What is this place? It was a dream, I am sure it was a dream. It couldn't have been a reality, because then I remained in the darkness. It was a dream. The room was completely white. No, it wasn't a room. The walls were no where in sight, and it felt like an endless void of white space, interminable in all directions. Except without stars. And I was alone. Horribly alone.
I do not know what triggered our argument. I was patrolling a colony in the outer rim with Deathscythe Hell, with Quatre accompanying me. I had been explaining a part of my past, something about Solo. I remember wincing at the thought of it, as I do still now in this white, endless room, yet it seemed oddly different. Then suddenly, Quatre disappeared along with Sandrock Kai. That in itself was strange, because he wouldn't have completely vanished without a trace nor without word. It was later that I hoped fervently that he had escaped and was safe from what had been coming.
Duo stepped outside, yawning and stretching. It was still early morning, and the sun had just begun to rise, its golden-pink rays reaching across the sky in brilliant streaks. The view was a spectacular point, directly facing eastward and from atop a ridge overlooking the sea. One felt completely blissful, just standing there, breathing in the smell of the sea and the fresh air. Oddly enough, the feeling was dulled by the nagging touch to look downwards, downward into the deep, watery graves in the sandy graveyard, a strangely mysterious graveyard where great soldiers of the past were buried. It made one mournful, just looking out into the ocean knowing the graves were there, among the great palm trees and blades of grassy plants poking up here and there.
"Duuuuuu-o!" a voice called from inside the many-roomed cottage. It was opened to all their friends, being a great vacation place overlooking the sea. It was their temporary home while they were still on Earth, and at the time Zechs, Noin, Relena, Dorothy, and Hilde were all visiting. One may think immediately that this was quite crazy with this great amount of people, but they all liked to comment that the more the merrier, and of course this was proven true. They decided they might as well enjoy their time here while they remained on Earth, which would not be long, as they all knew very well.
Duo turned at the sound of the voice. He recognized the two voices to be Dorothy and Hilde, probably cooking breakfast again. As he opened the door he could hear them arguing about something to do with syrup, and he licked his lips. Pancakes sounded great this morning. Then he heard Relena in the argument, asking about powdered sugar. Relena? No matter. Powdered sugar...?? He didn't want to ask. But then he heard a male voice, fiercely quiet but yet full of steel. He stopped walking for a moment. Of course it was Heero, but what was he doing in the kitchen at this hour and what...he was at a loss for thoughts.
He had started walking again. Rounding the corner, he saw Noin poke her head out her door. She put a finger to her lips and pointed next door. Obviously Wufei wasn't one to bother this morning.
"Don't worry about him," Noin explained quickly, vigorously rubbing her wet hair with a peach-colored towel. "He's already been up and about, and he's finished his breakfast long ago."
Duo glanced at the closed door. The guy had been spending his time alone more often than not, excluded from any activities that went on while their party on Earth lasted. "I guess I wasn't the only one up early this morning," he commented, jerking his head to the side, obviously referring to another person.
Noin took the hint, and grimaced slightly. "I realize you two haven't been on the best of terms lately, but what is going on?" She gave him a look that required a good answer. Duo frantically tried to think of something that would not lay blame on either himself nor Heero, but of course that was impossible.
Luckily for him a tall man, wearing black boots and a knee-length black jacket with gold buttons and lapels was walking down the hallway towards them. Duo saluted jokingly and winked at Noin, who blushed and ducked her head back in her room, quickly shutting the door and wondering where she coul have put her suit and boots at a time like this.
"Ohayou, Zechs!" Duo greeted the older man politely. He had always felt a queer reverence towards Zechs, though he didn't know why he should. Sometimes he even wondered whether Miliardo or Zechs would be more proper, but luckily for him Quatre had been wondering the same thing and had asked long before, Zechs having answered that the plainer the better.
"Hello, Duo. How is Noin this morning?" There was something odd in the inflection of his voice, almost like he knew the answer long before asking the question. Duo might have known already.
