Chapter 34
The next day, Quatre and Dorothy proudly announced the name they chose. "His name is Rayan.
Rayan Winner," Quatre said.
"Rayan?" Jerry asked, wrinkling his nose at the unfamiliar sound.
"Yes."
"Weell..." Jerry said, "I guess as long as it's a boy's name, it's okay then."
"Since when was your opinion needed, young man?" Hilde asked humorously, and Jerry
sulked.
Meanwhile, Heero finally said, "It's good he has a name, but now we need to focus on other
things." Both Dorothy and Quatre looked up, and they nodded. "We understand," Dorothy said
simply.
Reiming, who had been very quiet, finally spoke up. "I think I have an idea on how to design
a program to overload the Xero program...but it's going to take time...I don't know how long."
Heero nodded. "Okay then, you'd better get started."
Reiming nodded, and headed towards the kitchen. She came out later with some food, and...
"Coffee?" Trowa asked. "Oh no..."
"I think I'll be needing the caffeine, since I don't plan on sleeping until I finish."
"But you shouldn't torture your body."
"Oh well."
Trowa shrugged helplessly, then said, "Fine, I give you a week. Any more, and I break down the
door and make you get some rest."
Reiming looked rebellious, but subsided. "Fine, a week. But don't think that just because you
won this time means that I will listen to you always."
And she headed to a room and closed the door.
"What else should we do?" Noin asked. "Assuming that Reiming is successful, we still
need a plan."
"I think we should continue watching the station. In the meantime, I also think we
need to practice with simulations, and study the plans for the Chimera and Griffon. We
should also assume the possibility that they have been upgraded, and we need to form battle
plans," Quatre said.
"Well then," Wufei said. "We each train ourselves vigorously until they attack or
Reiming comes out, or until a week has passed then."
The pilots all nodded.
a few days later...
Reiming felt like fainting. She had dealt with the first 48 hours well, but she was now
working on her third day with no sleep and she was exhausted. "Almost there," she said
grimly, pounding away at the keyboard.
outside...
Meilai sat in the garden, meditating. Soon however, her eyes flashed open. Brandishing her
sword, she began practicing, carving patterns into the air and lashing out at invisible
opponents. Suddenly, a knife whirled in her direction, and she deflected it easily, and looked
towards the source of the knife.
"You are as skilled as Meiran was," Wufei said, twirling another knife. Meilai smiled
fleetingly. "What are you doing over there?" she called.
Wufei leaped over the small stream and made his way through the garden towards Meilai. "I WAS
practicing," he said.
"Oh, sorry. I guess I was too loud."
Wufei studied the girl in front of her. "She's so much like Meiran, but she's different also,"
he mused.
"Do you miss Meiran?"
Wufei was jarred from his staring. "Sorry...I see her in you I guess."
"You two were that close?"
"No, we weren't," Wufei admitted. "In fact...we hated each other. I used to be quiet
and studious, really!" he said when Meilai threw him an odd look, "and she was aggressive and
loud, a true warrior. She also resented me because even as I was, I was a better fighter than
she. But...right before she died..." and Wufei looked away.
"I'm sorry," Meilai said quietly.
"No no...it's not your fault. It's probably better if I tell someone anyway."
Meilai looked at Wufei. "So...what happened?" she asked quietly. "I...don't have many
memories of my sister."
"Meiran had been wounded in a battle with OZ. The intensity of her mobile suit had
been too much for her, and while she was distracted, a Leo crashed into her and both suits
exploded. She was wounded, and she asked me to carry her to a field of flowers. Before she
died, she admitted that I was...stronger than she. She also admitted that she wished she
had been able to appreciate little things, like the beauty of the flowers, earlier," Wufei
finished quietly, then looked away.
Meilai looked sadly at him. "So...that's what happened to Meiran..." and a tear fell.
Wufei turned to her, surprised. "I'm sorry...I'm so weak," she whispered. "I'm not strong...
like you and Reiming, and I'm not strong...like Meiran was..."
"No," Wufei said suddenly, surprising both himself and Meilai. "You're compassionate,
and sometimes...that is the greatest strength of all...to remain human...even in the midst of
battle..."
"Tell that to my parents," she said bitterly. "I'm not strong...I'm weak...I never will
be worthy of being in the Ron clan, much less the sister of the great Ron Meiran..."
Looking at her sympathetically, Wufei thought, "You and my sister are truly alike...you both
feel inferior...but neither of you are," he thought. "When will you realize that you are
special," then started, when he realized he had said that out loud.
Meilai's head jerked up at him. She stared at him, and muttered, "I thank you for your
praise...but it's not true..."
"Yes it is," Wufei said in a choked voice, after he had recovered. "You...you ARE
special..."
inside
"Finished!" Reiming said triumphantly. "About time," a voice said.
"What?!" she said, whirling around, but no one was there. Suddenly, a monitor
flickered on, and Trowa's face appeared. "Hello Reiming."
"Trowa..." she fumed.
"You forgot to check for tracers and other devices," he said in means of explanation.
Reiming glared at him for a little, then tossed her head and stormed out of the room.
Outside, Trowa chuckled and turned around from the screen to confront an angry Reiming.
"You have some nerve!" she said in greeting.
"Isn't that one of the things you love about me?"
"Shut up."
Trowa sighed, "At least you didn't deny it."
"Weeelll..." she said, shyly looking up at him, her anger disappearing. "I'm just not
used to being outsmarted, that's all."
"Looks like you've met your match," he said, drawing her close, and wrinkling his nose.
"You smell like coffee," he teased.
Reiming raised an eyebrow. "Happens when you don't sleep for 72 hours," then she let out a
huge yawn. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be in my room, dead."
Trowa smiled down at her, and said, "I'll walk you there, but first, you're getting some air,"
and he led her out into the garden.
The two walked out, then Reiming froze, her exhaustion falling away. She grabbed Trowa's hand,
and dragged him behind the nearest tree. "Wha-? Oh..." he said, looking where she was
looking.
Wufei, in a burst of boldness, had put his hand on Meilai's cheek, and the two were just
standing there, looking at each other. However, the moment soon passed and both turned away,
embarrassed. "I...have to practice," Meilai stammered, picking up her sword, which she had
dropped. Wufei muttered something similar, and they turned away and walked in opposite
directions.
"Huh," Reiming said.
"Surprised?" Trowa asked.
