("understatement of the century." k2 said)
"Anyways, alot has happened these past 7 yrs. Got hitched, had 2 kids, and blah blah blah blah! So there. Again, I'm really really really really really really really really really really really really really sorry"
k2: Seeing as how I've been on site more recently, I guess I coulda posted on this story some. So I am also at fault. To make up for it you may torture me in any way possible that makes you feel better about our cruel hiatus"
"We are not making any money in the production of this story. Any and all characters belong to people over in Japan."
Chapter 6
Quatre always hated having meetings in Jubaan. This wasn't his first time. He'd had meetings here before, and the same thing always happened. The same thing that was about to happen today...
Quatre stepped out of the rental car and heard some heavy arguments coming from the building. "I don't care! You shouldn't have left him alone like that!"
"He told me to!" He heard the familiar voice of Rashid say.
"That isn't the point! Mr. Winner could be in danger as we speak! You know what happens when"
"I KNOW. But Master Quatre insisted that Mr. Maxwell's plan was a good one. I agreed because he has been rather stressed and I wanted to lessen the stress some"
"Yes! But I could get into some serious trouble for letting this happen"
"HOW? You could not have known that this was going to happen." Quatre saw Heero walk out of the building.
"It's about time you got here Quatre." He said "I'm outta here." That said, he walked over to the rental car and opened the door. Before he got in, he glanced back over to Quatre. "You owe me. Big." With that he got in and drove off. Quatre just shook his head and sighed. "Time to face the music. Joy!" Quatre looked inside the building and saw Rashid talking, or arguing if you wanted to be technical, to another, smaller, man. The same man as always. Quatre looked up at the sky. Why must he always be put with me? Did I do something wrong? Is this some sort of perverse punishment from the War? They always argue. Nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag! Do this, don't do that. Gosh, I'm old enough to drive, kill, and have sex, Quatre paused. Wonder what that's like? But I can't even go off on my own!" Peeking in again he noticed that the man was wearing the same thing as always. Black leather pants. Orange flame silk shirt topped with a black leather jacket. Black boots and sunglasses. Doesn't he wash his clothes? Going into the building, he walked up to the 'bickering-like-and-old-married-couple' pair. "So they assigned you to me again, Peregrine?" Quatre asked as he pulled off his coat. The man broke his glaring contest with Rashid and nodded. Then did a double take.
"Oh, thank goodness your here. I was sooo worried, unlike someone else I could mention." He grumbled out, glaring at Rashid again. Rashid's hand itched to get his gun. "And yes, they did. No one else can stand your assistant." The man now known as Peregrine stated still glaring at Rashid. "Besides, no one likes your dissapearing act; along with the fact that you are never doing as your told and all that." Quatre thought on that for a second and then grinned.
"True enough. I never seem to be able to shake you, though." Quatre mused. "Not that I try, of course." Quatre added. Peregrine and Rashid exchanged glances, and then glanced as one at Quatre. "Riiight." They said together. Quatre had actually tried ducking out on everyone that was assigned to his protection, especially when he thought it unneeded. Which happened to be most of the time. I mean what's a couple assasination attempts compared to what he went through with the War. "Well, shall we get to meeting now?" Quatre asked, getting rather annoyed with the looks that the two were giving each other.
30 Minutes later.
"Rashid?" Quatre asked rubbing his temples. "You know guns don't work, so why do you insist on trying?" They were hiding behind an overturned table, while a tall, gangly yellow monster was blindly attacking them. Peregrine was slumped against the far wall, where he had been thrown after a failed attempt to subdue the creature. He was just beginning to move again. The monster's vision was blocked by some yellow gunk. "If I hadn't thrown that pasty stuff that Jenna gave me for a snack at it," Quatre added, "you would have been in alot of trouble"
"There's always a first time for everything." Rashid muttered. Quatre sighed.
