No Longer Innocent
By: Ming
A/n: This chapter is gonna be good! *Rubs hands together in anticipation* I really hope you like this one! Don't forget to review! Since I took so long for chapter 3, I am gonna make chapter 4 interesting… And in record time too! ^_~ This author note will be short so that there is more room to write!
Disclaimer: Not mine all right? Don't have to be so mean about it… *Walks away grumbling*…. * Walks back, and laughs nervously* I still have to type this story huh? Oh well… I guess I am stuck with you guys until the end of the Chapter…
Chapter 4
Via was up that morning just in time to watch the pilot's shuttle take off. She waved from her balcony, knowing that they probably didn't see her. She went back inside, and sat down at the kitchen counter. Just because she was stuck here didn't mean that she didn't know what she was going to do.
She had planned all night to be exact. Via knew that the only way she would be able to pilot that extra Gundam, and go on missions with them, is if she could prove her capability. That's why she was going to start training today, and only go on small breaks for meals. She just needed a month's time, and then she would be fit enough.
Via took a shower, and changed into a tank top, and sweat shorts. She took a water bottle from one of the cupboards, and a towel from the bathroom. To keep her hands from getting cramped up, she wrapped them in bandaging cloth.
She would show them all that she wasn't just some bookworm. She DID have the power, and she DID have the guts. No one was going to stop her now. It took her a while, but she eventually made it too the gym that had any kind of work out equipment that you would need.
She started out with 20 laps around the inside of the gym (it is a pretty big gym). Her body was very unused to this type of workout, and was in immediate pain after she finished. Via ignored it, and just took a moment to drink from her water bottle. She started exercising again by doing 20 sit-ups she remembered doing when she was 8 and push-ups too. Her muscles screamed as she over worked them.
Everyone in there (mostly guys) watched her in amazement. They had never seen someone try so hard. Hilde was one of them, and walked over to where Via was doing crunches. " Via? What are you doing here?"
" I am exercising…duh…" Via grunted in pain, but continued.
" Oh… you are trying pretty hard… I think you need a break… Have you had breakfast yet? It is about 10:00 a.m.…. From what I hear from everyone else you have been here for like 4 hours?"
Via collapsed to talk. She took big breaths between each thing she said. " I… had… not…eaten… breakfast…"
" Come on! You are way too exhausted! You shouldn't over work your muscles! Explain everything to me, and let's get some breakfast!" Hilde dragged Via up. Via stood, but her legs felt really wobbly.
The 2 gathered their stuff, and headed toward the cafeteria (the kitchen in the dorms in only for if you don't want to eat cafeteria food). Hilde grabbed a normal sized person amount of food, but Via surprisingly, grabbed a small amount of food containing: cereal, milk, water, toast, celery, and carrots plain. Hilde raised her eyebrow, but decided to ask until they were seated.
They sat in the corner of the cafeteria, and Via started eating right away. First she chugged the whole bottle of water down, and ate her vegetables. She then ate her cereal in record time, and gulp down her milk. Hilde watched this all in amazement since she was only half way through her meal. " So…uh… Via… why are you exercising all of a sudden? Not only that, but putting yourself to the extreme."
" It is to train, and prove to myself that I can pilot a Gundam." Via relaxed her tired body parts until she finished digesting.
" Oh… I didn't think you were that determined… You are going to need a lot of help…" Hilde stared at her cereal spoon absently.
" I know… But I will succeed, and when WuFei comes back I want him to help me learn how to use the sword."
" I doubt he will want to…"
" I know, but it is always worth a try, and then I am going to ask Heero to teach me how to use a gun again. Trowa I want to teach me how to do flip, summersaults, and knife throwing too. Duo I want to teach me all the sly tricks. From Quetra I will learn all about mobile suits, and wars that I haven't heard about. I will learn about Gundams by talking to the scientists or just examining them work. I am already a master with computers… I want to do this all within a month."
" You got this all planned out? Are you sure you will learn in time?"
" I am a fast learner, and I will not fail…"
" Well… I offer my services to you. I will help you as much as I can until they come back, but every morning from this day on I will drill you in all your exercises. How does that sound?"
" I would love for you to help me… Now I want to get back, and try to see if I still know my martial arts…"
" I will come with you… I know a bit about it myself…"
They headed back to the gym, and found a fresh batch of guys. Via wanted to try out her martial arts against them. She walked over to one of them, and asked politely, " Would one of you please oblige, and fight against me?"
