"Mother? Gappa?" The fog swirled around her as she walked through it.
"Over here Washu." She ran toward the caring voice, glee in her heart. The fog seemed to clear in a small area, revealing her mother and grandparents. A genuine smile filled her face as she ran over. Her mother opened her arms and allowed her daughter to come to her. Washu hugged her mother tightly, not wanting to let go. Her mother pulled back.
"Mother?" She looked into her midnight eyes confused. Her mother looked back sadly.
"I'm disappointed in you my daughter." She looked at her daughter sadly.
"Why?"
"I thought I taught you better than that child." Her arm swept to the elder generation. "That WE had. Why do you let the past rule your present?"
"I-"
"Child you're missing out on getting to know some really great people. The one in charge has been lenient enough to tolerate you, though he should not NEED to be. And why do you put that young woman through such turmoil?" Her grandfather wagged a finger at her.
"And who's that silent, handsome young man?" Her grandmother eyed her with an all-knowing grin. "I saw what happened when he brushed your hair some time ago." She winked, making Washu duck her head embarrassed.
"GGAAAAMMMMM!" She buried her head in her mother's shoulder. Her grandmother was ALWAYS playing matchmaker, even when she was DEAD.
"Now mother, must you make her blush?"
Washu's head jerked up to stare into her mother's eyes incredulously. "BLUSH?"
"Well if it was ME, that nice young man wouldn't know what HIT him."
"GAAAMM!" She felt her cheeks heat up.
Her grandfather came to her rescue with a smile. "Hold your tongue dear, you're making the poor girl blush. You forget, she's shyer than you were at her age."
"SHY?!"
"Well it's not MY fault she's an introvert! I could've taught her so much about boys if I only had the time!" The four lapsed into solemn silence. Washu looked away from her elders and into the fog. Her mother touched her arm slightly to get her daughter's attention. Washu looked into her mother's gentle face and smiled softly.
"Mother, father, I will talk with my daughter."
"Well alright. You just keep in mind that young gentleman little Washu." Her grandmother said. She rambled on as her grandfather dragged them both into the fog. Washu watched the two disappear and then looked at her mother.
"Walk with me dear." Her arm swept to the fog. Washu turned to walk at her side, eyes watching the fog part. "You need to live in the present child. I know what happened when you escaped your father." Her mother sighed. "He has been paying for his sins and he will till you forgive him."
"Then he will pay for a long time." She muttered bitterly. Her mother tsked.
"To forgive is gracious. We both know what the problem was. I can't say it's all his fault. I'VE forgiven him. You should too."
"I CAN'T. If he hadn't...you'd still BE here." She whispered.
"Things happen for a REASON child. You need to UNDERSTAND this." Washu sighed.
"I can't."
"I didn't say accept, I said UNDERSTAND. There's a difference. I also want you to stop acting like you do around everybody. You sully the family name by projecting your anger at others. Don't cast yourself into silence when there are others around you that care. Treat them how YOU would be treated."
She walked a few more steps and stopped when she realized she was alone. Looking around, she sighed. Her mother had a habit of disappearing while giving advice. She figured that was so she couldn't argue back. She looked at the fog as it swirled around her and sat down. Folding her legs in lotus position, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
They opened and blinked to cure any disorientation. She looked around camp, her mother's small speech ringing in her ears. "I TOLD you, I just wanted her to be INVOLVED." Her face masked at the familiar voice. The voice and owner neared and rounded into the clearing. She looked down. Hands propped themselves on her caretaker's hips. "You find the STRANGEST places to meditate!"
"I stay out of the way here."
"Come down here, I want to tell you something." She stared at the commanding tone, pondering. She blinked once and leaned carefully to a branch. Grabbing it, she swung down and dropped ten foot. She dusted her hands as she neared the two. "How would you like to go into town with us? I think we can even get you some more clothes."
Washu looked down at her simple jeans and t-shirt. She wasn't choosy when she left; she had only managed to grab about a week's worth before bolting. She didn't want to stand out in any way. She didn't even grab a different pair of sneakers. She eyed the older woman. "I normally MAKE whatever I want."
Catherine smiled. "That's pretty impressive. Then let's go get you some fabric then." She walked over and wrapped her arm around Washu's. The girl was MORE than startled, but she neutralized herself. "Come on, we have the afternoon before the show." She coaxed. Washu looked from her clutched arm to Cathy's companion. It'd been nearly four weeks since that train incident, but she felt off-guard whenever he was near her. She couldn't put up as good of a mask whenever he was around. She threw her gaze to the ground uneasily. What was WITH her?