"No...not really."
"No?"
"Didn't you see the look in his eyes that night in the alley? No? Well, that was my
first hint. The way he comforted her later confirmed my suspicions."
"Are you upset?"
"Oh no no. But I think Meilai is going to have a long wait. Wufei may have feelings
for her, but I have a feeling that we're all going to be as old and decrepit as Himmler before
he is brave enough to tell her..."
Trowa looked at her suspiciously. "You're plotting," he said suspiciously.
"Me? Oh no, of course not. I'm too tired to plot," she said airily. Trowa just
looked at her. She sighed. "Fine...I may be too tired to plot...but I am up to something,
so are you satisfied?"
Trowa smiled again and kissed her head. "Quite. Now, let's get you to bed."
Chapter 35
"So basically, the ANTI XERO program works the same way as the ANTI ZERO, only it
overloads it much quicker. It causes whatever suit that is using the program to give off a
tremendous level of intensity, causing any suit within a large range using the XERO system to
overload it, since the intensity, thanks to the program, is magnified 30 times, just as in the
ZERO system."
"But with the level of intensity the suit is giving off, wouldn't it affect the suit's
pilot as well?" Quatre asked.
"Yes...but it's a risk whoever uses it will have to take. Also...the intensity given
off...if continued for too long, will also overload that suit. It's a race to see who gives out
first," Reiming shrugged.
The pilots pondered this information. After Reiming had more or less crashed in her room for
24 hours, Heero and Zechs had asked a reluctant Wufei to wake his sister up, since the
encrypting system Reiming had used could not be broken into incorrectly, as one incorrect
maneuver would cause the disk to automatically self-delete. Wufei unsuccessfully tried waking
her, and even with Trowa helping, Reiming didn't budge. Finally, in a mischievous
mood, Meilai ordered the four children to jump on her bed and start jumping. A furious
Reiming stumbled out of her room, followed by four laughing children, to be met with all the
pilots and their family laughing hysterically; well, in Heero's case, smiling.
"Well, I'm glad you all think that's funny," she muttered sullenly, glaring at them.
"Yes, it is," Meilai said gleefully.
"Your idea, I take it?"
"Of course!"
"Grrr..." she snarled, prompting more laughter.
But after that had passed, Reiming explained how the system worked. "So now...we need to lure
Himmler and Atkins out in a battle, then pray that we win."
"Hmm...should be interesting...we've never done something like that before," Duo
said. "Usually," he said ruefully, "We're the ones getting lured into traps."
"Well, first time for everything," Lady Une said briskly.
"Fine then, we'll-" but Reiming was cut off by another yawn. "I think," Relena said
smilingly, "that you need more sleep..."
"You think? It's not pleasant to be woken up by four...four...munchkins," she said,
casting a baleful glance at the still giggling children.
Noin smiled. "Hey...I usually get woken up by two 'munchkins' every day...too early in the
morning, may I add."
"Ugh...reason why you have children and I don't."
"You may change your mind..." she said, glancing at Trowa and winking. Reiming
wrinkled her nose at her. "I'm too tired to argue...good night..."
And she returned to her room.
a few days later...
"Wufei, got a minute?"
Wufei started, surprised. Though Reiming had warmed up considerably, it was not often that she
pulled him over for a heart to heart. But he stood up anyway, and followed his sister
outside.
"Wufei...spit it out."
"Huh?"
"It's obvious to me that you like Meilai, so just stop being so anal and stubborn and
a typical Chang male and admit it to yourself."
"What? I don't know what you're talking about," he said stiffly.
Reiming snorted. "Weak!" she said derisively.
Wufei glared at her; she looked right back and stared him down. "It's none of your business
anyway," he grumbled.
"Oh shut up. It's plenty my business."
"Since when?"
"Well, ever since that little speech of yours that you gave me while I was still Lillith,
when you went on about how twins are supposed to nose into each others businesses, well, since
then, it has been my business. Also, Meilai is like a sister to me..."
"Exactly, a sister. Reiming...she is my SISTER IN LAW! I can't do anything even if I
wanted to," he said miserably.
Reiming rolled her eyes. "Wufei, I hate to sound cold, but MEIRAN IS DEAD. She has been dead
for nine years. Now, a new woman walks into your life, and you obviously have feelings for her,
but no, she's your, gasp, sister in law, who may I add, you have never seen in your life, so
oh darn, you can't touch her. Bull!"
Wufei started to reply, then stopped, realizing that he had nothing to say. "Well," he said
feebly, "even if I do like her..."
"Forget the 'even' Wufei. You LIKE HER."
"FINE!" Wufei shouted. "Fine," he muttered, regaining control. "So I do have feelings
for her...but she doesn't for me..."
Reiming stared at him, then, calmly walking up to him, punched him in the side of the face hard.
"Wufei you jackass! That was beyond weak! Of course she likes you! Why do you think
I'm here? She likes you, you like her, but she, unlike me, is a 'proper' little Asian
female who won't say anything until she gets the okay from the 'dominant' male, and since you
are the way you are, we're all going to be old and decrepit before you do, which is why I'm
here...hitting you," she finished.
Wufei just stared at her. "You said that all in one breath?"
"Shut up," she said, sounding like her normal self. "Now, are you going to tell her or
not? I'm feeling weird here; it's not my nature to play matchmaker...well, hitting you was
fun..." she mused.
"Har har."
"Well?! I'm not leaving you alone until I get an answer from you. Heck, I'll just hit
you again on the other side of your face."
"Fine! I like her!"
"And..." Reiming prompted.
"And..." Wufei hesitated, hating how his younger sister was dominating him, "I'll tell
her..."
"BEFORE we all hit 80, right?????"
Wufei sighed. "Yes...I'll tell her...soon."
"You're telling her tonight."
"Don't push it."
But even though Wufei had insisted on taking his time, that evening, he was staring at Meilai
from the window. Meilai had been practicing some more, and at the moment, was taking a break,
lying on the grass and staring at the stars. "Why am I here?" he muttered helplessly.
"Oh well..." and he started downstairs.
"Wufei?" Meilai said, sitting up as Wufei walked out. "You're up late."
"So are you."
Meilai smiled. "Point."
Wufei laughed. "You say point, Reiming says touche. You two are so similar, it's scary."
Meilai laughed. "So...any reason you're up so late?" she asked, looking at him sideways.
