Aki sat at the piano, his fingers flying over the keys. He barely noticed
that someone had entered the room. His fingers hit the keys delicately, and
never missed a key. He didn't even have any sheet music in front of him.
"That's good."
The voice pulled him out of his small daydream. It was Mike. He had entered the living room; his hair slightly messed. He was leaning against the doorframe. "Oh, sorry, did I wake u?" Aki asked. He shook her head, "No, I had to be getting up now anyway." He smiled slightly, trying to flatten his hair. "What was that called?" Mike asked, walking over to sit next to him. "I don't know." He answered honestly; "It just kinda came out. I sat down at the piano everyday and it just comes out." He tugged at his sleeve, pulling it down to cover something. "What's that?" He asked, reaching over. Aki grabbed his hand. "Don't." he tossed Mike's hand away. "What? Tell me." Aki looked down at his arm. "It's something I guess I was born with. My parent's can't explain it…." Aki looked out the huge side window. Mike put a hand on his friend's shoulder. He noticed a small red string tied around his neck. "What's this?" he asked. "Don't know what this is either," he pulled out a small crystal dagger. "I had it around my neck when my parents found me." Aki sighed. He wanted to go home. "Mike, can I go home now? My mama and dad are probably getting worried."
Mike looked into Aki's eyes. His orders were to keep him here. "Ok, but hit me first." Aki looked confused. "What? Hit you? Why?" Mike shook his head. "Just hit me. Please…" Aki looked at Mike. "Aki, I know your past. I know all about your family, and how you lost your memory." Aki looked at him. "You know? What? U have to tell me?" Mike shook his head. "No you'll find out soon enough. So just punch me and get outta here!"
Mike was serious. "I'm sorry," Aki said as he pulled his fist back. Than he slammed it into Mike's face, knocking him out. "Sorry," he whispered again, than ran from the room.
Ayah sat in the huge house. Across from her, sat a middle-aged man with blond hair, another man pat his back softly. "It's ok Quatre. He's a big boy, he'll find his way home." Said one man. "Trowa, what if he doesn't?" said Quatre. His eyes filled with tears. "Mr. Winner, please, if anyone can find his way back to his family, Aki can." Ayah said, more to comfort herself than Quatre. "See? And we have Heero pulled from active duty to look for him. Duo's keeping his eyes open and Wufei rushed the paper work on the missing person's report." Trowa rubbed his friend's back. "What about Abby? Has there been any improvement?" Trowa shook his head.
Abby, Duo's sister and Quatre's betrothed had taken seriously ill when Aki disappeared. Quatre was on the verge of a nervous break down. Trowa hadn't seen Quatre this bad since the war. "Trowa, what if I lose both of them?" he whispered. "Don't think like that, Mr. Winner! Don't u have faith in your son?" Ayah stood up. "I believe that he will make it home, and that Miss. Redwall will get better. You just have to be strong for them."
Ayah knew what she was talking about. Her village raised her after her brother had been dispelled. "Princess Ayah, I have tried. Forgive me for being rude, but I have no strength left." Ayah walked over to Quatre. He looked up at the young, but strong-willed girl. Ayah smacked Quatre across the face. "You give up so easily. I know that Aki and Miss. Redwall would never give up this easily on you." Tears streamed from Ayah's eyes. "Mr. Winner, I love your son. I won't give up on him. So how dare you. His own father, give up so easily!" Quatre just looked at her, his tear-stained check turning red from where she hit him. Trowa just watched, if she were going to hurt Quatre anymore, he'd do something. Quatre felt the sting of the slap. It felt like a wake up call. He leapt up and hugged ayah. "Thank you. Thank you so much, princess." He said.
Aki ran. He ran as fast as he could. There has to be some way to get rid of these guys. He thought. He dashed down an ally, than jumped a fence. He knew his way around the small Arabian City like the back of his hand. But he had to find some way to get to New York. That's where his mother and father were. And where Ayah was. He had to get to Ayah.
