~*~ August 16, AC 199 ~*~
~*~ Zechs and Noin's Office ~*~
~*~ 9:00 AM ~*~


"Where is he?," Lucretia Noin called out, walking out of the office she shared with her friend and work partner, Zechs Merquise. Noin ran her hand through her short black hair, and thought to herself, " He is the only six foot five Preventer with long white blonde hair, and no one can find him."

Just then the object of her search walked down the hallway holding a folder in one hand, balancing two cups of coffee in the other, and a heavy book balanced on top of his head.

"Zechs! Where were you?" Noin yelled at him taking the folder and a cup of coffee.

"Une called me down to pick up our new case, I got some coffee for you, and borrowed a book from Relena," Zechs said as if he does this every day. He took the book off his head and set it on his cluttered desk.

It wasn't that Zechs' desk was a total mess. He just kept a lot of stuff out at once. Pens, files, invoices, and short notes covered the center of the desk. Around the edges of the desk, almost like castle walls, framed photographs lined his workstation.

Noin sat down on the corner of her own, conversely clean, desk. She picked up one picture and gazed at it. It was a photograph captured during a holiday vacation. She and Zechs at the beach, his pale skin slightly burned and his soft hair obstructing the view of his mesmerizing blue eyes, and herself with both arms wrapped tightly around his muscular bare upper-torso. That was last summer.

"What's the assignment?," Noin asked, setting the memory back in it's place among the others.

"Real easy. In fact, Lady was reluctant to give it to us. All we have to do is organize a peace talk between two groups," Zechs told her, sitting down in his leather chair. He began to try to organize his clutter when he came across a picture of King Peacecraft and his son, Prince Milliardo.

Noin carefully watched her partner. "Milliardo Peacecraft and Zechs Merquise," she thought," The same man. It still tortures him..."

It was true. Zechs Merquise, masked Oz soldier, and Milliardo Peacecraft, pacifist prince of the Cinq Kingdom were the same man. Although now, he only went by the name Zechs Merquise, and no longer wore the silver bird-like mask that hid his handsome features.

"I almost wish Une did give the mission to some other team," Zechs said, leaning back in his chair. The statement startled his partner out of her thoughts.

"Why is that?" Lucretia asked.

"I want a nap."