"Well...yes," Wufei said, then stopped, his throat closing. "I can't believe I'm this
nervous," he thought to himself.
Meanwhile, Meilai had layed back down on the grass. "Yeah, I'm staying up late to practice,
get in shape." Her eyes grew flinty. "I'm going to make sure I win," she said grimly.
Wufei nodded, still trying to figure out what to say. "Ah...well, there's a reason I'm up...an
important one..." he stammered.
Meilai turned to him, surprised. "Wufei, are you okay? You look like you're sweating..."
"Weeell..."
"Do you have a fever?"
"Meilai, I have feelings for you," he blurted out. Damn, he thought, that was
stupid Wufei.
Meilai's eyes widened, and she sat up again. "Wufei..."
"I'm sorry, that was stupid and undignified...I don't know why I did that; just forget
it...I just had to tell you, sorry if I scared you," he babbled, unable to stop. "Sorry..." he
murmured, standing up. "I'll just go now..."
"Wufei..."
At her voice, Wufei turned around. Meilai was looking at him hard, then she said quietly,
"Wufei...I have feelings for you too..."
Wufei sat down hard. She likes me too...he thought. He felt like her was on air; he was
so happy. "You...you like me too?"
"Yes...I just didn't say anything because...because you were my sister's husband," she
blurted out. "I didn't want to seem like..."
"I know...I'm sorry if I seem unfaithful to Meiran..." but suddenly, Wufei, looking at
Meilai in the starlight, was overcome. Leaning towards her, he suddenly kissed her, and
inside, was deeply satisfied when Meilai started kissing him back. Soon, both were too
involved to be thinking of anything else.
"Ugh..." Reiming said, turning away from the window. "Really, guys are just horny
jerks when you get down to it."
"All guys?" Trowa said.
"You're the exception," Reiming said, pointedly keeping her back to the window.
"Really! I told him to tell her how he felt, not get himself screwed, literally! Sheesh," she
muttered. "Who would have thought?"
Trowa smiled. "Well then, little miss nosy, are we ready to give them the privacy they
deserve?" he asked, taking her hand.
"Don't call me little," she muttered, but followed him out of the room. "Well...if he
gets her pregnant, I guess I'll have plenty of ammunition to tease him with..."
next day...
"So Brother, did you tell Meilai how you felt?" Reiming said sweetly. "I stayed up
waiting for you...you didn't go to your room until late!"
Wufei looked at his sister uncomfortably. "Er...yes I did..." he said carefully.
"Oh! Good for you! I'm so proud of you!"
Wufei sighed, and turned around. "Okay, fine...what do you know?"
"Me? Know? Oh no no, Wufei. I don't know anything. WHY would you think that I know
anything?"
"Reiming..."
"Weeelll...all I'm saying is that, for your sake, I hope she doesn't get pregnant, or
I will never let you forget the fact that you, like most men, simply follow your pointers
through life, that's all."
Wufei paled. "You...you...saw?!" he cried.
"Oh, I turned around," she said mildly. "Oh, look at the time. Talk to you later, my
dear Brother." And Reiming turned around and swept off, leaving behind an extremely
embarrassed Wufei.
Chapter 36
"She knows?!"
"She knows," Wufei said flatly, shocked and very embarrassed. "She...she stayed up late
last night and must have...seen."
Meilai's face turned bright red. "Oh, this is just great," she muttered. "She's not going to
let me forget this..." Then her eyes widened. "Was she angry?"
"No...just very amused...Anyways, she wouldn't be angry or upset at you; she just can't
wait to start teasing me," he said dully. "I think the little girl in her is coming back."
"Just like old times, hmm?" Meilai asked, smiling a little. "It's kind of hard to
imagine that Reiming was ever that happy and carefree...and mischievous!" she added.
Wufei smiled. "Yes...she was definitely a handful; a typical little sister!"
The two of them chuckled a little. "Wufei," Meilai asked, "Did you happen to mention anything
about me to her, or was it just bad luck that she happened to be up yesterday?"
"Weelll...she confronted me about having feelings for you. When I was too stubborn to
admit it, she woke me up, the hard way," he added, rubbing his jaw, which was now purple
black.
"Oh, so is that how you got that bruise!" Meilai asked, laughing. "Well then, at least
now I know why she just happened to be there last night!"
later...
"So Reiming, you know, don't you?" Meilai asked, walking in on Reiming polishing her
sword.
Reiming didn't bother looking up. "Ah, so I guess Wufei told you how I had the extreme
misfortune of witnessing some very extreme PDA last night, so to speak?"
"Well, yes."
Reiming smiled, studying her blade. Putting it back in its sheath, she stood up. "So Meilai,
how do you feel right now?" she asked seriously.
Meilai hesitated. "I...I'm happy, I guess," she said carefully. Oh, God help me, I don't want
to say the wrong thing right now, she thought.
Reiming looked at her some more, and smiled, to Meilai's relief. "That's good...the heads of
the Chang males are hard," she said, rubbing her fist. Meilai burst out laughing. "Well, you
left a very impressive bruise!" she chuckled.
Reiming smiled also. "Did I? Huh, I guess my fist is tougher than I thought, to be able to
put a bruise on HIS face!"
Meilai stopped laughing, then became serious. "Thank you, Reiming," she said quietly.
Reiming understood. "Take care of my headstrong brother for me," she said, then realizing what
she had just said, said, "No pun intended!"
later...
"WHAT is going on?!" Duo sputtered, walking in on Wufei and Meilai, who had been
sitting very close to each other outside in the garden. Neither of the two moved, Wufei only
glancing up briefly to say, "Hello Duo." Duo left, shaking his head, very confused.
"Really...first it's Trowa and Reiming, and now it's Wufei and Meilai...Really, these two are
completely messing with my mind! I'm so confused!" he finished, walking inside where Dorothy
sat with baby Rayan.
"What is it this time Duo?" Dorothy asked, feeding Rayan with a bottle.
"Wufei and Meilai, that's what!"
"Oh, you mean how Meilai's Meiran's sister?"
"No! I mean how they're sitting very close to each other outside at this moment!"
Clearly, Dorothy did not expect that answer. She abruptly stood on, and balancing Rayan on her
hip, she quickly went outside. She came back shortly with a very shocked expression on her
face. Duo smirked. "NOW do you understand?"
"They...they...Wufei and MEILAI?!" Dorothy sputtered. "Since when?!"