"Doing just fine, I suppose!" he answered lightly, wondering what he was now to do, standing in a hallway blocked by a soldier and listening to another giving orders in the kitchen. Yet once again he was saved when Trowa walked up behind him, coming from his room, which was across the hallway from Duo's and in between Quatre's and Heero's rooms on the upper floor. There were two stairwells, one a little down the hallway to the right of the front door, and another from the kitchen, which was near the back door. Duo had the only room on the western end of the house on the upstairs, for next to his room was a storage closet, recreational room, and then the bathroom. The girls were in the hallway by the front stairwell, and Noin, Wufei, and a spare bedroom between their rooms were in the hallway to the left of the front door. Zechs and another bedroom were past the kitchen and next to the "family" room.
"Good morning, Zechs, Duo," Trowa said, stopping in front of them. "I hear breakfast is on the verge of being ready." It was a joke among the three and Quatre, based on last week's breakfast saga.
Zechs almost laughed. "I am sure it is. Why don't you two find Quatre and head on over?" He looked at Noin's closed door. "I'll be over in a little while."
Duo grinned, too, despite earlier cicumstances. "Where did Quatre go, anyway?"
Trowa glanced behind him. No Quatre. "I haven't seen him all morning."
"Do you think he left to do something?"
"I doubt it. He didn't say anything." Trowa's eyes hardened like glittering emeralds.
It wasn't as if Quatre couldn't take care of himself, for as a usual he did take care of himself, and alone, for the most part. But the oddity of it all was quite surprising, especially since the night before he hadn't said that he would be leaving for any amount of time. Duo and Trowa looked at Zechs, wondering if he knew anything they didn't. He shook his head.
"It isn't like Quatre to leave without saying a word to anyone," he mused thoughtfully. "He wasn't outside when you went out, Duo?"
Duo didn't really know. "I didn't see him, but I was only just outside the door and I had only gotten outside when the girls called me in for breakfast." That reminded them, and all three started walking, just as Wufei's door opened and the blonde-haired fourth Gundam pilot stepped out, holding a sheaf of papers and a pen in his mouth, attempting to close the door again.
Quatre looked up and saw them. They looked very surprised. Why hadn't he been more careful leaving? Now he would most likely have to show them all the documentation. "Good morning!" he said, smiling to hide the dismay. He had only been in there for Wufei's signatures, and no doubt no one would believe him. Wufei would be furious. Not a good thing, especially now that...
"Busy there, huh, Quatre," Duo said motioning towards the stack of paper and porfolios. "We were wondering where you went."
Trowa's eyes were still hard and cold, but he smiled and greeted Quatre. There was something behind the innocent smile, and it wasn't pleasant to know something was about to happen. He shook it off. He would have to think of it later, alone. "Have you had breakfast yet?"
Quatre shook his head, pen still in his mouth. He dropped it onto the top of the stack. "Ee. I was just heading to my room. I'll meet you in the kitchen?" It was more like a statement, but he asked it like a question while quickly scooting past Duo and Trowa.
All eyebrows raised and Quatre knew this was not going to be a smooth situation. He gave a short, quick glance back towards them, and almost ran headlong into Dorothy Catalonia turning the corner before the stairs. A few papers fluttered to the ground, and Quatre quickly retrieved them.
"Good morning, Quatre," Dorothy said, stooping to help him. She quickly sideglanced the paper. It was a documentation of agreement, signed by...Chang Wufei? What was this?
"Uhhh--thank you--well good morning," Quatre said in a rush, flustered, sticking one hand in his pocket. He had set the pile down neatly on the floor, the folder portfolio on top to hide any printed material. "Did you have breakfast yet?"
Dorothy searched his eyes. He was hiding something. "I came in to change my clothes...we made a mess in the kitchen. Or rather, iRelena/i made a mess of everything." She sighed. Quatre noticed she wasn't wearing an outfit he had ever seen before. It was a dress, made of dark green shot silk. Velvety buttons jetted down the back, and a darker green velvet sash tied in a bow at the waist. Simple but elegant, Dorothy struck a look of sophistication.