"How many times have I been attacked in Jubaan"
"474 times, including the meetings"
"And how many times have you attacked with a gun, and it didn't work"
"475 times!" Rashid replied quickly and triumphantly. Quatre dropped his head into his hands exasperatedly. Peregrine, who had overheard, tried not to laugh at the big man. His head hurt to much to laugh. "Not on a human, Rashid." Quatre replied, shaking his head. Rashid grimaced and grumbled slightly.
"474"
"OK." Quatre replied. "Now, just sit still until those girls show up, alright"
"Fine. I still don't like the fact that those girls are the only ones that can stop those monsters." Quatre grinned.
"Yeah, but I thought you liked their skin?" Peregrine murmered before he could stop himself. "Wait, did I say skin!? I meant skirt. Wait, I mean..." Glances at Rashid. Seeing his glare, he gulped. "Nevermind." Pretends to pass out again. Suddenly the table they were hiding behind was thrown out of the way, and the monster was hovering over them menacingly.
"That. Was. Not. FUNNY!!!!" It screamed. "What was that stuff?"
"Pudding." Quatre replied before dashing for cover with Rashid behind him. Peregrine watched as Quatre ran, debating whether or not to use his secret turmp card.
"Get back here!" The monster cried as Quatre ducked behind a desk and looked around the room. Several delegates were sprawled on the floor, already suffering from the monster's attacks. Others were hiding, trying not to be found. It had blocked all exits so no one could escape. All, but the skylight. No one could reach that, being twenty feet above the ground.
A delegate was suddenly grabbed from behind a chair in a corner by one of it's long snaky arms and pulled over to it. The monster raised it's hand slowly, letting the fear of it's victim satisfy it's pleasure, then placed it's hand meticulously on his head. The thumb and pinkie placed on the cheekbones and the other three fingers on his forehead. The delegate screamed in pain as the creature slowly sucked his energy from his being. Rashid looked from it to Quatre in panic.
"What's taking them so long andyway?" Rashid asked shakily.
"Who?" Quatre asked.
"Those girls! Usually they get here pretty quick!"
"Well, they do have a whole city to protect you know."
"Here, richy, richy, rich guy." Quatre looked at the monster disbelivingly.
"Is that thing serious?" He asked. "I mean...how corny is that?"
"Can I throw this at it?" Rashid asked suddenly. Quatre looked over at Rashid to see he had a grenade.
"NO!" Quatre said irritabblly. "You'll blow us up and not even harm that thing"
"THERE YOU ARE!" The thing screeched as it lifted the desk.
"Wait to go, Master Quatre." Rashid muttered as the two dodged the monster.
"Oh, shut up." Quatre growled. The monster's arm stretched and slammed toward the two. Quatre back flipped and landed in a crouch while Rashid jumped to the side.
"Those lessons with Trowa are paying off, Master Quatre!" Rashid complimented. Quatre shook his head and dodged another attack. This just wasn't his day.
"OK, enough games. I have job to do." The monster said. "COLLAR CLASH!" It cried. Four loops flew from the monster at Quatre, then it repeated the attack, but directed it at Rashid. Peregrine ran over to assist, but the monster threw the attack at him so unexpectedly that he didn't have time to jump out of the way. Quatre made to dodge them, but they got to him first. The loops opened on the side to wrap around his sholders, waist, legs, and feet. Rashid and Peregrine were in similar positions. "Well, now. "Let's see if you are what I am looking for, shall we?' While Quatre tried to wriggle free, the monster approachid on him slowly. Quatre saw Rashid moving out of the corner of his eye and turned his head to see more clearly. Rashid ahd the grenade out and was trying to take the pin out of it.
"Rashid, don't you dare"
"But"
"NO!" The monster lifted Quatre up and...dropped him. Quatre looked up quizzically and saw a rose protruding from it's head.
"Picking on the defenseless is a terrible crime that must be punished" Quatre looked up and over to the side and saw the only male member of the Scouts on the skylight of the building. Quatre groaned at the thought of another speech. He'd heard so many today as it was. 'Please let it be short?' Quatre thought.