"How should I know?"
"Amazing..." Dorothy muttered, shaking her head and going back to feeding Rayan.
"Still...I suppose they DO make a cute couple."
Duo stared. "They're brother and sister in law!"
"Not anymore. Meiran died, remember?"
"Yes...but..." Duo sputtered, then subsided. "I guess you're right..." he sighed, then
his eyes widened. "Whoa, does Reiming know?"
"Does Reiming know what?" Reiming asked, walking in.
"Er..." Duo stammered, unsure of what to say, and looked helplessly at Dorothy, who was
pointedly ignoring him, pretending to be concentrating very hard on feeding her son. "Er..."
Reiming smiled, enjoying torturing Duo. Casually, she said, "Oh well, never mind. Now if you
need to talk to me, I'll be outside in the garden." As soon as she said those words, Duo
froze. "Ah...Oh wait! I remember what I was going to say. I was...uh...I was..."
"Yes???"
"Er...the ANTI XERO system! Yeah, that's right, the ANTI XERO program."
"What about it?"
"Er...could you explain how it works again to me? I never got those biology things,"
Duo said hastily, grabbing Reiming's arm and tugging her out of the room. Reiming allowed
herself to be led from the room. Right before she left, she turned around and saw Dorothy
watching them with interest. Seeing that, Reiming winked at her. Dorothy's eyes widened, and
she shook her head. "You know?" she mouthed. Reiming nodded. Dorothy smiled, and mouthed,
"My lips are sealed."
later...
"Wufei and Meilai are together!" Duo said franctically, rushing into the room that he
and Hilde said. Looking up, Hilde's eyes widened. "You're kidding!"
"No I'm not," Duo said breathlessly, closing the door behind him. "Reiming doesn't know
yet, so keep it quiet, okay?"
"Okay..." Hilde said, still shocked. "But...I can't believe this! Wufei and Meilai?!"
Within a matter of an hour, word had spread throughout the station that Wufei and Meilai were
a couple, and, thanks to Duo, everyone also thought that Reiming had no clue whatsoever.
However, Relena raised an eyebrow when Hilde finished pouring out the story to her. "Reiming
doesn't know?" she said skeptically. "Are you sure?"
"That's what Duo said...but then again...he IS Duo."
Relena frowned. "That's odd...but oh well; I guess Wufei is as good as keeping secrets as she
is."
Across the room, Dorothy hid a smile.
that evening
Dinner was very strained. Everyone was acting very oddly, with the exception of Reiming,
Dorothy, Wufei, Trowa, and Meilai. Even though Trowa knew very well that Reiming knew about
the two, he figured that if that the story had circulated that she didn't know, he decided that
she was probably going to torture them for a while, he thought ruefully. "You're sneaky, you
know that?" he had said to her earlier. She had just smiled sweetly.
Meanwhile, the rest of the pilots were shifting in their seats and glancing at Wufei and Meilai
and then at Reiming nervously. Eventually, this unnerved them to the point that Meilai finally
asked, "Okay, what is going on?"
"Er..." Relena said uncertainly, unsure of how to word her sentences.
"Does this have anything to do with Meilai and me?" Wufei demanded.
Eyes wide, Noin sent Wufei some pointed looks, in hopes of quieting him, but he obviously
didn't get it. "Look, if you guys have something against us being together..." he started.
"Shut up!" Duo hissed, glancing at Reiming, who was calmly eating.
"Huh? Shut up about what?" Meilai asked, confused.
Quatre groaned, sinking in his seat. "She doesn't know!" he tried hissing in a quiet voice.
"Who's she? What doesn't this person know?"
"You know, about you two!" Hilde whispered fiercely.
"Reiming? What doesn't she know?" Wufei asked, bewildered.
The entire group groaned. "Here come the fireworks," Zechs thought grimly.
At this point, Reiming spoke up. "You know, Wufei, I was just thinking. After this whole war
is over, I really think you and Meilai should settle down in China, that is, if you don't
become a Preventer again. I think it'd be nice for your children to be raised in the country
of their ethnicity."
"That'd be nice," Wufei mused, glancing at Meilai, who looked thoughtful. "I'd like
to live there," she said thoughtfully.
The entire group's jaws dropped. "What...the..." Lady Une gasped.
Mariemaia stared. "You...you KNEW?!"
"Knew what? Oh, you mean that they were in love? Of course I knew; I was the one that
set them up!" she said breezily.
The entire group fell out of their chairs, shocked. At this, Dorothy couldn't take it anymore,
and she burst out laughing. "You...should see...the expression...on your faces!" she gasped
out between laughs.
"Oh, that SO was NOT funny!" Duo growled, climbing back on his chair. "You knew this
afternoon, didn't you?!" he demanded furiously.
"Well...I hate to sound so, ah, immature, but...DUH!"
"And then you kept us all running around, chasing our tails!"
"Hey, I didn't do a thing. You all came to your own conclusions," she responded.
"Dorothy, you knew?!" Quatre said, turning to Dorothy, whose face was still red from
laughing so hard. "How?"
"Before Duo dragged her out of the room in an effort to keep her from seeing Wufei and
Meilai together, she winked at me. I came to my own conclusions."
"Well, that's just great..." Quatre muttered. Turning to Trowa, he said, "You knew
too, didn't you?"
"Yes. I was with her when Wufei finally confessed his feelings to Meilai."
"You WERE?!" Wufei sputtered, paling. Oh that's just great; how much did he see? he
thought franctically. "However," Trowa said continuing, "I had to depend on Reiming telling me
what was going on; I didn't actually see anything." Wufei's heart rate returned to normal.
Heero looked at Wufei suspiciously. "Any reason why you're so pale Wufei?"
"Uh..."
"Oh that's just great Wufei," Meilai muttered, turning pink. "Can you be just a little
more obvious?!"
Regaining his composure, Duo snickered. "Well well well Wufei, we learn something new about
you every day!"
"Shut up..." he muttered.
"Well then, it's late. Good night everyone," Reiming said pleasantly, standing up.
Ignoring the sullen looks everyone gave her, she went over to Trowa, kissed him on the cheek,
and left.
"I'll be going too," Meilai said hastily, standing up. "Good night." Wufei also
muttered a hasty excuse and ran off. The rest of the group just sat there, staring at each
other. "What did I say?" Duo sighed. "Those two girls are messing with my mind."
