how have you been?" A light tenor questions her. Turning she looked at Chris Yuy as if she had never seen him before.
"Do I know you?" She questions her eyes going wide.
"Marcail." He says in a warning voice.
"Have we been introduced? I don't think I could forget someone with an ego as big as yours?"
"Marc."
"You don't even look remotely familiar, sorry."
"Mar."
Blinking up at him she sighs before leaning over and grabbing a stick of butter. "Here you go you might want to butter that ego before you try walking through a door you will need it."
Turning on her heal, she quickly walks over to the punch bowl. Smiling at a young Diplomat who asked her to dance she nods her head and lets him lead her out to the dance floor.
Sighing to herself, as she stood on the balcony some time later, Marcail rubs her aching feet. It seemed that she wasn't the only one who had trouble dancing because her feet had been stepped on more than she thought humanely possible. The only time she had relief was when she had snagged her dad for a dance and then Uncle Heero had taken pity and cut in when a particularly awful person had caught her without a partner.
"Your feet bugging you?" Chris's calm voice questioned her. Marcail winces at the sound of his voice, very few people could read him but she did like an open book. Or at least he was one to her, she often wondered if she was just as open for him to read. His voice, though, had a hint of steel and anger filtering through it.
Debating on whether or not to continue her act she looks up, catching a glimpse of his expressionless eyes she winces, and decides against it.
"Ya." Better to keep one's body parts intact when you could.
Nodding his head he propped his head on his arms on the rail next to her. Sneaking a look at him she sighs.
"You should have at least written me."
"I was busy."
"So busy you couldn't even scribble a couple of lines saying…Marc I am fine don't worry? A year, Christopher Odin Yuy, a year since I heard from you, a year since I saw one of my best friends, and a year since I didn't feel like I was losing one of the closest people in my life. I heard more from Mark and he WAS ON THE EARTH." Tapping her foot she debated on slugging him for effect but decided to save her energy for the rest of the dancing. Besides she had never been able to hurt him that way, after they turned twelve and he started weight lifting.
"I was busy."
"No you have been spending to much time with you father Chris. Stop with the monotone crap and talk to me. Or have you found someone else and decided that I am just not good enough to be your best friend?"
"No."
"Fine then when you decide to start talking to me, come find me other wise good night Chris." Turning back to head inside she felt her guts lurch why was he being so rude all the sudden? He had always talked to her and now he was shutting her out. It scared her, badly.
She needed Chris's friendship badly. Oh sure they fought like cats and dogs but they would give everything for each other. He had been there for her through thick and thin and she needed that in her life. They had never really been separated until he had gone off to college and it had cut deep when she had written him with no response so she had stopped writing. What else was she to do? Best friend or no she wasn't giving him anything over her, ever.
Sighing softly she smiled at the young man who asked her to dance, even if it was without her usual spark.
He wasn't any better than the partner that had sent her to the balcony with sore feet and her toes were screaming for her to kick the crap out of the guy. She was sorely tempted to in fact.
"May I cut in?" Chris's voice broke through her thoughts and she shook her head trying to finish clearing it out. Looking at the glare the other guy was sending him she almost began singing. Nodding the older guy handed her off and Marcail felt relief flood her then horror.
"Wait a second you dance worse than I do." She grumbles closing her eyes she bit her lip with horror. Her feet were going to die she could already tell.
"Trust me." He replies his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I won't step on your feet."
"I have heard that one before Yuy. I think Jay said that about jumping out of a tree and not getting hurt once. I broke my leg."
"If I remember correctly, which I do, you threw him down the stairs and broke his afterward."
"Point?"
Sighing he shook his head. "I am sorry Marc."
Blinking up at him she frowns. "Then explain to me why you ignored your best friend."
"I thought it would be best." He admits.
"You what?" She hisses at him quietly as to not attract too much attention. "Chris what have I told you about running my life."
"I know…I just didn't want you to get stuck with me."
