Prelude
She stood there with the dignity of an officer of her caliber. Trieze had done his part. The war had ended, and he finally had the peace that he deserved. Now, two years later, they were reading his last will and testament. It was the oddest thing; she wondered why they hadn't read it at the funeral. Perhaps there was a very good reason, one that none of them knew of.
"First of all let me start by saying that it's an honor to finally be able to read this to all of you. Mr. Trieze had more than he preferred to show off, and he's willed everything to all of you. He considers all of you family and therefore requested that-as you all have probably figured out- that you either be present at the reading or you won't receive your portion. Um." He paused, nervously clearing his throat. "Heh. OK. My name is Mr. Brian Jones and...well, here's Mr. Trieze's will."
*****
"Man, I can't believe Trieze!" Duo said excitedly. "He left us each our own storage warehouse!"
"The contents of which are not to be revealed to anyone but ourselves," Trowa reminded him.
"It's odd, don't you guys think?" Quatre asked quizzically. "After all the trouble we caused Trieze.you'd think he wouldn't leave us anything."
"It could be a trap," Wufei said solemnly, staring at the key to his warehouse.
"Unbelievable!" Duo gaped. "The guy's dead and you still don't trust him."
"I trust him alright.to do something completely Trieze-like." He placed the key carefully in his pocket and began to walk towards the elevator. "I'm going to check my warehouse out right now."
"We should all probably go see what Trieze left us," Trowa agreed. "Who knows? We may be able to use whatever it is. Heero, are you coming?"
"Maybe later," he promised absently. "I gotta go see about a girl."
*****
"Mr. Peacecraft, if you and Ms. Noin would please stay for a moment."
Noin frowned. "Why?"
"I'm pretty sure I didn't finish reading the will. Please close the door."
Zechs closed the door calmly completely unfazed by the strange request. The lawyer cleared his throat calmly. " 'To Noin and Zechs I leave my most prized treasure, filled with untold beauty and more priceless than any historical artifact. I regret to inform you that although she's not finished, she is absolutely perfect.' "
Noin raised an eyebrow. "She?"
" 'Guard this treasure with your life, and I promise in time, I will reward you in full.' My instructions are to give you this." He reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a small perfectly round crystal ball around the size of a half-dollar. "It's pure, flawless crystal that dates back centuries. It's practically unbreakable; only a supernatural force can shatter it."
"A supernatural force?" she repeated, blinking.
"That's what he told me. It's called the Imperium Silver Crystal. But the Crystal's not yours."
"Then what is?"
"The little girl who owns it." He jotted down some information on a piece of paper. "She's at the St. Gabriel orphanage, which is attached to that Catholic school a few blocks away. She's a sweet little kid."
"Wait a second; Trieze wants us to take care of a kid?" Noin blinked. "But we can't possibly."
"If you feel uncomfortable with it Noin then I will do it," Zechs volunteered.
"By yourself?"
He smiled a little. "I must admit, it's very odd of Trieze, leaving us both a child. But I think he had something else in mind."
"The will says that you both have to agree to take custody of her," Mr. Jones stipulated.
"We will both take care of her," Noin sighed. "I just...don't want to give up my apartment."
"You won't have to," he smiled. "Just sign this contract at the bottom and all of your problems will be solved."
She stood there with the dignity of an officer of her caliber. Trieze had done his part. The war had ended, and he finally had the peace that he deserved. Now, two years later, they were reading his last will and testament. It was the oddest thing; she wondered why they hadn't read it at the funeral. Perhaps there was a very good reason, one that none of them knew of.
"First of all let me start by saying that it's an honor to finally be able to read this to all of you. Mr. Trieze had more than he preferred to show off, and he's willed everything to all of you. He considers all of you family and therefore requested that-as you all have probably figured out- that you either be present at the reading or you won't receive your portion. Um." He paused, nervously clearing his throat. "Heh. OK. My name is Mr. Brian Jones and...well, here's Mr. Trieze's will."
*****
"Man, I can't believe Trieze!" Duo said excitedly. "He left us each our own storage warehouse!"
"The contents of which are not to be revealed to anyone but ourselves," Trowa reminded him.
"It's odd, don't you guys think?" Quatre asked quizzically. "After all the trouble we caused Trieze.you'd think he wouldn't leave us anything."
"It could be a trap," Wufei said solemnly, staring at the key to his warehouse.
"Unbelievable!" Duo gaped. "The guy's dead and you still don't trust him."
"I trust him alright.to do something completely Trieze-like." He placed the key carefully in his pocket and began to walk towards the elevator. "I'm going to check my warehouse out right now."
"We should all probably go see what Trieze left us," Trowa agreed. "Who knows? We may be able to use whatever it is. Heero, are you coming?"
"Maybe later," he promised absently. "I gotta go see about a girl."
*****
"Mr. Peacecraft, if you and Ms. Noin would please stay for a moment."
Noin frowned. "Why?"
"I'm pretty sure I didn't finish reading the will. Please close the door."
Zechs closed the door calmly completely unfazed by the strange request. The lawyer cleared his throat calmly. " 'To Noin and Zechs I leave my most prized treasure, filled with untold beauty and more priceless than any historical artifact. I regret to inform you that although she's not finished, she is absolutely perfect.' "
Noin raised an eyebrow. "She?"
" 'Guard this treasure with your life, and I promise in time, I will reward you in full.' My instructions are to give you this." He reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a small perfectly round crystal ball around the size of a half-dollar. "It's pure, flawless crystal that dates back centuries. It's practically unbreakable; only a supernatural force can shatter it."
"A supernatural force?" she repeated, blinking.
"That's what he told me. It's called the Imperium Silver Crystal. But the Crystal's not yours."
"Then what is?"
"The little girl who owns it." He jotted down some information on a piece of paper. "She's at the St. Gabriel orphanage, which is attached to that Catholic school a few blocks away. She's a sweet little kid."
"Wait a second; Trieze wants us to take care of a kid?" Noin blinked. "But we can't possibly."
"If you feel uncomfortable with it Noin then I will do it," Zechs volunteered.
"By yourself?"
He smiled a little. "I must admit, it's very odd of Trieze, leaving us both a child. But I think he had something else in mind."
"The will says that you both have to agree to take custody of her," Mr. Jones stipulated.
"We will both take care of her," Noin sighed. "I just...don't want to give up my apartment."
"You won't have to," he smiled. "Just sign this contract at the bottom and all of your problems will be solved."