The next day, Quatre and Dorothy proudly announced the name they chose. "His name is Rayan.
Rayan Winner," Quatre said.
"Rayan?" Jerry asked, wrinkling his nose at the unfamiliar sound.
"Yes."
"Weell..." Jerry said, "I guess as long as it's a boy's name, it's okay then."
"Since when was your opinion needed, young man?" Hilde asked humorously, and Jerry
sulked.
Meanwhile, Heero finally said, "It's good he has a name, but now we need to focus on other
things." Both Dorothy and Quatre looked up, and they nodded. "We understand," Dorothy said
simply.
Reiming, who had been very quiet, finally spoke up. "I think I have an idea on how to design
a program to overload the Xero program...but it's going to take time...I don't know how long."
Heero nodded. "Okay then, you'd better get started."
Reiming nodded, and headed towards the kitchen. She came out later with some food, and...
"Coffee?" Trowa asked. "Oh no..."
"I think I'll be needing the caffeine, since I don't plan on sleeping until I finish."
"But you shouldn't torture your body."
"Oh well."
Trowa shrugged helplessly, then said, "Fine, I give you a week. Any more, and I break down the
door and make you get some rest."
Reiming looked rebellious, but subsided. "Fine, a week. But don't think that just because you
won this time means that I will listen to you always."
And she headed to a room and closed the door.
"What else should we do?" Noin asked. "Assuming that Reiming is successful, we still
need a plan."
"I think we should continue watching the station. In the meantime, I also think we
need to practice with simulations, and study the plans for the Chimera and Griffon. We
should also assume the possibility that they have been upgraded, and we need to form battle
plans," Quatre said.
"Well then," Wufei said. "We each train ourselves vigorously until they attack or
Reiming comes out, or until a week has passed then."
The pilots all nodded.
a few days later...
Reiming felt like fainting. She had dealt with the first 48 hours well, but she was now
working on her third day with no sleep and she was exhausted. "Almost there," she said
grimly, pounding away at the keyboard.
outside...
Meilai sat in the garden, meditating. Soon however, her eyes flashed open. Brandishing her
sword, she began practicing, carving patterns into the air and lashing out at invisible
opponents. Suddenly, a knife whirled in her direction, and she deflected it easily, and looked
towards the source of the knife.
"You are as skilled as Meiran was," Wufei said, twirling another knife. Meilai smiled
fleetingly. "What are you doing over there?" she called.
Wufei leaped over the small stream and made his way through the garden towards Meilai. "I WAS
practicing," he said.
"Oh, sorry. I guess I was too loud."
Wufei studied the girl in front of her. "She's so much like Meiran, but she's different also,"
he mused.
"Do you miss Meiran?"
Wufei was jarred from his staring. "Sorry...I see her in you I guess."
"You two were that close?"
"No, we weren't," Wufei admitted. "In fact...we hated each other. I used to be quiet
and studious, really!" he said when Meilai threw him an odd look, "and she was aggressive and
loud, a true warrior. She also resented me because even as I was, I was a better fighter than
she. But...right before she died..." and Wufei looked away.
"I'm sorry," Meilai said quietly.
"No no...it's not your fault. It's probably better if I tell someone anyway."
Meilai looked at Wufei. "So...what happened?" she asked quietly. "I...don't have many
memories of my sister."
"Meiran had been wounded in a battle with OZ. The intensity of her mobile suit had
been too much for her, and while she was distracted, a Leo crashed into her and both suits
exploded. She was wounded, and she asked me to carry her to a field of flowers. Before she
died, she admitted that I was...stronger than she. She also admitted that she wished she
had been able to appreciate little things, like the beauty of the flowers, earlier," Wufei
finished quietly, then looked away.
Meilai looked sadly at him. "So...that's what happened to Meiran..." and a tear fell.
Wufei turned to her, surprised. "I'm sorry...I'm so weak," she whispered. "I'm not strong...
like you and Reiming, and I'm not strong...like Meiran was..."
"No," Wufei said suddenly, surprising both himself and Meilai. "You're compassionate,
and sometimes...that is the greatest strength of all...to remain human...even in the midst of
battle..."
"Tell that to my parents," she said bitterly. "I'm not strong...I'm weak...I never will
be worthy of being in the Ron clan, much less the sister of the great Ron Meiran..."
Looking at her sympathetically, Wufei thought, "You and my sister are truly alike...you both
feel inferior...but neither of you are," he thought. "When will you realize that you are
special," then started, when he realized he had said that out loud.
Meilai's head jerked up at him. She stared at him, and muttered, "I thank you for your
praise...but it's not true..."
"Yes it is," Wufei said in a choked voice, after he had recovered. "You...you ARE
special..."
inside
"Finished!" Reiming said triumphantly. "About time," a voice said.
"What?!" she said, whirling around, but no one was there. Suddenly, a monitor
flickered on, and Trowa's face appeared. "Hello Reiming."
"Trowa..." she fumed.
"You forgot to check for tracers and other devices," he said in means of explanation.
Reiming glared at him for a little, then tossed her head and stormed out of the room.
Outside, Trowa chuckled and turned around from the screen to confront an angry Reiming.
"You have some nerve!" she said in greeting.
"Isn't that one of the things you love about me?"
"Shut up."
Trowa sighed, "At least you didn't deny it."
"Weeelll..." she said, shyly looking up at him, her anger disappearing. "I'm just not
used to being outsmarted, that's all."
"Looks like you've met your match," he said, drawing her close, and wrinkling his nose.
"You smell like coffee," he teased.
Reiming raised an eyebrow. "Happens when you don't sleep for 72 hours," then she let out a
huge yawn. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be in my room, dead."
Trowa smiled down at her, and said, "I'll walk you there, but first, you're getting some air,"
and he led her out into the garden.
The two walked out, then Reiming froze, her exhaustion falling away. She grabbed Trowa's hand,
and dragged him behind the nearest tree. "Wha-? Oh..." he said, looking where she was
looking.
Wufei, in a burst of boldness, had put his hand on Meilai's cheek, and the two were just
standing there, looking at each other. However, the moment soon passed and both turned away,
embarrassed. "I...have to practice," Meilai stammered, picking up her sword, which she had
dropped. Wufei muttered something similar, and they turned away and walked in opposite
directions.
"Huh," Reiming said.
"Surprised?" Trowa asked.
"No...not really."
