Chapter 4 Making Friends Of Enemy
****"Konichi wa! I have seen all of Gundam Wing except tape 13 and the last OAV! I want! I know I don't have the things right, but I'll work in why it's all messed up some day. Just enjoy the plot. If something bothers you way too much, tell me at highpowerhyperlets@yahoo.com. I know I should just shut up and get on with the story because nobody reads these things anyway, but what fun is that? :P (hehehe)"AWM****
He stood and stared at the wall where she had been standing for quite a while. Finally he looked at Wu Fei with a determined look. "They can't do that." He said it low and even.
"They can do anything they want." He shrugged. "I've yet to find anyone that can resist them."
"I will." Paulie frowned in determination. "I'll show them."
"Wu Fei, do you want this coffee or not?" His mother called.
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"You've mellowed out. You use to be so tense, I'm surprised that you get along with Paulie so well." Garret looked Wu Fei over as she made them coffee.
He accepted the off white cup she offered him with a smile. "You don't know why?" He looked amused as he casually glanced over to the door, checking to see if Hiro was back yet. "I thought everyone knew."
"What?" She leaned against the counter, intrigued. She took a drink of the black coffee.
"You really don't know about Zola and me?" He sat down the cup and propped on his elbows. "We have eight teenage children. I can survive anything and anyone."
"Eight?!?" She gaped at him. "My goodness, someone was very busy. I can't imagine having more then my two. They are plenty. What one doesn't think of, the other one does."
"Zola hasn't talked to me since the last time she got pregnant." He laughed softly.
"After seven others, you think she'd have taken preventative measures." Garret raised an eyebrow.
"Mu Lan and Mu Tai were twins. Then we had triplets; Adem, Fa Lee, and Kahn. Then we repeated that impossibility with Fei Wo, Mai Ling, and Ping. The whole thing is confounded by the fact that Zola wasn't supposed to be able to have children. Then we made sure she couldn't have children, then I moved out of our bed room and gave up."
"How far apart are they?" She asked. She brushed back a strand of thick dark hair out of her face and into her high ponytail.
"Between the first and second set are eight months. Between the second and third set are seven and a half. Over two years we had sex three times. I fail to see what the big deal is." He shrugged. "The kids are awesome though. I definitely wouldn't go back and change anything."
"You hate Zola, I wouldn't expect intimacy with an enemy would really be worth your while. Anyway, do you all live together?"
"Mu Lan and Mu Tai have their own apartment and the youngest girl Mai Ling is in the service. The other five still live with us."
"Do you have a favorite? I mean, I've got Paulie and Jo...Hiro has Venya and one of these days their names are going to stick in my head. Paulie ignores me if I try and call him Yamassee. I might as well be talking to myself."
"He'll respond to Yuy. He told someone he would never accept Yamassee and definitely believes in sticking to his guns." He smiled at her taking a sip of the strong dark liquid before continuing. "I just hope it doesn't kill him. I've got Fei Wo and she's my tomboy. Then there is Ping who just isn't out going, but he is definitely my kid. Zola has Her oldest daughter Mu Lan and Kahn the oldest boy. They both have major attitudes. No mistake who their mother is."
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Paul curled up on the edge of the sofa, his right side pressed against the back of the couch and the arm supporting his back as slept softly with his knees pressed against his chest. A sudden knock at the door made him spring to his feet in confusion. With a yawn he pressed the panel and opened the door. "Yes?"
A boy, maybe a year younger stood there looking slightly nervous. His hair was slicked back and in a small braid, his dark eyes were almond-shaped. "Is my dad here?"
"Chang Wu Fei?" He asked.
"Yah." He nodded.
"Come in. He's in the kitchen with my mom. What's your name?"
"Chang Ping." He said as he stepped inside cautiously.
"Dweebit, you aren't supposed to answer the door. You could get us in trouble." Peter came in and popped him on the top of the head. Ping seemed a bit confused with the appearance of twins as Peter continued chiding Paul. "You aren't supposed to even be able to. There must be something wrong with the data banks or something. Dad will have to check it when he comes back."
"I didn't know there were any other twins on base. They usually split up identical ones so there is no confusion." Ping looked them over.
"No confusion here, I'm better looking." Peter grinned.
"And ever so modest, Peter." Paul rolled his eyes. "I'm the smart one, Paul."
"They make my brothers and sisters all keep our hair different so you can tell us apart because we all look alike."
"How many of you are there?"
"Eight. We are about a year and a half apart at the most, so it's pretty bad. I'm shorter then most, but only by an inch. And two sisters have curly hair. Anyway, your kitchen would be?"
"Come on." Paul led him into the kitchen.
His mother and Ping's father looked up with amused faces. "We'll speak of the devil..." Wu Fei laughed softly. "What's up?"
"Tell me you aren't doing any embarrassing stories about me." Ping frowned.
"Not yet."
"Gee, thanks. Anyway, Duo left a really crummy message...'You know who wants you to bring you know what to you know where you know when. He's so weird."
"Hum...Oh yeah. I know. Looks like I've got to go now. Thanks for the coffee." He stood and bowed before turning to his son. "See you at dinner."
"Bye Dad." Ping said as Wu Fei went out the door quickly.
"Well, Ping, are you going to stick around and talk to my twin terrors or do you have something to do?" Garret asked as she cleared away the cups and put them in the sink.
"I can stay if you want." He said timidly.
"Way cool!" Peter grinned.
