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.