The whole group laughed, and the one that she challenged said, " Why don't you go back to your mommy babe?"
" No one calls me a babe, and for your information my mommy is dead." Via glared at him, and swiftly kicked him from under his feet. He fell with a loud thud. Hilde giggled, and sat back on the risers to enjoy the show.
The man she kicked got up with a huge huff. He looked at her red-faced. " I accept your challenge…babe." The whole group laughed again.
A ring of people surrounded them as they faced each other. Someone said," Go!" They started circling each other slowly. The man was getting tired of this game charged at her with a mighty yell. Her face was calm, and passive. He tried to punch her in the stomach, but a reflex she had learned years ago told her to somersault over him. It had been a while since she did it, so her somersault looked a bit crooked.
Their backs were turned to each other. The man had a look of confusion, and Via looked calm still. It went on, and on like that. He would keep punching, and kicking, and she would keep blocking, but not retaliating. Hide thinking this had taken too long said, " Via can you stop playing with him!? I am getting bored of this game."
" Patience is a virtue Hilde," mumbled Via. She blocked another punch.
" Too bad I don't have any, but can you finish him off right now?"
" Fine…" She did a swift hard punch in his face. This sent him flying back a foot unconscious. A bruise could be seen forming on the fallen man's cheek. Via unclenched her hands, and yelled, " Any one else want to challenge me."
" I will… I am the best of all Preventers excluding the Gundam pilots." A man with a beard step forward. He was in his middle thirties, and was very well muscled. Via noticed that this one would be more of a challenge.
Via took another swig of her water, and stepped into the ring of people again. " Ok… I will accept obviously."
The two faced each other, but there seemed to be a more serious air than from the battle before. " Go!" This time they didn't circle around, but tried to stare each other down. Via new the trick of this, and added a glare to her stare. He noticeably cringed, and took a step back. She had won that childish game so he had to make the first move. He ran towards her, and seemed to be readying for a punch, but at the last moment swiped her from under her feet. She gasped, and fell hard to the floor. Via got up quickly, and saw that he was smirking. She touched the cheek she had landed on, and knew she was going to get a bruise.
Via ran towards him this time, and tried to kick his side, but he grabbed her ankle. He started twirling her around, and let her go. She skidded a few feet away back on the floor. She growled in pain, and got up. He would not beat her. She tried to aim a punch for his gut, but he blocked it with his palm, and squished her hand in his. She yelled in pain, and managed to use her other hand to punch him on the cheek.
He quickly let her go, and held his hand to his cheek this time. She whispered quietly, " A bruise for a bruise." To her surprise he grinned, and kicked her on the side really hard. She groaned. " I think I bruised a rib." She stood on her knees, but got up again. Hilde had a worried look, but knew she didn't want her to interfere.
Via sprinted towards him, and jumped up, and did a spin kick to his head. She landed gracefully on her feet. A few feet away from the crouched man was a tooth. The man got up, and angrily glared at her. " Well you managed to get a good kick at me… But I am not down yet…" He got up again, and without warning kicked her on the sides again at the same spot.
She collapsed face down breathless. He laughed, and was about to walk away. But she slowly got up again. " I want a rematch!" He just nodded, but every time she tried to get him she would always end on the ground again. " I will not be beat by a measly Preventer. I am gonna become a Gundam pilot, and no one is going to stop me!" She ran quickly, and aimed a punch to his stomach way too fast for him to see. Before he could react, she punched his cheek. Just to show him what it feels like to be hit in the same spot again she kneed his stomach, and kicked him away from her. He fell down 2 feet away, and this time didn't get back up. " Hilde help…"
Hilde quickly ran over, and put her arm under Via's. " I need to get you to Sally… She is the doctor here… You look real beaten up Via. Heero is gonna kill you…"
" Well… I am not gonna feel as bad as that other guy I just beat up… I will feel WORSE! Screw Heero man… I don't care right now… I hurt every where…" Via groaned some more.
Hilde laughed, and tried to be as gentle as she could. " Let's hope Heero never ever hears you say that about him… You never lose you sense of humor at the most painful times huh Via?" Via shook her head, and leaned heavily on Hilde. " Well after you get patched up we can have dinner. You guys fought all through the afternoon…"
" It was worth it… I kicked his little @$$!"