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Paul woke-up from a nap he hadn't meant to take and wandered out of his brother's room and into the living room, Peter and Ping were sitting on the couch eating something and watching TV. They both cracked up over some stupid joke and Paul didn't feel like joining them.
He went into the kitchen and searched the cabinets until he found a plastic cup and filled it with water from the sink and drank it with only a little pain in his hands. He put the cup next to the sink and then went through every closed area in the kitchen and only found a few pieces of paper and a piece of carbon paper to entertain himself with.
He laid the carbon paper face down on a plain piece of paper and used his nails and thumb to apply pressure to the carbon paper. He tried to draw a woman stretched out on her side and she looked a little odd, almost like a female monster. He tried again and the results were somewhat better. She looked like she was sleeping contentedly instead of annoyed as he had meant but was satisfied with what he had managed.
His hands hurt, so he flattened them on the metal tabletop and relaxed the muscles. After a few minutes, he got up and put the things away carefully where they had been found and hid the pictures in his pack. Then cleaned his hands of the carbon that had gotten on his skin. He quietly went in and sat next to his brother's feet.
A few minutes later he was noticed. "Hey, how long have you been up?" Peter asked him, giving him a poke with his toes.
"A while." He shrugged. He wasn't in the mood to be fussed over.
"Hungry?"
"No." He shook his head, even though he was. He wouldn't be fed like a helpless child in front of someone he didn't know. "Where is our mother?"
"Mom went to get something for dinner." Peter said. "She should be back soon. All of Dad's and her friends are coming over tonight and are having a party." He continued.
"I...Never mind." Paul sighed, before going back to Peter's room.
"Is he ok?" Ping asked loud enough for Paul to hear.
"I don't know. He isn't the same as when we were on Earth." His brother sighed.
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Among Hiro, Garret, Venya, Wu Fei, Zola, their eight children, Trowa, Marala, Tiki, Suragi, Quatre, Duo, Rini(Duo's second wife), and Duo's three children(Rini had a new baby, but Mitu had bore him the first two, one of fourteen and the other of six), no one noticed Paul's absence but Tiki who was glad and Sugar who forgot five seconds later. There was music, food, and alcohol, which they let their teens have in moderate amounts.
Paul sat in the corner on his brother's bed, wishing he could just disappear. He didn't feel well, no one had even missed him in hours, and he was hungry but when he had checked all of the food had been stuff he would need help eating. Since his mother and father were busy he just sat alone in the dimly lit room and allowed depression to consume him.
Some girl came into the room that must have belonged to Wu Fei, the same eyes and nose. Her face was rounder and her hair was waist length but she looked greatly like him. She looked at him in confusion, then over her shoulder at the room of people. "We're twins." He sounded as grumpy as he felt.
She smiled at him. "I'm a triplet! My name's Fei Wo. What's yours?"
"Super Man." He grumbled. "I don't feel good, leave me alone."
"Ok, just as soon as I use the bathroom I'll go away if you want." She nodded before crossing the room and going into his brother's bathroom. A few minutes later she came out with her hair braided back. She crossed the room and paused at the door. "You never told me your name."
"Gariku Yuy." He said finally. "You can stay if you want."
"Thank you." She smiled and sat down on the far edge of the bed before he could stop her.
That made him uncomfortable. His parents didn't let them have girls in their rooms when the door was closed. He got up and set the door for two inches open and turned up the lights before returning to his corner. She smiled at him in confusion as he realized how different being raised there must have been. "House rules." He explained. She nodded after a moment. The idea of attempting anything in his present condition kind of amused him, all he could do was bleed on her. "What do you do here?"
"On station?" She looked around her before back to him. He nodded. She laughed. "Train for attacks, party, work at a grocery, and annoy my siblings. What about you?"
"Nothing but bleed really. White coats are a pain in the butt. I'm on probation. I'm the evil one your parents warned you about." He smiled.
"I doubt that. You can sure drive Tiki bonkers though."
"She started it...No, I actually think I did when I was just coming to here. She hasn't tried to be nice to me though. Some people are better off not meeting." He frowned.
"Well, what will you do when you get married?"
"Get my own room. Maybe I'll learn to live with her, but I'm not sure I'm up to it right now." He shook his head.
"My parents have always hated each other. They are getting a divorce soon. It's hard to do, but they have been fighting in public and it's getting done." She told him. "They only shared the same apartment to raise us. Now that we're grown, they are quitting."
"My parents are way in love. I've never seen them fight for more then an hour or two over major things and they always make-up before they go to bed. It's like the perfect relationship, love eternal thing and now I get a forced marriage to a non-liked chick. I'm getting the short end of the stick."
"Don't blame Tiki for her lousy relationship contributions. Her parents only live together for the sex. They don't talk to each other or even mention the other's name unless it's negative and you want something out of their kid?"
"Way too much information there. I don't expect or want anything from her, that's the problem." He shook his head. "Why did all of this have to happen to me?"
"I really don't know what you mean by that, but there will be something that will call upon your experiences in the future. That's the way things work. Would you like something to eat? I think I'm going to get some soup. I'll bring you back something." She stood up.
"Could you put some in a plastic cup for me?" She nodded to his timid request. "There was one by the sink earlier."
"Ok, be right back!" She left him feeling better about himself. He was surprised when she came back within two minutes. She had a small bottle of soda with her and sat cross-legged in front of him. He drank the soup that was very thick and creamy. She smiled at him as he sat the cup down awkwardly. "Want a drink?" She offered him the bottle.
He could smell rum and shook his head. "I can't have alcohol, it will make me bleed again. My blood is really thin right now."