"No?"
"Didn't you see the look in his eyes that night in the alley? No? Well, that was my
first hint. The way he comforted her later confirmed my suspicions."
"Are you upset?"
"Oh no no. But I think Meilai is going to have a long wait. Wufei may have feelings
for her, but I have a feeling that we're all going to be as old and decrepit as Himmler before
he is brave enough to tell her..."
Trowa looked at her suspiciously. "You're plotting," he said suspiciously.
"Me? Oh no, of course not. I'm too tired to plot," she said airily. Trowa just
looked at her. She sighed. "Fine...I may be too tired to plot...but I am up to something,
so are you satisfied?"
Trowa smiled again and kissed her head. "Quite. Now, let's get you to bed."
Chapter 35
"So basically, the ANTI XERO program works the same way as the ANTI ZERO, only it
overloads it much quicker. It causes whatever suit that is using the program to give off a
tremendous level of intensity, causing any suit within a large range using the XERO system to
overload it, since the intensity, thanks to the program, is magnified 30 times, just as in the
ZERO system."
"But with the level of intensity the suit is giving off, wouldn't it affect the suit's
pilot as well?" Quatre asked.
"Yes...but it's a risk whoever uses it will have to take. Also...the intensity given
off...if continued for too long, will also overload that suit. It's a race to see who gives out
first," Reiming shrugged.
The pilots pondered this information. After Reiming had more or less crashed in her room for
24 hours, Heero and Zechs had asked a reluctant Wufei to wake his sister up, since the
encrypting system Reiming had used could not be broken into incorrectly, as one incorrect
maneuver would cause the disk to automatically self-delete. Wufei unsuccessfully tried waking
her, and even with Trowa helping, Reiming didn't budge. Finally, in a mischievous
mood, Meilai ordered the four children to jump on her bed and start jumping. A furious
Reiming stumbled out of her room, followed by four laughing children, to be met with all the
pilots and their family laughing hysterically; well, in Heero's case, smiling.
"Well, I'm glad you all think that's funny," she muttered sullenly, glaring at them.
"Yes, it is," Meilai said gleefully.
"Your idea, I take it?"
"Of course!"
"Grrr..." she snarled, prompting more laughter.
But after that had passed, Reiming explained how the system worked. "So now...we need to lure
Himmler and Atkins out in a battle, then pray that we win."
"Hmm...should be interesting...we've never done something like that before," Duo
said. "Usually," he said ruefully, "We're the ones getting lured into traps."
"Well, first time for everything," Lady Une said briskly.
"Fine then, we'll-" but Reiming was cut off by another yawn. "I think," Relena said
smilingly, "that you need more sleep..."
"You think? It's not pleasant to be woken up by four...four...munchkins," she said,
casting a baleful glance at the still giggling children.
Noin smiled. "Hey...I usually get woken up by two 'munchkins' every day...too early in the
morning, may I add."
"Ugh...reason why you have children and I don't."
"You may change your mind..." she said, glancing at Trowa and winking. Reiming
wrinkled her nose at her. "I'm too tired to argue...good night..."
And she returned to her room.
a few days later...
"Wufei, got a minute?"
Wufei started, surprised. Though Reiming had warmed up considerably, it was not often that she
pulled him over for a heart to heart. But he stood up anyway, and followed his sister
outside.
"Wufei...spit it out."
"Huh?"
"It's obvious to me that you like Meilai, so just stop being so anal and stubborn and
a typical Chang male and admit it to yourself."
"What? I don't know what you're talking about," he said stiffly.
Reiming snorted. "Weak!" she said derisively.
Wufei glared at her; she looked right back and stared him down. "It's none of your business
anyway," he grumbled.
"Oh shut up. It's plenty my business."
"Since when?"
"Well, ever since that little speech of yours that you gave me while I was still Lillith,
when you went on about how twins are supposed to nose into each others businesses, well, since
then, it has been my business. Also, Meilai is like a sister to me..."
"Exactly, a sister. Reiming...she is my SISTER IN LAW! I can't do anything even if I
wanted to," he said miserably.
Reiming rolled her eyes. "Wufei, I hate to sound cold, but MEIRAN IS DEAD. She has been dead
for nine years. Now, a new woman walks into your life, and you obviously have feelings for her,
but no, she's your, gasp, sister in law, who may I add, you have never seen in your life, so
oh darn, you can't touch her. Bull!"
Wufei started to reply, then stopped, realizing that he had nothing to say. "Well," he said
feebly, "even if I do like her..."
"Forget the 'even' Wufei. You LIKE HER."
"FINE!" Wufei shouted. "Fine," he muttered, regaining control. "So I do have feelings
for her...but she doesn't for me..."
Reiming stared at him, then, calmly walking up to him, punched him in the side of the face hard.
"Wufei you jackass! That was beyond weak! Of course she likes you! Why do you think
I'm here? She likes you, you like her, but she, unlike me, is a 'proper' little Asian
female who won't say anything until she gets the okay from the 'dominant' male, and since you
are the way you are, we're all going to be old and decrepit before you do, which is why I'm
here...hitting you," she finished.
Wufei just stared at her. "You said that all in one breath?"
"Shut up," she said, sounding like her normal self. "Now, are you going to tell her or
not? I'm feeling weird here; it's not my nature to play matchmaker...well, hitting you was
fun..." she mused.
"Har har."
"Well?! I'm not leaving you alone until I get an answer from you. Heck, I'll just hit
you again on the other side of your face."
"Fine! I like her!"
"And..." Reiming prompted.
"And..." Wufei hesitated, hating how his younger sister was dominating him, "I'll tell
her..."
"BEFORE we all hit 80, right?????"
Wufei sighed. "Yes...I'll tell her...soon."
"You're telling her tonight."
"Don't push it."
But even though Wufei had insisted on taking his time, that evening, he was staring at Meilai
from the window. Meilai had been practicing some more, and at the moment, was taking a break,
lying on the grass and staring at the stars. "Why am I here?" he muttered helplessly.
"Oh well..." and he started downstairs.
"Wufei?" Meilai said, sitting up as Wufei walked out. "You're up late."
"So are you."
Meilai smiled. "Point."
Wufei laughed. "You say point, Reiming says touche. You two are so similar, it's scary."
Meilai laughed. "So...any reason you're up so late?" she asked, looking at him sideways.