"Justice will see to your destruction! I, Tuxedo Mask, shall make sure that justice is met"
"To attack innocent people is a crime you will not soon forget! I am Sailor Jupitor!" Jupitor shouted from next to Tuxedo Mask.
"How dare you attack such a cute guy, especially one with a hot but! In the name of Venus, I will get you" Venus shouted from next to Juptiter. All Quatre could do was look at the Sailor of Venus, shell shocked, as everybody else in the room looked at him. Peregrine leaned over and looked at the object in question. Smirking, he looked up at Quatre.
"Yep, she's right. You do have a cute but." Quatre quickly turned his shocked expression on him, if he could've, he would have covered his butt. After a face vault on Tuxedo Mask and Jupitor's part, the Scouts then introduced themselves one by one, each using a corny speech.
"So, you were in love with a trapeze artist who was also your partner at a circus?" Duo asked as he spooned in some mashed potatoes.
"Yes. My parents didn't like the idea, they said it was bad for my image. I didn't care. We had a brief fling. My parents about had a gasket when I ended up pregnant. After Catherine was born, I was confined to my trailer unless I had someone with me. After two years, I ran off. Everyone was looking for me, including Sario. He found me in a forest and well...I guess I was just being rebellious. We concieved Triton that day"
"Where'd you get that name anyway?" Duo asked.
"Mythology. Triton was a handsome god. Actually, Catherine named him when she was three. She got it out of a picture book, he was her favorite and when she saw Triton for the first time, that's what she called him"
Ding Dong "I'll get it." Ikuko said,
"I think I'll come with you out of general purposes." Duo said. "Considering all the suprises today, I wouln't be surprised if the Lightning Count himself was standing out there"
"Whose the Lightning Count?" Ikuko asked as they walked.
"Oh, that's Zechs. Or should I be calling him Milliard now"
"A friend?"
"I'm not really sure. He tried to kill us during the war and now we know him to be the big brother of Relena Dorlian"
"Oh, how confusing"
"Yeah. Same old, same old." Ikuko shook her head as she opened the door.
"You boys went through alot during the war didn't you"
"HEERO!?" Duo screeched. "What the heck are you doing here!? Wait! Don't tell me. Your related to the Tsukino's in some way, right?" Heero reaised his left eyebrow.
"And why would I be?"
"It just seems like everybody is today. So, if you aren't related, what are you doing here?"
"This is Quatre's sisters house. What are you doing here?" Duo tured to Ikuko slowly.
"Your brother is Quatre Reberba Winner?"
"Yes, don't you remember? Oh, that's right! You were always gone when he came over! Silly me. But, I do talk about him quite frequently. And Sammy and Serena talk about him none stop after he's gone"
"Uh...yeah. But, all I ever hear is Uncle Quatre or Kitten or Quat from you. And then when you were upset about your father being dead... I didn't think anything of it. You never made anything clear to me! Next time be a little moe clear about things"
" I don't know why your so upset. Do you know Quatre in some way?"
"Yeah, he just happens to be one of my friends. Just like everybody else in this house!"
"Oh! Which one is he?
"Sandrock." Heero's eyes widened and he grabbed Duo by the throat, pulling him in to pointedly glare at him. Ikuko shrieked and backed up a little as Heero spoke.
"What do you thing your doing, you idiot?"
"Dude! Heero, she already knows! G told her, not me! I swear! Now LEGgO!" All those who were in the dining room came crashing into the hall when they heard Ikuko scream and saw the situation. Wufei sighed and shook his head, Trowa smirked, and Catherine muttered 'not again' and looked at Kenji sweetly while he looked on in confusion. "Don't worry, Heero won't kill him. He never does." Heero looked at the others and his eyebrow arched in confusion. He let go of Duo and crossed his arms. "Answers. Now."
k2: Sorry, it's just too hard notto make Duo an idiot. I hope this small chappy does soem justice to our lack of posting. More will come asap. I promise. We promise. (looks at the sleeping smiley) Heh. I hope she doesn't kill me for drugging her.