"Yah, I heard how awful you've been for the whites, but Sugs thinks you are an awesome kid."
"Yah and she has cartoon animals printed on her underwear. Who takes her seriously except for me?"
"And just how do you know about that?" Fei Wo asked with a snicker. "And she is very trust worthy and kind and smart, even though she is immature everyone respects her."
"The way she bounces around? I'm surprised that the whole space station doesn't know that. You know what?" He paused as he brushed a loose strand of hair out of his face. "You remind me of Retsuko, she was my best friend a week and a half ago."
"Well, I wouldn't mind having another friend. Would you like to go with my oh so big gang of two people tomorrow? We are going to the arcade and to buy some school supplies. I know it's not very exciting, but it's got to be better then this. And Tiki is working so she won't be there to annoy you."
"I can't leave, they'll lock me up and throw away the key." He sighed. He did want to go, to do something almost normal would be nice.
"You can too! We can get you a collar and then you can." She smiled at him. She tucked her legs under her as she stirred her soup. "My dad can give me one in the morning and then I can come get you, so what do you say?"
"All right, I think my parents will let me." He nodded before picking up his cup and taking another mouth full of soup.
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Fei Wo, her twin brother Ping, Duo's eldest Clay, and Paul wandered into a restaurant. They were being silly, cracking jokes that made no sense and making off the wall comments. "Paulie wanna cracker?" was the latest sentence spoken as they broke into a fit of giggles.
"Oh please, that is about as old as dirt! My brother started that when we were like six!" He snickered as they sat down. He leaned forward and closed his eyes. He was tired.
A few minutes later a waiter appeared. "Can I take your order?" Paul's head snapped up to stare wide eyed at the man. The waiter gaped back. "My God, I thought you were dead."
"Obviously that thought was going around Tobeya. How long have you been here?" Paul asked softly.
"Third day on the job. Fifth on station. I saw...can I meet you someplace later, I can't talk right now?" He was smaller then Paul and was rounded out. His hair was black and his eyes were brown. He was Japanese.
"Yes. Ehh...Fei, I have no idea where I live."
She giggled. "Eight-two-B."
"Which I hope means more to you then to me." Paul sighed. "Ok, when do you get off?"
"Three hours. Yippy." Tobeya groaned. "I hate this temp job, but I don't get into the kitchen for a month. Food anyone?"
They ordered and he went away quickly. "How do you know each other?" Clay demanded.
"We grew up in the same community. We went to school together and were best friends."
"I thought Retsuko was your best friend." Fei Wo frowned.
"I had two, Retsuko was my best girl friend and Tobeya was my best guy friend. They were my only friends come to think of it…Aside from my brother. You know, I'm tired."
"Well, I'm glad you're feeling better. You were kind of sad looking yesterday." Fei Wo smiled at him.
"Yah, you were odd yesterday. I thought you were a little insane, but you are fine today." Ping said, then looked kind of embarrassed that he had spoken at all.
"How does that foot taste now that you have it in your mouth bro?" Fei Wo poked him.
"Yes, I heard you talking to my brother. I'm terrible at public relations anyway and after being in solitary confinement for over a week I was feeling a bit bananas when having to deal with people." He said.
When their food came he tried to look casual with his sandwich, but his hands hurt from playing around and he was tired and easily frustrated. He ate one bite before dropping his hands in his lap and sipping on his drink with a straw. Fei Wo noticed him and frowned with concern. "Is something wrong?"
"No! I..I'm just not as hungry as I thought." He shook his head.
"Liar, you are in pain or something right?" She said it softly so Ping and Clay didn't hear.
"Maybe a little." He shrugged. "Don't worry about it."
"Alright." She nodded and began to eat. "This is really good, want a bite." She held out a fork full of pasta. He accepted after a moment, feeling a little silly, but he was hungry and she was trying to help without making him look weak. Clay offered some of what he had for some of hers and Ping traded too. The three had a third of each dish when they were done trading around. She offered him a bite of the others.
When he had taken the third mouth full from her, Clay noticed the arrangement. "Why are you sharing a fork?"
"His sandwich didn't come with one."
"They'd give you one if you ask." To that Paul flushed with embarrassment. "What did I say?" He raised an eyebrow.
"I have never actually used a fork before." He laughed at the face Clay made. "Chopsticks." He explained to them. He picked up his sandwich and took another large bite out of the side. He flagged down Tobeya for a to go box and Fei Wo wrapped it up for him.
"Come on, I'll take you home." They left the restaurant. When they were in an elevator, she eyed him. "You've really never used a fork?"
"To cut a chip out of my wrist, but that was it." He laughed at the absurdity. When they got to the apartment, he opened the door with a hand scan. It identified him as Peter. "Man is this thing dumb." He remarked as they went into the kitchen. She unwrapped his sandwich for him and then rummaged through the fridge for a soda.
"Can I help you?" She sat down next to him as he struggled with the very idea of picking up the sandwich again. He allowed her to and she spoke to him about school. Four hours a day they went into a computer lab and the teacher answered problems and guided them as they learned on the computer. Then they have an hour of PE every other day and an elective on Tuesdays and Thursdays. His brother had started already and he would the next day.
"Well, I hope they don't make me take typing. I might plunk out three words a minute if I'm lucky."
"Nah, the class god will probably do it for you."
"God? What's his average?"
"98%."
"Mine was 92% back home. My nickname was B+. I've never made anything else. A makes you the center of attention and B makes you average."