He, then, saw his chance. A ship, carrying silks, bound for America. Yes! Mom, dad, ayah, I'm coming home. He thought and dashed for the ship. He grabbed loader's cloths and picked up a huge pile of silks. Aki walked up the loading ramp and placed the silks down. He spotted a huge pile of boxes and hid behind them. "He's got to be around here somewhere!" he heard one of the men chasing him yell. "Check the hold!" he heard footsteps. No no! But a familiar face popped out from around the side of the crates. It was Shmi. Shmi was Aki's best friend when he lived here as a kid. "Aki. What are you doing in here with the crates?" he asked, still smiling. "Shmi? You work for these guys?" Aki pulled his friend down behind the crates. "The men in the suits? Aki has got Shmi wrong. Shmi now works for shipping company!" Aki let out a sigh of relief. "Now why is Shmi's friend Aki hiding with the rats?" Aki explained his situation quickly. "Ahh, Shmi understand now." Aki smiled. "Now go out there and say all u found where rats. Don't say anything about me. Got it?" Shim nodded. "Shmi find only rats. Gotcha." Shmi stood and walked out from behind the crates. "Well?" Aki heard the man ask. "Shmi find only cute rat. You want to see it?" Aki covered his mouth so as not to laugh as he heard the man. "He must have taken off somewhere else." Aki heard the footsteps leave and he sighed in relief. Get comfortable Aki; it's a long way to New York. He thought as he got comfortable. I'm coming home, ayah. Don't worry…I'll be there soon. He could feel that she knew he was on his way. I wonder how long it will take to get home? He checked his watch. It's two Arab time, so it'll be… He did the calculations. Oh I don't know, I give up. I just know that when I get home the first thing I'm doing is telling ayah how much I love her.
Ayah looked up at the sky. She was leaning on the balcony of her room that Quatre had given her. The stars shone brightly in the night sky. The house was located a fair way outside of New York. She was used to the stars, since she grew up in the mountains. "Princess?" she heard a tiny voice call from behind her. Ayah turned, her golden hair flying around her face. A small girl stood in the doorway between the huge balcony and her room. "Yes?" she had never seen this child here. There were many children that roomed the winner mation. Most belonging to the men Quatre kept for security. "Princess, I am Aeries Maxwell, I was wondering…" Maxwell? She had heard Aki mention this name a few times. "Do you know when Aki will be coming home?" her small voice quivered slightly, and in the dim light, Ayah could see that she'd been crying. "Come here little on." She says with a softness that would make others think she was older than she is. The small child walked over to her. "I don't know when Aki's coming home but I know he's coming." Aeries looked up at the sky. "Wow…" Ayah smiled. "You see that one? The small flickering red one?" Aeries nodded. "That's the planet mars."
Duo scrambled around the house. "Rashid, have u seen my daughter, aeries?" he said with lack of breath. " I thought I saw her heading up to the princess's room a few minuets ago." He responded. Duo took off in a mad dash for Princess ayah's room. Oh I hope she's not bothering her! He thought hurriedly. Duo found the room easily. He slowly entered to see aeries standing on the balcony, a young women kneeling next to her. They were talking about the stars. "What about that one? The blinking one?" The woman smiled. "That's a colony. That one there, the really really small blue one, that's a planet, see how it kinda flickers but not blinks?" Duo straitened himself out, and walked over to the balcony door. "Aeries," he said in a serious voice. Both turned and looked at him, Aeries want over and hugged him. "Daddy, princess Ayah was telling all about the stars and how to tell them apart from colonies." She said happily. Not really noticing that her father appeared angry with her. Duo's expression softened as he picked his daughter up. "Miss. Ayah, I am sorry if she disturbed you in any way. She's not used to seen this many stars." Ayah smiled. Her youthful face showing signs of stress. "Oh it's fine. I didn't mind really." Aeries wrapped her small arms around duo's neck. "Come on Kido, let's get u to bed." He said softly. "But I'm-" aeries yawned, "-not tired." Duo smiled. "sure ur not." He turned and walked out of the room.