Quatre merely nodded, barely noticing emphasis on the Peacecraft queen. Picking up the pile, he began to walk to the stairs, backing up slowly. "Well, er, I will put this away, and..." He stopped. Dorothy nodded, encouraging him to finish, but he lowered his gaze and turned, quickly bounding up the stairs.
Dorothy continued to walk towards the kitchen, using the hallway she was in to go around to the dining room. She had heard the conversation in the other hallway, and waited, knowing Quatre would probably round the corner and bump into her. And she didn't want to confront the three just yet, so she would take the roundabout way.
"What's for breakfast?" Duo asked, coming up behind Hilde. She turned around, surprised.
"Hi, Duo," she said, smiling. Then, as answer to her question, she waved her hand vaguely in Relena's direction. "We were having pancakes, but I believe we are eating snowdrifts for breakfast." A hint of anger edged her voice, but it was apparent she was trying to stifle it while both Relena and Heero were within hearing range.
Duo glanced at Relena, sitting primly in the chair next to the head of the table. Heero would sit there, Zechs across from Relena, Noin next to him, and Duo would most likely have to sit next to Relena. He could probably switch with Hilde, but perhaps it wouldn't be a good idea. Usually Hilde and Relena got along, but like himself and Heero things weren't going well from what he could see. Unless Trowa or Wufei decided to sit at the other head end of the table, then he could move down a seat and leave a place between himself and Relena. Quatre and Dorothy would sit across from them, and the 10-person table would be filled save that one seat.
Noin and Zechs came in and sat down. Heero had disappeared sometime during the commotion of people coming in, and Quatre had taken a seat between Noin and Dorothy. Duo stood behind Hilde in the kitchen, watching through the serving window. Trowa sat down next to Dorothy, and Wufei came in last, taking the seat directly opposite to where Heero would be sitting. Perfect. He ushered Hilde to the end seat, then plopped himself down next to her. Hilde did not sit down immediately, waiting for some signal to get the pancakes to serve. Finally she went back into the kitchen, followed by Noin and Dorothy. Relena remained put, talking to her brother.
Breakfast passed by quickly. Nothing was really out of the ordinary, though a tension seemed to hang in the air. Wufei was stonily silent, gazing about at any given moment. Heero was talking to Zechs about some military air base, Relena inserting her opinions and ideas. Quatre was oddly ill at ease, shifting about and glancing around nervously every now and then. Trowa rarely looked up, but he spoke when he was spoken to, and Dorothy was chattering away to anyone who would listen. Duo thought to himself that it would have been wiser to put her near Relena. But it couldn't be helped.
Noin was talking to Zechs, sometimes to Hilde, and sometimes to Quatre and Dorothy, but she remained out of conversations that required her opinion or ideas. As for himself, he watched and listened to eacj conversation as best he could. From time to time he would talk to Hilde, and they'd comment on something someone had just said, or just talk. Breakfast was unusually individualized.
Afterwards all the girls went to clean up and wash dishes. The remaining young men went about their business, doing their own chores that needed to be done daily. There was a list on the wall for the dirtier, less wanted jobs such as bathroom cleaning, clean-up of the memorials, and the cleaning of the gigantic recreation room. Today Duo had the clean-up of the memorials, a job he did not enjoy but did not hate. It merely was a task to do during the day, a part of the usual cycle.
The sun was midway to its noon point, about forty-five degrees to the zenith. Duo paused in his raking to look out at the sea for the third time that morning. It was a glorious view, and evoked a feeling of pure joy and tranquility, a peace and happiness. The gentle zephyr played with the palm trees, and Duo's chestnut hair waved in the air. It was half-braided, tied, and the remainder hung like a ponytail of a girl. [in other words, the braid was done halfway then stopped]
The memorial was for the brave soldiers who had died during battle in the years past, both for the Earth and for the colonies. Many of the tombstones bore no name, no identification. As Duo levelled the sand with the rake, he read the epithet and epitaphs evngraved upon the carved stones.