"You think you could beat him?"
"Don't you know that violence never solved anything, it was always the thinking. I could, but I won't because I am where I should be. I'm the smart-ass with the ambition to keep it up. Unless he does something to make me mad, he can keep the god title."
"You are dreaming."
"No I am not. I could prove it to you tomorrow."
"All right, prove it." She smiled at him with amusement as his eyes danced at the challenge. "On your achievement test make a hundred."
"I don't want to, but alright, I will." He nodded.
"I guess since we're going to be friends, I live at six-fourteen-H. So now you can call me if you want." She told him as she got up to go.
"Thanks." He told her as she left.
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"You are complete?" The teacher looked at him skeptically as Matthew AKA the god handed her a piece of paper with little bubbles filled in neatly.
"Yes ma'am." Paul nodded his head once.
"Give me your scratch paper then." He handed her a page with a large smiley face and eight numbers written randomly. "Where is the rest of it?"
"I gave you it all. There are two problems on the back." He looked at her with his most angelic face. Matthew nodded his conformation before they both went to their assigned seats.
Fei Wo sighed from beside him. "Do you know how to do these?" He explained after a brief glance. "That's so easy!" She grinned.
"You can't on a long equation test if they want written work though. It makes them frown." He smiled back. "Now all we have to do is wait for her to grade the test."
"It's almost done." She pointed at the countdown on the corner of his computer screen. It was down in the twenties. They watched as the score popped up on his screen. "A hundred percent on all boards?!? Wow I thought you were full of it, but I guess I was wrong. Sorry."
"You shouldn't be sorry. It must be weird to have someone say that out of the blue." He shrugged as the class gaped at him, including Matthew. "I just have a bad feeling that I shouldn't have done that." About five minutes later he was proved right by the entrance of the white coats. "Oh man."
"Yamassee, you are coming with us." Epinki approached him.
"I'd rather kiss Tiki *on the lips* the go with you." He frowned as he stood up. "What do you want?"
"We wish to ask you some questions." Red said stiffly. The way he said it was 'I wish to rip your head off and use it for a soccer ball'.
"I don't like your form of questioning, see ya!" He jumped between them and went flying out the door. "Take this back while you're at it!" He popped the collar off of his neck and threw it at Epinki. Epinki pulled out a remote and mashed a button. Paul's legs went numb as the navel ring put a shock wave through a nerve. He reached down and caught hold of the riggings he had put on it in case he needed it off and ripped it out. His legs came back to him and he picked up speed, making up the distance he had lost. "Better luck next time Freddie!" He went into a crowded area and ended up completely lost. Some how he made it to Fei Wo's apartment and broke in. He hid in her closet and waited for her to come home. Adrenaline left him quaking as he sat in the dim light and rested.
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"What do you mean my son is gone?!?" Hiro glared at Epinki, using every ounce of self-control not to hurt the man.
"Well, he aced a standard achievement test and we were to take him in for questioning. He popped off his collar and transmitter and got away. There is no way to find him. When he shows up here, contact me and hold him." He started to go.
"I want someone else assigned to Paul." Garret said firmly.
"Someone else can have him. He is giving me a headache. I should warn you, he will be taken away most assured." Then he did go before one of them hurt him quite permanently.
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She came into her room about an hour and a half later with Clay and Ping. "Man was that an awesome seen or what? Paul can sure move when he wants to." Clay chattered as he flopped on her bed.
"Hi." Paul hopped out of her closet.
"Hot damn, they still haven't caught you?!" Clay grinned.
"You have been hiding in my closet?" Fei Wo frowned.
"Relax, I didn't touch anything. I just waited until you came in so I can ask you something. Where is Dr. Tou's lab?" He looked at the floor, feeling like a scolded child. Fei Wo told him after a long pause.
"Man are you cool or what? How'd you get so smart though?" Clay propped his chin on a hand.
"I've always been that way. In First grade I noticed that it made my brother look bad and I cut back so I would be more like him and then in third grade I found out if you were smart, people made you do more and stand out. This just proves that. Well, nice knowing you. Oh and by the way, nice dominatrix outfit." He left them all gaping. "I was joking." He grinned at them as the door shut.
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When Paul went in the lab and sat down in a chair and waited for someone to come in. Tiki wandered in and put some stuff in a cabinet. He waited patiently for her to finish before clearing his throat. "Excuse me, but when will Dr. Tou return?"
She turned around in surprise. "I can call security just as well as she can."
"I need a shot of the thickening agent before I go. They always make me bleed and I don't want to go back to the apartment and cause trouble."
"I can do that, but then what?"
"You can lock me in my cell and call Epinki to come hurt me. Ok?" He stood and walked into the cell that he was so use too. She agreed with him and gave him the shot he needed and then locked him in. She called his parents instead of Epikin and spoke to his father. Then she did call the white coats, but they were a different set. "Gee, they need someone else to handle me? Have I broken mine already?" He asked as Tiki went about her business for the day. She mumbled something about his parents wanting someone else and them changing to keep them from getting cranky. Nothing was worse then his parents when they were in a bad mood. Even before this place he never wanted to make them angry. He could understand why they were so quick to comply to their demands. If Mama aint happy aint nobody happy: a very popular saying around their house.