The voice pulled him out of his small daydream. It was Mike. He had entered the living room; his hair slightly messed. He was leaning against the doorframe. "Oh, sorry, did I wake u?" Aki asked. He shook her head, "No, I had to be getting up now anyway." He smiled slightly, trying to flatten his hair. "What was that called?" Mike asked, walking over to sit next to him. "I don't know." He answered honestly; "It just kinda came out. I sat down at the piano everyday and it just comes out." He tugged at his sleeve, pulling it down to cover something. "What's that?" He asked, reaching over. Aki grabbed his hand. "Don't." he tossed Mike's hand away. "What? Tell me." Aki looked down at his arm. "It's something I guess I was born with. My parent's can't explain it…." Aki looked out the huge side window. Mike put a hand on his friend's shoulder. He noticed a small red string tied around his neck. "What's this?" he asked. "Don't know what this is either," he pulled out a small crystal dagger. "I had it around my neck when my parents found me." Aki sighed. He wanted to go home. "Mike, can I go home now? My mama and dad are probably getting worried."
Mike looked into Aki's eyes. His orders were to keep him here. "Ok, but hit me first." Aki looked confused. "What? Hit you? Why?" Mike shook his head. "Just hit me. Please…" Aki looked at Mike. "Aki, I know your past. I know all about your family, and how you lost your memory." Aki looked at him. "You know? What? U have to tell me?" Mike shook his head. "No you'll find out soon enough. So just punch me and get outta here!"
Mike was serious. "I'm sorry," Aki said as he pulled his fist back. Than he slammed it into Mike's face, knocking him out. "Sorry," he whispered again, than ran from the room.
Ayah sat in the huge house. Across from her, sat a middle-aged man with blond hair, another man pat his back softly. "It's ok Quatre. He's a big boy, he'll find his way home." Said one man. "Trowa, what if he doesn't?" said Quatre. His eyes filled with tears. "Mr. Winner, please, if anyone can find his way back to his family, Aki can." Ayah said, more to comfort herself than Quatre. "See? And we have Heero pulled from active duty to look for him. Duo's keeping his eyes open and Wufei rushed the paper work on the missing person's report." Trowa rubbed his friend's back. "What about Abby? Has there been any improvement?" Trowa shook his head.
Abby, Duo's sister and Quatre's betrothed had taken seriously ill when Aki disappeared. Quatre was on the verge of a nervous break down. Trowa hadn't seen Quatre this bad since the war. "Trowa, what if I lose both of them?" he whispered. "Don't think like that, Mr. Winner! Don't u have faith in your son?" Ayah stood up. "I believe that he will make it home, and that Miss. Redwall will get better. You just have to be strong for them."
Ayah knew what she was talking about. Her village raised her after her brother had been dispelled. "Princess Ayah, I have tried. Forgive me for being rude, but I have no strength left." Ayah walked over to Quatre. He looked up at the young, but strong-willed girl. Ayah smacked Quatre across the face. "You give up so easily. I know that Aki and Miss. Redwall would never give up this easily on you." Tears streamed from Ayah's eyes. "Mr. Winner, I love your son. I won't give up on him. So how dare you. His own father, give up so easily!" Quatre just looked at her, his tear-stained check turning red from where she hit him. Trowa just watched, if she were going to hurt Quatre anymore, he'd do something. Quatre felt the sting of the slap. It felt like a wake up call. He leapt up and hugged ayah. "Thank you. Thank you so much, princess." He said.
Aki ran. He ran as fast as he could. There has to be some way to get rid of these guys. He thought. He dashed down an ally, than jumped a fence. He knew his way around the small Arabian City like the back of his hand. But he had to find some way to get to New York. That's where his mother and father were. And where Ayah was. He had to get to Ayah.