"Well...yes," Wufei said, then stopped, his throat closing. "I can't believe I'm this
nervous," he thought to himself.
Meanwhile, Meilai had layed back down on the grass. "Yeah, I'm staying up late to practice,
get in shape." Her eyes grew flinty. "I'm going to make sure I win," she said grimly.
Wufei nodded, still trying to figure out what to say. "Ah...well, there's a reason I'm up...an
important one..." he stammered.
Meilai turned to him, surprised. "Wufei, are you okay? You look like you're sweating..."
"Weeell..."
"Do you have a fever?"
"Meilai, I have feelings for you," he blurted out. Damn, he thought, that was
stupid Wufei.
Meilai's eyes widened, and she sat up again. "Wufei..."
"I'm sorry, that was stupid and undignified...I don't know why I did that; just forget
it...I just had to tell you, sorry if I scared you," he babbled, unable to stop. "Sorry..." he
murmured, standing up. "I'll just go now..."
"Wufei..."
At her voice, Wufei turned around. Meilai was looking at him hard, then she said quietly,
"Wufei...I have feelings for you too..."
Wufei sat down hard. She likes me too...he thought. He felt like her was on air; he was
so happy. "You...you like me too?"
"Yes...I just didn't say anything because...because you were my sister's husband," she
blurted out. "I didn't want to seem like..."
"I know...I'm sorry if I seem unfaithful to Meiran..." but suddenly, Wufei, looking at
Meilai in the starlight, was overcome. Leaning towards her, he suddenly kissed her, and
inside, was deeply satisfied when Meilai started kissing him back. Soon, both were too
involved to be thinking of anything else.
"Ugh..." Reiming said, turning away from the window. "Really, guys are just horny
jerks when you get down to it."
"All guys?" Trowa said.
"You're the exception," Reiming said, pointedly keeping her back to the window.
"Really! I told him to tell her how he felt, not get himself screwed, literally! Sheesh," she
muttered. "Who would have thought?"
Trowa smiled. "Well then, little miss nosy, are we ready to give them the privacy they
deserve?" he asked, taking her hand.
"Don't call me little," she muttered, but followed him out of the room. "Well...if he
gets her pregnant, I guess I'll have plenty of ammunition to tease him with..."
next day...
"So Brother, did you tell Meilai how you felt?" Reiming said sweetly. "I stayed up
waiting for you...you didn't go to your room until late!"
Wufei looked at his sister uncomfortably. "Er...yes I did..." he said carefully.
"Oh! Good for you! I'm so proud of you!"
Wufei sighed, and turned around. "Okay, fine...what do you know?"
"Me? Know? Oh no no, Wufei. I don't know anything. WHY would you think that I know
anything?"
"Reiming..."
"Weeelll...all I'm saying is that, for your sake, I hope she doesn't get pregnant, or
I will never let you forget the fact that you, like most men, simply follow your pointers
through life, that's all."
Wufei paled. "You...you...saw?!" he cried.
"Oh, I turned around," she said mildly. "Oh, look at the time. Talk to you later, my
dear Brother." And Reiming turned around and swept off, leaving behind an extremely
embarrassed Wufei.
Chapter 36
"She knows?!"
"She knows," Wufei said flatly, shocked and very embarrassed. "She...she stayed up late
last night and must have...seen."
Meilai's face turned bright red. "Oh, this is just great," she muttered. "She's not going to
let me forget this..." Then her eyes widened. "Was she angry?"
"No...just very amused...Anyways, she wouldn't be angry or upset at you; she just can't
wait to start teasing me," he said dully. "I think the little girl in her is coming back."
"Just like old times, hmm?" Meilai asked, smiling a little. "It's kind of hard to
imagine that Reiming was ever that happy and carefree...and mischievous!" she added.
Wufei smiled. "Yes...she was definitely a handful; a typical little sister!"
The two of them chuckled a little. "Wufei," Meilai asked, "Did you happen to mention anything
about me to her, or was it just bad luck that she happened to be up yesterday?"
"Weelll...she confronted me about having feelings for you. When I was too stubborn to
admit it, she woke me up, the hard way," he added, rubbing his jaw, which was now purple
black.
"Oh, so is that how you got that bruise!" Meilai asked, laughing. "Well then, at least
now I know why she just happened to be there last night!"
later...
"So Reiming, you know, don't you?" Meilai asked, walking in on Reiming polishing her
sword.
Reiming didn't bother looking up. "Ah, so I guess Wufei told you how I had the extreme
misfortune of witnessing some very extreme PDA last night, so to speak?"
"Well, yes."
Reiming smiled, studying her blade. Putting it back in its sheath, she stood up. "So Meilai,
how do you feel right now?" she asked seriously.
Meilai hesitated. "I...I'm happy, I guess," she said carefully. Oh, God help me, I don't want
to say the wrong thing right now, she thought.
Reiming looked at her some more, and smiled, to Meilai's relief. "That's good...the heads of
the Chang males are hard," she said, rubbing her fist. Meilai burst out laughing. "Well, you
left a very impressive bruise!" she chuckled.
Reiming smiled also. "Did I? Huh, I guess my fist is tougher than I thought, to be able to
put a bruise on HIS face!"
Meilai stopped laughing, then became serious. "Thank you, Reiming," she said quietly.
Reiming understood. "Take care of my headstrong brother for me," she said, then realizing what
she had just said, said, "No pun intended!"
later...
"WHAT is going on?!" Duo sputtered, walking in on Wufei and Meilai, who had been
sitting very close to each other outside in the garden. Neither of the two moved, Wufei only
glancing up briefly to say, "Hello Duo." Duo left, shaking his head, very confused.
"Really...first it's Trowa and Reiming, and now it's Wufei and Meilai...Really, these two are
completely messing with my mind! I'm so confused!" he finished, walking inside where Dorothy
sat with baby Rayan.
"What is it this time Duo?" Dorothy asked, feeding Rayan with a bottle.
"Wufei and Meilai, that's what!"
"Oh, you mean how Meilai's Meiran's sister?"
"No! I mean how they're sitting very close to each other outside at this moment!"
Clearly, Dorothy did not expect that answer. She abruptly stood on, and balancing Rayan on her
hip, she quickly went outside. She came back shortly with a very shocked expression on her
face. Duo smirked. "NOW do you understand?"
"They...they...Wufei and MEILAI?!" Dorothy sputtered. "Since when?!"