"Stuck? Who is the moron who thinks Wing is cool?"
Eyes narrowing, he shakes his head before giving into the bait. "Wing is cool."
"Okay fine Deathscythe just had a better Pilot."
"Marcail, are you stating that my father wasn't a good pilot?"
"No I am saying my dad was a better pilot." She smirks.
Opening his mouth to argue she puts her fingers on his lips and shakes her head no. Nodding towards the window she turns him so he can see the person that was standing there.
"Chris there is someone with a gun back there." She whispers.
He nods, "We are going to angle that way okay?"
Nodding her head she allows him to lead her off heading toward the balcony. Getting within twenty feet of it she nods at him and they split. Her heading directly for it and him going around, Chris was going to kill her for acting impulsive again, but whoever was back here was not going to hurt Aunt Relena. Grabbing the string she felt the slits form, sneaking behind a tapestry she nods to herself, before grinning and pulling her gun out. Sneaking around it she peers out into the night her eyes focusing almost instantly.
There were four men standing their watching their comrade. He was clicking the safety off as she watched. Thinking she sighed, she was as good as dead if she survived this for her Dad and Chris were going to kill her after this.
"FREEZE." She yells coming out of the shadows her gun raised as she points it at the men in front of her. Nodding at the guy with a gun she frowns at him. "Just go stand over there with your friends." She orders, hearing a noise behind her she whirls just as a she feels a sharp pain rip through her shoulder. Biting back a scream she lashes out with a high kick catching the gunner in the jaw, sending him over the side.
Whipping around once more she barely dogged the knife that was sent her direction. Rolling around she whipped her leg underneath another attacker knocking him down, Bringing the leg back around she brought it down on his sternum instantly ending his life. Using her momentum she brings herself onto her feet to face the other two. Seeing Chris get the guy with the gun out of the corner of her eye she lashes out once more catching the guy on the left with a high kick to the shoulder. Catching him off guard he flew into his opponent knocking them both to the ground. Reaching down she scoops up her gun in her left hand and aims it at them.
"I wouldn't move if I was you."
~~~
"I should beat you senseless!" Duo ranted at her as she sat back on her bed. She had been shot clean through the shoulder and now she was getting the lecture of her life.
"DAD ENOUGH!" She snapped her patience finally going. "I know I got shot okay, yes it was stupid, and yes I know your mad but I couldn't let them get Aunt Relena. Now I already had this conversation with Chris, Jay, Mom, Aunt Relena, and Uncle Heero. ENOUGH already, I got the point. So stop okay? I need some sleep."
Shaking his head in defeat he sits down next to her. "You are to much like me, babe." He whispers his eyes filling with tears. "Next time though wait for Chris or someone else to get there."
"Ya sure Dad." She mumbles as the sleeping pills her Mom had given her earlier began to kick in.
"At least promise me you will be careful."
Looking up at him she nods her head. "I prowmise." She slurs, before drifting off to sleep.
"Ate is ong ith Mar?" Violet questions her dark eyes wide with fear.
"She got shot sweat heart."
"Oh…tan I tiss and ake etter?"
Leaning down her picked up the tiny toddler and placed her gently on the bed. "Be gentle sweetie it hurts very much."
Nodding the tiny girl leans down and very lightly places a kiss on Marcail's shoulder, leaning up she kissed her sisters check.
"Tan I eep ere?" She questions.
Nodding his head he places the pajama clad girl in the bed, before tucking the covers around her and the sleeping Marcail. "Good night darling."
"Ight addy."
Kissing her lightly on the forehead Duo quickly leaves the room. A few minutes later Violet looks at the window and frowns. The window was opening, watching it she blinks confused as a figure enters the room. It almost seemed to blend in with the shadows. Closing the window soundlessly behind it the shadow moved silently to a corner in the room where it blended in perfectly.
Sighing Violet curls up against Marcail to get warm, just before she drifted off she sleep she mumbles.
"Ight Ris."