He, then, saw his chance. A ship, carrying silks, bound for America. Yes! Mom, dad, ayah, I'm coming home. He thought and dashed for the ship. He grabbed loader's cloths and picked up a huge pile of silks. Aki walked up the loading ramp and placed the silks down. He spotted a huge pile of boxes and hid behind them. "He's got to be around here somewhere!" he heard one of the men chasing him yell. "Check the hold!" he heard footsteps. No no! But a familiar face popped out from around the side of the crates. It was Shmi. Shmi was Aki's best friend when he lived here as a kid. "Aki. What are you doing in here with the crates?" he asked, still smiling. "Shmi? You work for these guys?" Aki pulled his friend down behind the crates. "The men in the suits? Aki has got Shmi wrong. Shmi now works for shipping company!" Aki let out a sigh of relief. "Now why is Shmi's friend Aki hiding with the rats?" Aki explained his situation quickly. "Ahh, Shmi understand now." Aki smiled. "Now go out there and say all u found where rats. Don't say anything about me. Got it?" Shim nodded. "Shmi find only rats. Gotcha." Shmi stood and walked out from behind the crates. "Well?" Aki heard the man ask. "Shmi find only cute rat. You want to see it?" Aki covered his mouth so as not to laugh as he heard the man. "He must have taken off somewhere else." Aki heard the footsteps leave and he sighed in relief. Get comfortable Aki; it's a long way to New York. He thought as he got comfortable. I'm coming home, ayah. Don't worry…I'll be there soon. He could feel that she knew he was on his way. I wonder how long it will take to get home? He checked his watch. It's two Arab time, so it'll be… He did the calculations. Oh I don't know, I give up. I just know that when I get home the first thing I'm doing is telling ayah how much I love her.
Ayah looked up at the sky. She was leaning on the balcony of her room that Quatre had given her. The stars shone brightly in the night sky. The house was located a fair way outside of New York. She was used to the stars, since she grew up in the mountains. "Princess?" she heard a tiny voice call from behind her. Ayah turned, her golden hair flying around her face. A small girl stood in the doorway between the huge balcony and her room. "Yes?" she had never seen this child here. There were many children that roomed the winner mation. Most belonging to the men Quatre kept for security. "Princess, I am Aeries Maxwell, I was wondering…" Maxwell? She had heard Aki mention this name a few times. "Do you know when Aki will be coming home?" her small voice quivered slightly, and in the dim light, Ayah could see that she'd been crying. "Come here little on." She says with a softness that would make others think she was older than she is. The small child walked over to her. "I don't know when Aki's coming home but I know he's coming." Aeries looked up at the sky. "Wow…" Ayah smiled. "You see that one? The small flickering red one?" Aeries nodded. "That's the planet mars."
Duo scrambled around the house. "Rashid, have u seen my daughter, aeries?" he said with lack of breath. " I thought I saw her heading up to the princess's room a few minuets ago." He responded. Duo took off in a mad dash for Princess ayah's room. Oh I hope she's not bothering her! He thought hurriedly. Duo found the room easily. He slowly entered to see aeries standing on the balcony, a young women kneeling next to her. They were talking about the stars. "What about that one? The blinking one?" The woman smiled. "That's a colony. That one there, the really really small blue one, that's a planet, see how it kinda flickers but not blinks?" Duo straitened himself out, and walked over to the balcony door. "Aeries," he said in a serious voice. Both turned and looked at him, Aeries want over and hugged him. "Daddy, princess Ayah was telling all about the stars and how to tell them apart from colonies." She said happily. Not really noticing that her father appeared angry with her. Duo's expression softened as he picked his daughter up. "Miss. Ayah, I am sorry if she disturbed you in any way. She's not used to seen this many stars." Ayah smiled. Her youthful face showing signs of stress. "Oh it's fine. I didn't mind really." Aeries wrapped her small arms around duo's neck. "Come on Kido, let's get u to bed." He said softly. "But I'm-" aeries yawned, "-not tired." Duo smiled. "sure ur not." He turned and walked out of the room.