****"Well...Ok so it was a bit much, but I can explain! Let's find out what more I can think up in chapter 5! Oh and isn't my brother cute? He's a little flakey but everyone has their faults! Right? I will describe the way he looks next chapter because I just realized I hadn't yet, Ja na!" Azusa Wariko Maxwell****
****"Konichi wa! I have seen all of Gundam Wing except tape 13 and the last OAV! I want! I know I don't have the things right, but I'll work in why it's all messed up some day. Just enjoy the plot. If something bothers you way too much, tell me at highpowerhyperlets@yahoo.com. I know I should just shut up and get on with the story because nobody reads these things anyway, but what fun is that? :P (hehehe)"AWM****
He stood and stared at the wall where she had been standing for quite a while. Finally he looked at Wu Fei with a determined look. "They can't do that." He said it low and even.
"They can do anything they want." He shrugged. "I've yet to find anyone that can resist them."
"I will." Paulie frowned in determination. "I'll show them."
"Wu Fei, do you want this coffee or not?" His mother called.
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"You've mellowed out. You use to be so tense, I'm surprised that you get along with Paulie so well." Garret looked Wu Fei over as she made them coffee.
He accepted the off white cup she offered him with a smile. "You don't know why?" He looked amused as he casually glanced over to the door, checking to see if Hiro was back yet. "I thought everyone knew."
"What?" She leaned against the counter, intrigued. She took a drink of the black coffee.
"You really don't know about Zola and me?" He sat down the cup and propped on his elbows. "We have eight teenage children. I can survive anything and anyone."
"Eight?!?" She gaped at him. "My goodness, someone was very busy. I can't imagine having more then my two. They are plenty. What one doesn't think of, the other one does."
"Zola hasn't talked to me since the last time she got pregnant." He laughed softly.
"After seven others, you think she'd have taken preventative measures." Garret raised an eyebrow.
"Mu Lan and Mu Tai were twins. Then we had triplets; Adem, Fa Lee, and Kahn. Then we repeated that impossibility with Fei Wo, Mai Ling, and Ping. The whole thing is confounded by the fact that Zola wasn't supposed to be able to have children. Then we made sure she couldn't have children, then I moved out of our bed room and gave up."
"How far apart are they?" She asked. She brushed back a strand of thick dark hair out of her face and into her high ponytail.
"Between the first and second set are eight months. Between the second and third set are seven and a half. Over two years we had sex three times. I fail to see what the big deal is." He shrugged. "The kids are awesome though. I definitely wouldn't go back and change anything."
"You hate Zola, I wouldn't expect intimacy with an enemy would really be worth your while. Anyway, do you all live together?"
"Mu Lan and Mu Tai have their own apartment and the youngest girl Mai Ling is in the service. The other five still live with us."
"Do you have a favorite? I mean, I've got Paulie and Jo...Hiro has Venya and one of these days their names are going to stick in my head. Paulie ignores me if I try and call him Yamassee. I might as well be talking to myself."
"He'll respond to Yuy. He told someone he would never accept Yamassee and definitely believes in sticking to his guns." He smiled at her taking a sip of the strong dark liquid before continuing. "I just hope it doesn't kill him. I've got Fei Wo and she's my tomboy. Then there is Ping who just isn't out going, but he is definitely my kid. Zola has Her oldest daughter Mu Lan and Kahn the oldest boy. They both have major attitudes. No mistake who their mother is."
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Paul curled up on the edge of the sofa, his right side pressed against the back of the couch and the arm supporting his back as slept softly with his knees pressed against his chest. A sudden knock at the door made him spring to his feet in confusion. With a yawn he pressed the panel and opened the door. "Yes?"
A boy, maybe a year younger stood there looking slightly nervous. His hair was slicked back and in a small braid, his dark eyes were almond-shaped. "Is my dad here?"
"Chang Wu Fei?" He asked.
"Yah." He nodded.
"Come in. He's in the kitchen with my mom. What's your name?"
"Chang Ping." He said as he stepped inside cautiously.
"Dweebit, you aren't supposed to answer the door. You could get us in trouble." Peter came in and popped him on the top of the head. Ping seemed a bit confused with the appearance of twins as Peter continued chiding Paul. "You aren't supposed to even be able to. There must be something wrong with the data banks or something. Dad will have to check it when he comes back."
"I didn't know there were any other twins on base. They usually split up identical ones so there is no confusion." Ping looked them over.
"No confusion here, I'm better looking." Peter grinned.
"And ever so modest, Peter." Paul rolled his eyes. "I'm the smart one, Paul."
"They make my brothers and sisters all keep our hair different so you can tell us apart because we all look alike."
"How many of you are there?"
"Eight. We are about a year and a half apart at the most, so it's pretty bad. I'm shorter then most, but only by an inch. And two sisters have curly hair. Anyway, your kitchen would be?"
"Come on." Paul led him into the kitchen.
His mother and Ping's father looked up with amused faces. "We'll speak of the devil..." Wu Fei laughed softly. "What's up?"
"Tell me you aren't doing any embarrassing stories about me." Ping frowned.
"Not yet."
"Gee, thanks. Anyway, Duo left a really crummy message...'You know who wants you to bring you know what to you know where you know when. He's so weird."
"Hum...Oh yeah. I know. Looks like I've got to go now. Thanks for the coffee." He stood and bowed before turning to his son. "See you at dinner."
"Bye Dad." Ping said as Wu Fei went out the door quickly.
"Well, Ping, are you going to stick around and talk to my twin terrors or do you have something to do?" Garret asked as she cleared away the cups and put them in the sink.
"I can stay if you want." He said timidly.
"Way cool!" Peter grinned.