Suddenly he glimpsed a tall, thin figure with a dark head moving towards him, coming down the steep stone steps that led from the seashore to the back of their cottage. It was Heero, looking rather sullen, his hands thrust in his pockets.
Duo waved, in spite of himself. He didn't know why he did it, maybe because it was natural, he really didn't know. For the past year, his usual hello was accompanied with a wave. But he had always been on decent terms with the pilot. That is, up until their last mission.
"They're needing your help, back up there," Heero said gruffly. Duo wondered why they sent him for such a message. He was sure there was more. And he was right.
"Okay. I'll put this up and finish the gardening first, though." He raised an eyebrow, not moving.
Heero glared at him. He obviously was not here by his own decision. Or maybe he was. Neither spoke nor moved for a few moments. Finally Heero stooped over to pick a weed from the mass of petunias in front of a grave, speaking in a low voice as he did so. "They set fire to three community hospitals and destroyed all cities on the fourth division on the L6 colony."
Both eyebrows raised. Duo waited.
Again in a low voice, he continued, never looking up. "The supposed late Lady Une and Sally Po, as well as Iria Winner, were seen among the conspirators, but it isn't proven. They also claim that Wufei and Quatre were with them." At this Duo started. Wufei and Quatre? What were the two doing on the L6 colony, and in the middle of a raid? It was pure bafflement. And why was Heero telling him this?
"We've been put on patrol. I will be guarding the L-colonies along with Trowa and Wufei, while you and Quatre take the outer rim colonies. We will come back to report and switch stations in seventy-two hours sharp. If there are any problems, send a blank mission statement to Zechs or Noin and a regiment of mobile suits will be sent out as soon as they can manage. Finish here." He concluded abruptly. He seemed to want to say something else, but stopped. Duo did not nag him.
This couldn't last longer. Duo grinned. "No hard feelings, eh, Heero?" He would have liked to give him a friendly punch, but not knowing how Heero would take it he thought better than to risk it. And a wise decision, because Heero was in no mood to agree to truce. He simply turned on his heel and began his slow trek back up the stony steps to the cottage, hands in pockets once again.
I do not know what triggered our argument. I was patrolling a colony in the outer rim with Deathscythe Hell, with Quatre accompanying me. I had been explaining a part of my past, something about Solo. I remember wincing at the thought of it, as I do still now in this white, endless room, yet it seemed oddly different. Then suddenly, Quatre disappeared along with Sandrock Kai. That in itself was strange, because he wouldn't have completely vanished without a trace nor without word. It was later that I hoped fervently that he had escaped and was safe from what had been coming.
Duo stepped outside, yawning and stretching. It was still early morning, and the sun had just begun to rise, its golden-pink rays reaching across the sky in brilliant streaks. The view was a spectacular point, directly facing eastward and from atop a ridge overlooking the sea. One felt completely blissful, just standing there, breathing in the smell of the sea and the fresh air. Oddly enough, the feeling was dulled by the nagging touch to look downwards, downward into the deep, watery graves in the sandy graveyard, a strangely mysterious graveyard where great soldiers of the past were buried. It made one mournful, just looking out into the ocean knowing the graves were there, among the great palm trees and blades of grassy plants poking up here and there.
"Duuuuuu-o!" a voice called from inside the many-roomed cottage. It was opened to all their friends, being a great vacation place overlooking the sea. It was their temporary home while they were still on Earth, and at the time Zechs, Noin, Relena, Dorothy, and Hilde were all visiting. One may think immediately that this was quite crazy with this great amount of people, but they all liked to comment that the more the merrier, and of course this was proven true. They decided they might as well enjoy their time here while they remained on Earth, which would not be long, as they all knew very well.
