4

MEANWHILE IN NEW YORK…

"While you were away, we made you responsible for birthdays. That'll teach you to be late, Blink!" Mush announced as Blink approached the posse of junior boys congregated on the stoop of the house the seven of them would share.

"You've got the last door on the left, second floor" Racetrack informed Blink.

"A single?"

"They're all singles!"

"Ha!" Blink yelled.

"Hey drop your stuff and lets go harass the new kids!"

"Yeah? Are they going somewhere? Quit rushing me!"

"Did you bring the you-know-what?"

"The video game console?" Blink offered.

"Check!" Jack chimed in.

"Mr Sock!" Mush hissed.

"Of course of course" Blink chuckled with relief.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF CAMPUS…

"At last, from Russia with love," Duo declared as he looked around at the campus from where he stood in front of the admissions building with his fellow pilots.

"Looks like," Quatre read from a schedule map "we've got an orientation assembly…." Quatre switched to a map of campus, "…in that building.."

The gundam pilots headed across the main lawn toward the auditorium building, passing between the performing arts center, and a small dining hall with a slate patio where returning students were congregating.

In the assembly hall, an old man with a thick New York accent began lecturing about fire codes. After about ten minutes Heero turned to Trowa and whispered, "Fuck this shit," before bailing. Duo looked tempted to follow, but Quatre frowned with disapproval.

Stepping outside Heero dug into his jacket's pocket for his cigarettes.

MEANWHILE…

"Campus is dead."

"Everyone's upacking."

"Who asked you Blink."

"where are the newbies then?"

"Orientation assembly" David observed, indicating to the lecture hall across the lawn.

Spot laughed, "Looks like there's a smart one," he nodded toward the gloomy looking boy having a cigarette and leaning against the auditorium building.

"How can you look that miserable on your first day of Hippie school?"

"How can you not be bored to tears hearing about the dangers of extension cords from Fireman Bob?"

"Fair enough."

Our gboys spent the rest of the day getting their new lives as "college students" set up. Wufei pusued work study opportunities, Trowa signed up to audition from the musical, Quatre joined an club for Arab kids, Duo spent the afternoon chasing squirrels, and Heero got some quality bonding time in with his laptop.