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Paul woke-up from a nap he hadn't meant to take and wandered out of his brother's room and into the living room, Peter and Ping were sitting on the couch eating something and watching TV. They both cracked up over some stupid joke and Paul didn't feel like joining them.
He went into the kitchen and searched the cabinets until he found a plastic cup and filled it with water from the sink and drank it with only a little pain in his hands. He put the cup next to the sink and then went through every closed area in the kitchen and only found a few pieces of paper and a piece of carbon paper to entertain himself with.
He laid the carbon paper face down on a plain piece of paper and used his nails and thumb to apply pressure to the carbon paper. He tried to draw a woman stretched out on her side and she looked a little odd, almost like a female monster. He tried again and the results were somewhat better. She looked like she was sleeping contentedly instead of annoyed as he had meant but was satisfied with what he had managed.
His hands hurt, so he flattened them on the metal tabletop and relaxed the muscles. After a few minutes, he got up and put the things away carefully where they had been found and hid the pictures in his pack. Then cleaned his hands of the carbon that had gotten on his skin. He quietly went in and sat next to his brother's feet.
A few minutes later he was noticed. "Hey, how long have you been up?" Peter asked him, giving him a poke with his toes.
"A while." He shrugged. He wasn't in the mood to be fussed over.
"Hungry?"
"No." He shook his head, even though he was. He wouldn't be fed like a helpless child in front of someone he didn't know. "Where is our mother?"
"Mom went to get something for dinner." Peter said. "She should be back soon. All of Dad's and her friends are coming over tonight and are having a party." He continued.
"I...Never mind." Paul sighed, before going back to Peter's room.
"Is he ok?" Ping asked loud enough for Paul to hear.
"I don't know. He isn't the same as when we were on Earth." His brother sighed.
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Among Hiro, Garret, Venya, Wu Fei, Zola, their eight children, Trowa, Marala, Tiki, Suragi, Quatre, Duo, Rini(Duo's second wife), and Duo's three children(Rini had a new baby, but Mitu had bore him the first two, one of fourteen and the other of six), no one noticed Paul's absence but Tiki who was glad and Sugar who forgot five seconds later. There was music, food, and alcohol, which they let their teens have in moderate amounts.
Paul sat in the corner on his brother's bed, wishing he could just disappear. He didn't feel well, no one had even missed him in hours, and he was hungry but when he had checked all of the food had been stuff he would need help eating. Since his mother and father were busy he just sat alone in the dimly lit room and allowed depression to consume him.
Some girl came into the room that must have belonged to Wu Fei, the same eyes and nose. Her face was rounder and her hair was waist length but she looked greatly like him. She looked at him in confusion, then over her shoulder at the room of people. "We're twins." He sounded as grumpy as he felt.
She smiled at him. "I'm a triplet! My name's Fei Wo. What's yours?"
"Super Man." He grumbled. "I don't feel good, leave me alone."
"Ok, just as soon as I use the bathroom I'll go away if you want." She nodded before crossing the room and going into his brother's bathroom. A few minutes later she came out with her hair braided back. She crossed the room and paused at the door. "You never told me your name."
"Gariku Yuy." He said finally. "You can stay if you want."
"Thank you." She smiled and sat down on the far edge of the bed before he could stop her.
That made him uncomfortable. His parents didn't let them have girls in their rooms when the door was closed. He got up and set the door for two inches open and turned up the lights before returning to his corner. She smiled at him in confusion as he realized how different being raised there must have been. "House rules." He explained. She nodded after a moment. The idea of attempting anything in his present condition kind of amused him, all he could do was bleed on her. "What do you do here?"
"On station?" She looked around her before back to him. He nodded. She laughed. "Train for attacks, party, work at a grocery, and annoy my siblings. What about you?"
"Nothing but bleed really. White coats are a pain in the butt. I'm on probation. I'm the evil one your parents warned you about." He smiled.
"I doubt that. You can sure drive Tiki bonkers though."
"She started it...No, I actually think I did when I was just coming to here. She hasn't tried to be nice to me though. Some people are better off not meeting." He frowned.
"Well, what will you do when you get married?"
"Get my own room. Maybe I'll learn to live with her, but I'm not sure I'm up to it right now." He shook his head.
"My parents have always hated each other. They are getting a divorce soon. It's hard to do, but they have been fighting in public and it's getting done." She told him. "They only shared the same apartment to raise us. Now that we're grown, they are quitting."
"My parents are way in love. I've never seen them fight for more then an hour or two over major things and they always make-up before they go to bed. It's like the perfect relationship, love eternal thing and now I get a forced marriage to a non-liked chick. I'm getting the short end of the stick."
"Don't blame Tiki for her lousy relationship contributions. Her parents only live together for the sex. They don't talk to each other or even mention the other's name unless it's negative and you want something out of their kid?"
"Way too much information there. I don't expect or want anything from her, that's the problem." He shook his head. "Why did all of this have to happen to me?"
"I really don't know what you mean by that, but there will be something that will call upon your experiences in the future. That's the way things work. Would you like something to eat? I think I'm going to get some soup. I'll bring you back something." She stood up.
"Could you put some in a plastic cup for me?" She nodded to his timid request. "There was one by the sink earlier."
"Ok, be right back!" She left him feeling better about himself. He was surprised when she came back within two minutes. She had a small bottle of soda with her and sat cross-legged in front of him. He drank the soup that was very thick and creamy. She smiled at him as he sat the cup down awkwardly. "Want a drink?" She offered him the bottle.
He could smell rum and shook his head. "I can't have alcohol, it will make me bleed again. My blood is really thin right now."