" Did I just hear right or did you just cuss?" Hilde was in shock, she never thought she would ever hear Via say that kind of stuff.
" It is a once in a life time thing… don't worry about ever hearing it again…" Via smiled wickedly as they stumble to the infirmary.
~ Infirmary ~
Sally shook her head at Via. " Well Miss Cho, you have accomplished in bruising almost breaking a rib, spraining your right foot, not only that, but also your left hand, and you have a black eye. Oh yea also a cut on your lip, and your lip is swollen too, plus a bruise on pretty much ever part of your body that got hit. Your knuckles are also bleeding quite badly. I don't think you just got this from a work out Via."
" No… duh…" Via grumbled this sarcastically, and lied down on the bed.
A half an hour later she was all bandaged up. She had to keep the icepack to her eye for an hour, and her hands were very stiff. Well every joint in her body felt stiff. She was not at all happy with her self.
They were sitting in the cafeteria at there same spot, and Hilde had been nice enough to get Via's food for her. Everyone was staring at Via as if she was some kind of maniac. She didn't blame them, she thought she was one too. To make it even worse she could barely pick up a cup. Her hand was so cramped! She put her fingers in a way so that she could hold things, and while she was doing that there was lots of mild cursing.
Hilde smirked, and said, " I thought you said cussing was a once in a lifetime thing for you."
" Not anymore since this blasted hand of mine is wounded…"
" Every part of your body is hurt…"
" True true…" Via was just about to put a forkful of macaroni in her mouth, but a group of boys caught her sight. Her fork fell on to the tray. She nudged Hilde hard, trying not to wince.
" What is it?" Via tried to point her hand in the direction she was looking at. " It's just a group of boys… Wait… a group of boys…. Is that Duo? Uh oh…" Hilde cringed.
" Crap, Duo is pointing at us! Hide me Hilde! I don't want to die of Heero's wrath!" Via started panicking.
" Umm…how? Where? Ack! They chose a bad time to come back early!" Hilde tried to think, but it was too late. Duo was now running towards them.
" Hey sweetie! Hey Via…WOAH VIA WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO YOU!?" Duo exclaimed this so loud that the whole cafeteria heard. The other pilots came running over to see what happened. All of their jaws dropped.
Heero grimaced, and crouched next to Via. " What the hell happened? I leave you for most of the day, and now you are all beaten up…" Heero touched the skin around her eye gently. Via tried not to yelp.
" What happened?" Quetra looked at her with concern.
" Maybe if you all would sit down, I can explain for Via." Hilde pointed to empty seats with annoyance. They all meekly sat down except Heero who was inspecting Via.
Heero half-listened, and traced her swollen lips. Via whimpered in pain. He sighed, and noticed her bandaged hands. His sharp eyes could tell there was a bandage around Via's rib area. He shook his head when he heard the details of the last battle. " Via what were you thinking?"
" I was just practicing… It was all in good intentions…" Via looked at him nervously.
" Yea good intentions to kill yourself!" Duo grinned widely. There was a new surprise about Via everyday day.
They talked over it some more, and by the time they were done everyone in the cafeteria was gone. All five pilots agreed to teach Via because of the determination she showed today, but they wanted her to rest, and get healed up. Heero knew she probably wouldn't so he said, " Promise?"
" Promise…" Via crossed her toes. She looked at him innocently, but Heero knew what she was doing, but just hoped that she would take their advice. Via slumped over, and leaned against Heero tiredly. " I am so sleepy… But I am too tired to move, and stiff too…" Via drifted in between consciousness, and unconsciousness.
Heero without another word picked her up gently, and nodded good night to everyone. As he carried her down the hall, he whispered, " What could have possessed you to fight… You know you aren't strong enough…"
" That's why I am fighting… to get stronger… Just like you Heero." Via rested her head against his chest.
" Just be quiet, and go to sleep." Heero opened the door using Via's key, and walked to her bedroom. He set her down on the bed, careful to not press any bruises. Heero tucked her in, and said, " Good night…" He pressed his lips lightly on her forehead. A content smile formed on her lips.
~ End of Chapter 4 ~
A/n: So watcha think? Please review! More to come soon…