Duo turned at the sound of the voice. He recognized the two voices to be Dorothy and Hilde, probably cooking breakfast again. As he opened the door he could hear them arguing about something to do with syrup, and he licked his lips. Pancakes sounded great this morning. Then he heard Relena in the argument, asking about powdered sugar. Relena? No matter. Powdered sugar...?? He didn't want to ask. But then he heard a male voice, fiercely quiet but yet full of steel. He stopped walking for a moment. Of course it was Heero, but what was he doing in the kitchen at this hour and what...he was at a loss for thoughts.
He had started walking again. Rounding the corner, he saw Noin poke her head out her door. She put a finger to her lips and pointed next door. Obviously Wufei wasn't one to bother this morning.
"Don't worry about him," Noin explained quickly, vigorously rubbing her wet hair with a peach-colored towel. "He's already been up and about, and he's finished his breakfast long ago."
Duo glanced at the closed door. The guy had been spending his time alone more often than not, excluded from any activities that went on while their party on Earth lasted. "I guess I wasn't the only one up early this morning," he commented, jerking his head to the side, obviously referring to another person.
Noin took the hint, and grimaced slightly. "I realize you two haven't been on the best of terms lately, but what is going on?" She gave him a look that required a good answer. Duo frantically tried to think of something that would not lay blame on either himself nor Heero, but of course that was impossible.
Luckily for him a tall man, wearing black boots and a knee-length black jacket with gold buttons and lapels was walking down the hallway towards them. Duo saluted jokingly and winked at Noin, who blushed and ducked her head back in her room, quickly shutting the door and wondering where she coul have put her suit and boots at a time like this.
"Ohayou, Zechs!" Duo greeted the older man politely. He had always felt a queer reverence towards Zechs, though he didn't know why he should. Sometimes he even wondered whether Miliardo or Zechs would be more proper, but luckily for him Quatre had been wondering the same thing and had asked long before, Zechs having answered that the plainer the better.
"Hello, Duo. How is Noin this morning?" There was something odd in the inflection of his voice, almost like he knew the answer long before asking the question. Duo might have known already.
"Doing just fine, I suppose!" he answered lightly, wondering what he was now to do, standing in a hallway blocked by a soldier and listening to another giving orders in the kitchen. Yet once again he was saved when Trowa walked up behind him, coming from his room, which was across the hallway from Duo's and in between Quatre's and Heero's rooms on the upper floor. There were two stairwells, one a little down the hallway to the right of the front door, and another from the kitchen, which was near the back door. Duo had the only room on the western end of the house on the upstairs, for next to his room was a storage closet, recreational room, and then the bathroom. The girls were in the hallway by the front stairwell, and Noin, Wufei, and a spare bedroom between their rooms were in the hallway to the left of the front door. Zechs and another bedroom were past the kitchen and next to the "family" room.
"Good morning, Zechs, Duo," Trowa said, stopping in front of them. "I hear breakfast is on the verge of being ready." It was a joke among the three and Quatre, based on last week's breakfast saga.
Zechs almost laughed. "I am sure it is. Why don't you two find Quatre and head on over?" He looked at Noin's closed door. "I'll be over in a little while."
Duo grinned, too, despite earlier cicumstances. "Where did Quatre go, anyway?"
Trowa glanced behind him. No Quatre. "I haven't seen him all morning."
"Do you think he left to do something?"
"I doubt it. He didn't say anything." Trowa's eyes hardened like glittering emeralds.
It wasn't as if Quatre couldn't take care of himself, for as a usual he did take care of himself, and alone, for the most part. But the oddity of it all was quite surprising, especially since the night before he hadn't said that he would be leaving for any amount of time. Duo and Trowa looked at Zechs, wondering if he knew anything they didn't. He shook his head.
"It isn't like Quatre to leave without saying a word to anyone," he mused thoughtfully. "He wasn't outside when you went out, Duo?"
Duo didn't really know. "I didn't see him, but I was only just outside the door and I had only gotten outside when the girls called me in for breakfast." That reminded them, and all three started walking, just as Wufei's door opened and the blonde-haired fourth Gundam pilot stepped out, holding a sheaf of papers and a pen in his mouth, attempting to close the door again.