"Yah, I heard how awful you've been for the whites, but Sugs thinks you are an awesome kid."
"Yah and she has cartoon animals printed on her underwear. Who takes her seriously except for me?"
"And just how do you know about that?" Fei Wo asked with a snicker. "And she is very trust worthy and kind and smart, even though she is immature everyone respects her."
"The way she bounces around? I'm surprised that the whole space station doesn't know that. You know what?" He paused as he brushed a loose strand of hair out of his face. "You remind me of Retsuko, she was my best friend a week and a half ago."
"Well, I wouldn't mind having another friend. Would you like to go with my oh so big gang of two people tomorrow? We are going to the arcade and to buy some school supplies. I know it's not very exciting, but it's got to be better then this. And Tiki is working so she won't be there to annoy you."
"I can't leave, they'll lock me up and throw away the key." He sighed. He did want to go, to do something almost normal would be nice.
"You can too! We can get you a collar and then you can." She smiled at him. She tucked her legs under her as she stirred her soup. "My dad can give me one in the morning and then I can come get you, so what do you say?"
"All right, I think my parents will let me." He nodded before picking up his cup and taking another mouth full of soup.
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Fei Wo, her twin brother Ping, Duo's eldest Clay, and Paul wandered into a restaurant. They were being silly, cracking jokes that made no sense and making off the wall comments. "Paulie wanna cracker?" was the latest sentence spoken as they broke into a fit of giggles.
"Oh please, that is about as old as dirt! My brother started that when we were like six!" He snickered as they sat down. He leaned forward and closed his eyes. He was tired.
A few minutes later a waiter appeared. "Can I take your order?" Paul's head snapped up to stare wide eyed at the man. The waiter gaped back. "My God, I thought you were dead."
"Obviously that thought was going around Tobeya. How long have you been here?" Paul asked softly.
"Third day on the job. Fifth on station. I saw...can I meet you someplace later, I can't talk right now?" He was smaller then Paul and was rounded out. His hair was black and his eyes were brown. He was Japanese.
"Yes. Ehh...Fei, I have no idea where I live."
She giggled. "Eight-two-B."
"Which I hope means more to you then to me." Paul sighed. "Ok, when do you get off?"
"Three hours. Yippy." Tobeya groaned. "I hate this temp job, but I don't get into the kitchen for a month. Food anyone?"
They ordered and he went away quickly. "How do you know each other?" Clay demanded.
"We grew up in the same community. We went to school together and were best friends."
"I thought Retsuko was your best friend." Fei Wo frowned.
"I had two, Retsuko was my best girl friend and Tobeya was my best guy friend. They were my only friends come to think of it…Aside from my brother. You know, I'm tired."
"Well, I'm glad you're feeling better. You were kind of sad looking yesterday." Fei Wo smiled at him.
"Yah, you were odd yesterday. I thought you were a little insane, but you are fine today." Ping said, then looked kind of embarrassed that he had spoken at all.
"How does that foot taste now that you have it in your mouth bro?" Fei Wo poked him.
"Yes, I heard you talking to my brother. I'm terrible at public relations anyway and after being in solitary confinement for over a week I was feeling a bit bananas when having to deal with people." He said.
When their food came he tried to look casual with his sandwich, but his hands hurt from playing around and he was tired and easily frustrated. He ate one bite before dropping his hands in his lap and sipping on his drink with a straw. Fei Wo noticed him and frowned with concern. "Is something wrong?"
"No! I..I'm just not as hungry as I thought." He shook his head.
"Liar, you are in pain or something right?" She said it softly so Ping and Clay didn't hear.
"Maybe a little." He shrugged. "Don't worry about it."
"Alright." She nodded and began to eat. "This is really good, want a bite." She held out a fork full of pasta. He accepted after a moment, feeling a little silly, but he was hungry and she was trying to help without making him look weak. Clay offered some of what he had for some of hers and Ping traded too. The three had a third of each dish when they were done trading around. She offered him a bite of the others.
When he had taken the third mouth full from her, Clay noticed the arrangement. "Why are you sharing a fork?"
"His sandwich didn't come with one."
"They'd give you one if you ask." To that Paul flushed with embarrassment. "What did I say?" He raised an eyebrow.
"I have never actually used a fork before." He laughed at the face Clay made. "Chopsticks." He explained to them. He picked up his sandwich and took another large bite out of the side. He flagged down Tobeya for a to go box and Fei Wo wrapped it up for him.
"Come on, I'll take you home." They left the restaurant. When they were in an elevator, she eyed him. "You've really never used a fork?"
"To cut a chip out of my wrist, but that was it." He laughed at the absurdity. When they got to the apartment, he opened the door with a hand scan. It identified him as Peter. "Man is this thing dumb." He remarked as they went into the kitchen. She unwrapped his sandwich for him and then rummaged through the fridge for a soda.
"Can I help you?" She sat down next to him as he struggled with the very idea of picking up the sandwich again. He allowed her to and she spoke to him about school. Four hours a day they went into a computer lab and the teacher answered problems and guided them as they learned on the computer. Then they have an hour of PE every other day and an elective on Tuesdays and Thursdays. His brother had started already and he would the next day.
"Well, I hope they don't make me take typing. I might plunk out three words a minute if I'm lucky."
"Nah, the class god will probably do it for you."
"God? What's his average?"
"98%."
"Mine was 92% back home. My nickname was B+. I've never made anything else. A makes you the center of attention and B makes you average."
"You think you could beat him?"
