AC
195
Nigeria,
Winner Family Mansion
We
stepped out of the plane into the desert heat. Quatre looked right at home in
this harsh area. This was his home.
He
guided me to a room with the most lavish decorations I had ever seen
/
Sounds like what I've heard about the Winner family, never spare a cent for
their guests. / My thoughts were broken when I ran into someone. I looked up. A
boy my height was staring into my eyes. He had a pair of the coldest, most
beautiful emerald eyes. His manner was silent and calculating. He didn't trust
me and I didn't trust him. I looked him over from head to toe just the same as
he was doing to me. I was finished first and looked back at his face. The
curves of his face were not sharp and they weren't like Quatre's, round and
soft. Something clicked in mind and I frowned at the retreating back. I took
the chance and yelled out the name,
"
Nanashi?!" He turned to face me. He wasn't pleased; I could see his eyes narrow
into slits. Then his mouth curved into a slight smile. I smiled back. He nodded
his greetings and left. Quatre came out of his room and looked at me.
"
What happened?" he asked.
"'
I ran into a friend of yours. Tall, green eyes."
"
Oh! That's Trowa Barton. He is the pilot of Gundam Heavyarms."
"
Hmm."
/
Well 'Trowa Barton' you have come a long way since I saw you last. / I smiled
again.
Later
in the day, I was passing down a corridor I had not yet explored when I heard
haunting music. It was coming from an atrium at the end of the hallway. I listened.
Quatre was practicing his violin. Suddenly, a new instrument joined in. I
stepped into the room. The two boys finished their melody. Quatre noticed me
for the first time and began his melody again. This time, my voice rose to join
the part of the flute. I sang my heart out. I was giving the boys everything.
When we finished, I opened my eyes and looked around the room. Someone with red
hair caught my attention in the large bay window.
"
Quatre, do not turn around."
"
Why?"
"
Nitro is staring through the window." Trowa however looked straight at the face
and his own face hardened. Nitro smiled at Trowa then turned his menacing stare
towards me. He mouthed the words,
'
You will pay.' Trowa looked towards me. He could read lips as well as I could.
I shook my head.
"
No, I will not go. Those…bastards…can't…make…me." Nitro cut a hole big enough
for him to fit through and climbed through. He approached me. When he got
within arms length, he caressed my face with his gloves, tracing a pattern
along my jaw line. He smiled and then advanced on Quatre. Nitro walked around him
for some time then let out a shrill shout. A rumble told us his 'getaway car'
had arrived. He bounded through the hole and into the cockpit of his suit,
Eclipse.
"
Damn. I have to leave Quatre. I am so sorry you had to spend the time you did
on me." Quatre started to protest but I cut him off.
"
If I stay here, Nitro will eliminate the whole mansion, the price of human life
is too high. I'll need my mobile suit…is there a computer I can use before I have
to change?" Quatre pointed to terminal in shocked silence. Trowa watched as I
summoned the Gundam hidden in my father's compound in Brussels. When he saw
where the suit was coming from, his eyes bore into me. I finished my business,
straightened up and walked out of the room. Both boys just stood there.
Finally, Quatre made his way to one of the couches and fell onto it. Trowa slid
next to him. I returned ten minutes later. They both turned to see what I had
chosen as my flight suit. What I was wearing surprised them again. I was
wearing a skintight vinyl body suit with stiletto heels. In my right hand was
clasped a pair of gloves. Under my left arm was a helmet. It was nothing like
either of them had ever seen before. On its back was a phoenix in silver.
Everything else was black. I faced them and bowed to Quatre, then Trowa.
"
It was very kind of you to take me in like this. Like I said, if I don't leave
now, none of us will ever leave this place." With that, I took my leave.