Quatre looked up and saw them. They looked very surprised. Why hadn't he been more careful leaving? Now he would most likely have to show them all the documentation. "Good morning!" he said, smiling to hide the dismay. He had only been in there for Wufei's signatures, and no doubt no one would believe him. Wufei would be furious. Not a good thing, especially now that...
"Busy there, huh, Quatre," Duo said motioning towards the stack of paper and porfolios. "We were wondering where you went."
Trowa's eyes were still hard and cold, but he smiled and greeted Quatre. There was something behind the innocent smile, and it wasn't pleasant to know something was about to happen. He shook it off. He would have to think of it later, alone. "Have you had breakfast yet?"
Quatre shook his head, pen still in his mouth. He dropped it onto the top of the stack. "Ee. I was just heading to my room. I'll meet you in the kitchen?" It was more like a statement, but he asked it like a question while quickly scooting past Duo and Trowa.
All eyebrows raised and Quatre knew this was not going to be a smooth situation. He gave a short, quick glance back towards them, and almost ran headlong into Dorothy Catalonia turning the corner before the stairs. A few papers fluttered to the ground, and Quatre quickly retrieved them.
"Good morning, Quatre," Dorothy said, stooping to help him. She quickly sideglanced the paper. It was a documentation of agreement, signed by...Chang Wufei? What was this?
"Uhhh--thank you--well good morning," Quatre said in a rush, flustered, sticking one hand in his pocket. He had set the pile down neatly on the floor, the folder portfolio on top to hide any printed material. "Did you have breakfast yet?"
Dorothy searched his eyes. He was hiding something. "I came in to change my clothes...we made a mess in the kitchen. Or rather, iRelena/i made a mess of everything." She sighed. Quatre noticed she wasn't wearing an outfit he had ever seen before. It was a dress, made of dark green shot silk. Velvety buttons jetted down the back, and a darker green velvet sash tied in a bow at the waist. Simple but elegant, Dorothy struck a look of sophistication.
Quatre merely nodded, barely noticing emphasis on the Peacecraft queen. Picking up the pile, he began to walk to the stairs, backing up slowly. "Well, er, I will put this away, and..." He stopped. Dorothy nodded, encouraging him to finish, but he lowered his gaze and turned, quickly bounding up the stairs.
Dorothy continued to walk towards the kitchen, using the hallway she was in to go around to the dining room. She had heard the conversation in the other hallway, and waited, knowing Quatre would probably round the corner and bump into her. And she didn't want to confront the three just yet, so she would take the roundabout way.
"What's for breakfast?" Duo asked, coming up behind Hilde. She turned around, surprised.
"Hi, Duo," she said, smiling. Then, as answer to her question, she waved her hand vaguely in Relena's direction. "We were having pancakes, but I believe we are eating snowdrifts for breakfast." A hint of anger edged her voice, but it was apparent she was trying to stifle it while both Relena and Heero were within hearing range.
Duo glanced at Relena, sitting primly in the chair next to the head of the table. Heero would sit there, Zechs across from Relena, Noin next to him, and Duo would most likely have to sit next to Relena. He could probably switch with Hilde, but perhaps it wouldn't be a good idea. Usually Hilde and Relena got along, but like himself and Heero things weren't going well from what he could see. Unless Trowa or Wufei decided to sit at the other head end of the table, then he could move down a seat and leave a place between himself and Relena. Quatre and Dorothy would sit across from them, and the 10-person table would be filled save that one seat.
Noin and Zechs came in and sat down. Heero had disappeared sometime during the commotion of people coming in, and Quatre had taken a seat between Noin and Dorothy. Duo stood behind Hilde in the kitchen, watching through the serving window. Trowa sat down next to Dorothy, and Wufei came in last, taking the seat directly opposite to where Heero would be sitting. Perfect. He ushered Hilde to the end seat, then plopped himself down next to her. Hilde did not sit down immediately, waiting for some signal to get the pancakes to serve. Finally she went back into the kitchen, followed by Noin and Dorothy. Relena remained put, talking to her brother.