"Don't you know that violence never solved anything, it was always the thinking. I could, but I won't because I am where I should be. I'm the smart-ass with the ambition to keep it up. Unless he does something to make me mad, he can keep the god title."
"You are dreaming."
"No I am not. I could prove it to you tomorrow."
"All right, prove it." She smiled at him with amusement as his eyes danced at the challenge. "On your achievement test make a hundred."
"I don't want to, but alright, I will." He nodded.
"I guess since we're going to be friends, I live at six-fourteen-H. So now you can call me if you want." She told him as she got up to go.
"Thanks." He told her as she left.
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"You are complete?" The teacher looked at him skeptically as Matthew AKA the god handed her a piece of paper with little bubbles filled in neatly.
"Yes ma'am." Paul nodded his head once.
"Give me your scratch paper then." He handed her a page with a large smiley face and eight numbers written randomly. "Where is the rest of it?"
"I gave you it all. There are two problems on the back." He looked at her with his most angelic face. Matthew nodded his conformation before they both went to their assigned seats.
Fei Wo sighed from beside him. "Do you know how to do these?" He explained after a brief glance. "That's so easy!" She grinned.
"You can't on a long equation test if they want written work though. It makes them frown." He smiled back. "Now all we have to do is wait for her to grade the test."
"It's almost done." She pointed at the countdown on the corner of his computer screen. It was down in the twenties. They watched as the score popped up on his screen. "A hundred percent on all boards?!? Wow I thought you were full of it, but I guess I was wrong. Sorry."
"You shouldn't be sorry. It must be weird to have someone say that out of the blue." He shrugged as the class gaped at him, including Matthew. "I just have a bad feeling that I shouldn't have done that." About five minutes later he was proved right by the entrance of the white coats. "Oh man."
"Yamassee, you are coming with us." Epinki approached him.
"I'd rather kiss Tiki *on the lips* the go with you." He frowned as he stood up. "What do you want?"
"We wish to ask you some questions." Red said stiffly. The way he said it was 'I wish to rip your head off and use it for a soccer ball'.
"I don't like your form of questioning, see ya!" He jumped between them and went flying out the door. "Take this back while you're at it!" He popped the collar off of his neck and threw it at Epinki. Epinki pulled out a remote and mashed a button. Paul's legs went numb as the navel ring put a shock wave through a nerve. He reached down and caught hold of the riggings he had put on it in case he needed it off and ripped it out. His legs came back to him and he picked up speed, making up the distance he had lost. "Better luck next time Freddie!" He went into a crowded area and ended up completely lost. Some how he made it to Fei Wo's apartment and broke in. He hid in her closet and waited for her to come home. Adrenaline left him quaking as he sat in the dim light and rested.
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"What do you mean my son is gone?!?" Hiro glared at Epinki, using every ounce of self-control not to hurt the man.
"Well, he aced a standard achievement test and we were to take him in for questioning. He popped off his collar and transmitter and got away. There is no way to find him. When he shows up here, contact me and hold him." He started to go.
"I want someone else assigned to Paul." Garret said firmly.
"Someone else can have him. He is giving me a headache. I should warn you, he will be taken away most assured." Then he did go before one of them hurt him quite permanently.
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She came into her room about an hour and a half later with Clay and Ping. "Man was that an awesome seen or what? Paul can sure move when he wants to." Clay chattered as he flopped on her bed.
"Hi." Paul hopped out of her closet.
"Hot damn, they still haven't caught you?!" Clay grinned.
"You have been hiding in my closet?" Fei Wo frowned.
"Relax, I didn't touch anything. I just waited until you came in so I can ask you something. Where is Dr. Tou's lab?" He looked at the floor, feeling like a scolded child. Fei Wo told him after a long pause.
"Man are you cool or what? How'd you get so smart though?" Clay propped his chin on a hand.
"I've always been that way. In First grade I noticed that it made my brother look bad and I cut back so I would be more like him and then in third grade I found out if you were smart, people made you do more and stand out. This just proves that. Well, nice knowing you. Oh and by the way, nice dominatrix outfit." He left them all gaping. "I was joking." He grinned at them as the door shut.
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When Paul went in the lab and sat down in a chair and waited for someone to come in. Tiki wandered in and put some stuff in a cabinet. He waited patiently for her to finish before clearing his throat. "Excuse me, but when will Dr. Tou return?"
She turned around in surprise. "I can call security just as well as she can."
"I need a shot of the thickening agent before I go. They always make me bleed and I don't want to go back to the apartment and cause trouble."
"I can do that, but then what?"
"You can lock me in my cell and call Epinki to come hurt me. Ok?" He stood and walked into the cell that he was so use too. She agreed with him and gave him the shot he needed and then locked him in. She called his parents instead of Epikin and spoke to his father. Then she did call the white coats, but they were a different set. "Gee, they need someone else to handle me? Have I broken mine already?" He asked as Tiki went about her business for the day. She mumbled something about his parents wanting someone else and them changing to keep them from getting cranky. Nothing was worse then his parents when they were in a bad mood. Even before this place he never wanted to make them angry. He could understand why they were so quick to comply to their demands. If Mama aint happy aint nobody happy: a very popular saying around their house.
****"Well...Ok so it was a bit much, but I can explain! Let's find out what more I can think up in chapter 5! Oh and isn't my brother cute? He's a little flakey but everyone has their faults! Right? I will describe the way he looks next chapter because I just realized I hadn't yet, Ja na!" Azusa Wariko Maxwell****