She'd been right.
Over the next few weeks, Chibodee suspected Asherah was skulking around in his house, waiting until he was off guard doing something worthwhile like eating, or sleeping, before dragging him off to train. He hadn't had anything even remotely resembling a normal schedule since she'd showed up. Chibodee was currently taking refuge in the bathroom- the one sacred place left to him- eating his breakfast. He didn't care what she said, he couldn't get by on the little food she was willing to give him.
Then it came.
"Chibodee, I know you're in there." Asherah's voice said softly, from the other side of the door.
Dammit, did they give me up?
"No, nobody told me where you were. It's a pretty obvious choice."
That's creepy.
"Now, come on! We need to get started." she continued. "You began really well but lately you've been dragging your heels, Chibodee. If you do that we won't get anywhere. So I'm going to give you about thirty seconds to finish whatever it is you're doing in there. After that, I don't care what you're doing, I'm coming in. Okay?"
Chibodee briefly considered heading for the air conditioning vent, but decided against it. She was right (even if he'd never admit it in her hearing). And it wouldn't look very good if it got out that he was running from a woman, especially because she was pushing him too hard.
Besides, he'd probably fall right through that vent. Why the hell didn't they make the damn things stronger for situations like this?
Bracing himself, Chibodee shoveled the rest of his breakfast into his mouth and unlocked the door just in time. Giving her a Look whose effectiveness was dimmed by his struggle to keep the massive amount of food behind his teeth and off his shirt, he stalked to the sink with his plate.
Asherah didn't give him the opportunity to wash it off. She pulled him by the hand toward the training area, Chibodee trying to banish his reluctance the whole way there.
*
Rain looked at Domon and sighed. It was just like after Schwartz had started showing up and Domon was so obsessed with getting stronger- he was focused so intently on his goal that he didn't have eyes for anything else.
She understood that, knew that he wasn't ignoring her purposely, and when he did take notice of her she could always see the love shining through his own eyes. It made her time as a captive of the Dark Gundam worthwhile. The curtness that had been present when he'd spoken to her then was gone- he was much better about not taking things out on her.
And she also knew that it was that singlemindedness that had helped him become so strong and rise to the ranks of the very best fighters.
Rain smiled, her sadness banished. He loved her. She marveled at it every day, every time he returned her smiles or kisses. It was a wondrous thing. Merely watching him, as she was doing now, occupied her for hours. If he was quiet and preoccupied, so what? She loved him, he loved her, and that was all that mattered.
Rain went to the Burning Gundam and studied it as she had studied Domon. The Gundams fascinated her. They were such advanced, complicated machines that they sometimes seemed to be almost human. She fired it up and went into the cockpit to make sure that everything was in order that she had done everything that she could do.
The communicator crackled and a face appeared on the screen. Rain stared in disbelief. "Allenby?"
*
Sai Saici hated this. Staying still and meditating was just not his thing! And where did Kaiyun and Zuisen get the crazy idea that this would help him in a Gundam fight? They were all action! The monks should have been giving him real help, not wasting his time like this.
"Sai Saici." reproved Kaiyun.
"Stay still!" Zuisen ordered.
Sai lifted his eyes imploringly to heaven. Finding no help forthcoming, his shoulders slumped and he wiggled his bottom impatiently, but obediently stilled himself a moment later. There was nothing for it.
An idea came to him. Sai closed his eyes and pictured Cecil's face.
A smile spread over his own. Maybe meditation wasn't such a bad idea after all…
*
George de Sand was beginning to feel like a monk.
He had shut himself away in his home, practicing his fighting skills continuously. No matter what he did, however, or how long he stayed away from her, he simply couldn't stop thinking about Miss Marie- Louise.
Her face wasn't constantly in his mind, thank goodness; sometimes the bonds that he had forged with the other members of the Shuffle Alliance bumped her to the back of his thoughts. Never, in his wildest dreams, had he imagined that he could be friends with such people. Especially Chibodee Crocket. Nor would he ever have thought that such friendships could be so strong. He was looking forward to seeing all of them again.
George sighed. Marie- Louise would not be usurped for long; there she was, back again. On to the next distraction.
The piano beckoned, and George gratefully acceded to it.
*
He had certainly been taking her advice, Nastasha mused, reflecting on Argo. The prisoners worked most of the day, and their free time was usually spent relaxing, but Argo had been using his to train. Nastasha thought that they might have a real chance this time.
Even against Domon Kasshu.
In spite of herself, Nastasha had enjoyed watching him fight. He made it seem like a dance, something artistic. Nastasha let herself drift in memories of the Thirteenth Tournament.
Suddenly, she decided to find out what had happened to Argo's comrades. They still had a while to wait before leaving, and she owed it to him.
A/N: I'm sorry to be focusing on the romantic stuff so much. I don't mean to, I swear, it just… happens. And I guess I'm a big softy. Go eat a cookie. Next chapter will probably be REALLY short and focus on Rain and Nastasha. Probably. I'm just winging it here… Big thanks to LivEvil for the wonderful reviews. Cookies for LivEvil! And all other reviewers…