Breakfast passed by quickly. Nothing was really out of the ordinary, though a tension seemed to hang in the air. Wufei was stonily silent, gazing about at any given moment. Heero was talking to Zechs about some military air base, Relena inserting her opinions and ideas. Quatre was oddly ill at ease, shifting about and glancing around nervously every now and then. Trowa rarely looked up, but he spoke when he was spoken to, and Dorothy was chattering away to anyone who would listen. Duo thought to himself that it would have been wiser to put her near Relena. But it couldn't be helped.
Noin was talking to Zechs, sometimes to Hilde, and sometimes to Quatre and Dorothy, but she remained out of conversations that required her opinion or ideas. As for himself, he watched and listened to eacj conversation as best he could. From time to time he would talk to Hilde, and they'd comment on something someone had just said, or just talk. Breakfast was unusually individualized.
Afterwards all the girls went to clean up and wash dishes. The remaining young men went about their business, doing their own chores that needed to be done daily. There was a list on the wall for the dirtier, less wanted jobs such as bathroom cleaning, clean-up of the memorials, and the cleaning of the gigantic recreation room. Today Duo had the clean-up of the memorials, a job he did not enjoy but did not hate. It merely was a task to do during the day, a part of the usual cycle.
The sun was midway to its noon point, about forty-five degrees to the zenith. Duo paused in his raking to look out at the sea for the third time that morning. It was a glorious view, and evoked a feeling of pure joy and tranquility, a peace and happiness. The gentle zephyr played with the palm trees, and Duo's chestnut hair waved in the air. It was half-braided, tied, and the remainder hung like a ponytail of a girl. [in other words, the braid was done halfway then stopped]
The memorial was for the brave soldiers who had died during battle in the years past, both for the Earth and for the colonies. Many of the tombstones bore no name, no identification. As Duo levelled the sand with the rake, he read the epithet and epitaphs evngraved upon the carved stones.
Suddenly he glimpsed a tall, thin figure with a dark head moving towards him, coming down the steep stone steps that led from the seashore to the back of their cottage. It was Heero, looking rather sullen, his hands thrust in his pockets.
Duo waved, in spite of himself. He didn't know why he did it, maybe because it was natural, he really didn't know. For the past year, his usual hello was accompanied with a wave. But he had always been on decent terms with the pilot. That is, up until their last mission.
"They're needing your help, back up there," Heero said gruffly. Duo wondered why they sent him for such a message. He was sure there was more. And he was right.
"Okay. I'll put this up and finish the gardening first, though." He raised an eyebrow, not moving.
Heero glared at him. He obviously was not here by his own decision. Or maybe he was. Neither spoke nor moved for a few moments. Finally Heero stooped over to pick a weed from the mass of petunias in front of a grave, speaking in a low voice as he did so. "They set fire to three community hospitals and destroyed all cities on the fourth division on the L6 colony."
Both eyebrows raised. Duo waited.
Again in a low voice, he continued, never looking up. "The supposed late Lady Une and Sally Po, as well as Iria Winner, were seen among the conspirators, but it isn't proven. They also claim that Wufei and Quatre were with them." At this Duo started. Wufei and Quatre? What were the two doing on the L6 colony, and in the middle of a raid? It was pure bafflement. And why was Heero telling him this?
"We've been put on patrol. I will be guarding the L-colonies along with Trowa and Wufei, while you and Quatre take the outer rim colonies. We will come back to report and switch stations in seventy-two hours sharp. If there are any problems, send a blank mission statement to Zechs or Noin and a regiment of mobile suits will be sent out as soon as they can manage. Finish here." He concluded abruptly. He seemed to want to say something else, but stopped. Duo did not nag him.
This couldn't last longer. Duo grinned. "No hard feelings, eh, Heero?" He would have liked to give him a friendly punch, but not knowing how Heero would take it he thought better than to risk it. And a wise decision, because Heero was in no mood to agree to truce. He simply turned on his heel and began his slow trek back up the stony steps to the cottage, hands in pockets once again.