"How should I know?"
"Amazing..." Dorothy muttered, shaking her head and going back to feeding Rayan.
"Still...I suppose they DO make a cute couple."
Duo stared. "They're brother and sister in law!"
"Not anymore. Meiran died, remember?"
"Yes...but..." Duo sputtered, then subsided. "I guess you're right..." he sighed, then
his eyes widened. "Whoa, does Reiming know?"
"Does Reiming know what?" Reiming asked, walking in.
"Er..." Duo stammered, unsure of what to say, and looked helplessly at Dorothy, who was
pointedly ignoring him, pretending to be concentrating very hard on feeding her son. "Er..."
Reiming smiled, enjoying torturing Duo. Casually, she said, "Oh well, never mind. Now if you
need to talk to me, I'll be outside in the garden." As soon as she said those words, Duo
froze. "Ah...Oh wait! I remember what I was going to say. I was...uh...I was..."
"Yes???"
"Er...the ANTI XERO system! Yeah, that's right, the ANTI XERO program."
"What about it?"
"Er...could you explain how it works again to me? I never got those biology things,"
Duo said hastily, grabbing Reiming's arm and tugging her out of the room. Reiming allowed
herself to be led from the room. Right before she left, she turned around and saw Dorothy
watching them with interest. Seeing that, Reiming winked at her. Dorothy's eyes widened, and
she shook her head. "You know?" she mouthed. Reiming nodded. Dorothy smiled, and mouthed,
"My lips are sealed."
later...
"Wufei and Meilai are together!" Duo said franctically, rushing into the room that he
and Hilde said. Looking up, Hilde's eyes widened. "You're kidding!"
"No I'm not," Duo said breathlessly, closing the door behind him. "Reiming doesn't know
yet, so keep it quiet, okay?"
"Okay..." Hilde said, still shocked. "But...I can't believe this! Wufei and Meilai?!"
Within a matter of an hour, word had spread throughout the station that Wufei and Meilai were
a couple, and, thanks to Duo, everyone also thought that Reiming had no clue whatsoever.
However, Relena raised an eyebrow when Hilde finished pouring out the story to her. "Reiming
doesn't know?" she said skeptically. "Are you sure?"
"That's what Duo said...but then again...he IS Duo."
Relena frowned. "That's odd...but oh well; I guess Wufei is as good as keeping secrets as she
is."
Across the room, Dorothy hid a smile.
that evening
Dinner was very strained. Everyone was acting very oddly, with the exception of Reiming,
Dorothy, Wufei, Trowa, and Meilai. Even though Trowa knew very well that Reiming knew about
the two, he figured that if that the story had circulated that she didn't know, he decided that
she was probably going to torture them for a while, he thought ruefully. "You're sneaky, you
know that?" he had said to her earlier. She had just smiled sweetly.
Meanwhile, the rest of the pilots were shifting in their seats and glancing at Wufei and Meilai
and then at Reiming nervously. Eventually, this unnerved them to the point that Meilai finally
asked, "Okay, what is going on?"
"Er..." Relena said uncertainly, unsure of how to word her sentences.
"Does this have anything to do with Meilai and me?" Wufei demanded.
Eyes wide, Noin sent Wufei some pointed looks, in hopes of quieting him, but he obviously
didn't get it. "Look, if you guys have something against us being together..." he started.
"Shut up!" Duo hissed, glancing at Reiming, who was calmly eating.
"Huh? Shut up about what?" Meilai asked, confused.
Quatre groaned, sinking in his seat. "She doesn't know!" he tried hissing in a quiet voice.
"Who's she? What doesn't this person know?"
"You know, about you two!" Hilde whispered fiercely.
"Reiming? What doesn't she know?" Wufei asked, bewildered.
The entire group groaned. "Here come the fireworks," Zechs thought grimly.
At this point, Reiming spoke up. "You know, Wufei, I was just thinking. After this whole war
is over, I really think you and Meilai should settle down in China, that is, if you don't
become a Preventer again. I think it'd be nice for your children to be raised in the country
of their ethnicity."
"That'd be nice," Wufei mused, glancing at Meilai, who looked thoughtful. "I'd like
to live there," she said thoughtfully.
The entire group's jaws dropped. "What...the..." Lady Une gasped.
Mariemaia stared. "You...you KNEW?!"
"Knew what? Oh, you mean that they were in love? Of course I knew; I was the one that
set them up!" she said breezily.
The entire group fell out of their chairs, shocked. At this, Dorothy couldn't take it anymore,
and she burst out laughing. "You...should see...the expression...on your faces!" she gasped
out between laughs.
"Oh, that SO was NOT funny!" Duo growled, climbing back on his chair. "You knew this
afternoon, didn't you?!" he demanded furiously.
"Well...I hate to sound so, ah, immature, but...DUH!"
"And then you kept us all running around, chasing our tails!"
"Hey, I didn't do a thing. You all came to your own conclusions," she responded.
"Dorothy, you knew?!" Quatre said, turning to Dorothy, whose face was still red from
laughing so hard. "How?"
"Before Duo dragged her out of the room in an effort to keep her from seeing Wufei and
Meilai together, she winked at me. I came to my own conclusions."
"Well, that's just great..." Quatre muttered. Turning to Trowa, he said, "You knew
too, didn't you?"
"Yes. I was with her when Wufei finally confessed his feelings to Meilai."
"You WERE?!" Wufei sputtered, paling. Oh that's just great; how much did he see? he
thought franctically. "However," Trowa said continuing, "I had to depend on Reiming telling me
what was going on; I didn't actually see anything." Wufei's heart rate returned to normal.
Heero looked at Wufei suspiciously. "Any reason why you're so pale Wufei?"
"Uh..."
"Oh that's just great Wufei," Meilai muttered, turning pink. "Can you be just a little
more obvious?!"
Regaining his composure, Duo snickered. "Well well well Wufei, we learn something new about
you every day!"
"Shut up..." he muttered.
"Well then, it's late. Good night everyone," Reiming said pleasantly, standing up.
Ignoring the sullen looks everyone gave her, she went over to Trowa, kissed him on the cheek,
and left.
"I'll be going too," Meilai said hastily, standing up. "Good night." Wufei also
muttered a hasty excuse and ran off. The rest of the group just sat there, staring at each
other. "What did I say?" Duo sighed. "Those two girls are messing with my mind."