'CONCENTRATE!' She silently commanded. Her eyes closed quickly as she tried to minimize emotions, feeling their scrutiny. Her arm was gently squeezed. 'Mother, what should I DO?'
"Don't cast yourself into silence when there are others around you that care."
She refrained from sighing. 'I hope nothing CHANGES as a RESULT of this.' She nearly prayed. She looked back into those solemn eyes before turning to Catherine.
"Yes...I'll go." Catherine beamed.
"Alright then, let's get going." She nearly drug the two to their ride into town.
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"What about THIS? I'm sure you can make something nice with this." Her eyes widened. Catherine was holding POLYESTER. It was considered rare as silk or satin.
"I...REALLY didn't think I was GETTING anything." She softly stuttered. Catherine smiled softly. "I...I don't have any...any money."
"I guess I forgot to tell you, I'M gonna foot the bill." She looked into Washu's slightly shocked eyes. "Consider it payment for how well you've treated all the animals." Washu dropped her head, feeling her pride kick in. She shook her head and stared at the ground.
"I can't let you." The fabric was placed across her t-shirt. She looked at Catherine confused.
"I don't think this color is you." She put the cloth back and went for another color better suited for the girl's pale olive skin tone.
"She said she didn't WANT anything Cathy." She turned and looked at her brother strangely before going back to the cloths.
"Oh I HEARD her Trowa." She looked at Washu. "But you REALLY have no SAY in the matter. I'M paying so you might as well go along with it and have some FUN." She turned her back to both of them to ponder two colors she liked. "Which one do you think looks better?" Washu blinked. Trowa stared at the back of her auburn head baffled. Cathy was normally NEVER this pushy, NORMALLY. But then, she'd gotten Washu to come with them so it was a surprise to both. He snuck a peek at Washu and she met his eyes. She looked at Cathy than back at him questionably. He just shook his head silently and shrugged slightly, not even WANTING to try and figure out his surrogate sister.
Washu had to admit; Catherine knew how to pick the quality stuff. She had gotten seven or eight yards of a soft yellow and dark navy polyester, an off-white acrylic, and a black cotton spandex mix. Though the last was purely her choice. It was something she could fashion something akin to a dress. She allowed herself a small smile. Her mother had taught her all the basics when making clothes but never got to the complicated stuff because she... The smile dropped and melonchaly resided in her eyes. She obliterated it, hoping no one noticed. She wandered down the aisle in the small store, looking at thread and buttons. Catherine had already bought a set of needles, scissors, a small tape measure, extra holding needles, and a carrier to put it in. she was told to go find some buttons and/or any zippers she wanted. She shook her head from the utterly selfless act. She NEVER expected Catherine to go to such EXTREMES for her. She almost felt UNDESERVING of such generosity and kindness.
"Why do you put that young woman through such turmoil?"
She sighed. 'I'm SORRY Gappa. Sometimes I don't know myself.' She came across a small section of shiny glass beads, extremely SMALL glass beads. She picked up a small bag from its resting place to study them more carefully. Her mind churned with all KINDS of ways to use the small beauties she held.
"Find anything interesting?" She jumped and whirled around. She relaxed some when she saw only Trowa. She tossed the palm-sized package his way.
"A possibility." She looked back at the different colors. She felt slightly down when she saw how many credits each bag would cost. It would be QUITE costly to buy such a large amount for what she had in mind. "But maybe not."
"Pretty. Why not get a few?" She shook her head.
"Look at how many credits each bag is." She looked at him. "I don't want Catherine buying a lot. And a FEW bags wouldn't be enough for what I have in mind." She looked at the floor dishearten. It shouldn't bother her so much but... She stared dully at the tiles. She HAD no fancy clothes, not even at HOME. It would've been nice to put her talents to the test and make something elaborate and fancy to cherish. She had already thought up a basic design for the black fabric. But she would need a sketchpad and charcoal or a pencil to draw it out on and make it defined. It would've been PRETTY to fix the beads in some semblance of design. Trowa's arm snaked around her to put the bag away. Maybe THREAD would work just as nicely. Lightweight, easier to care for...
"Have you ASKED her?"
"Not yet." She thoughtfully waved him off, her mind spinning with ideas. "There's something I want to check out first." She fingered her chin and left the aisle. Trowa almost smiled at her near friendly behavior. Once she opened up, she was RATHER pleasant. Not that she had done much anyway, but she allowed Cathy to drag her here. Plus she looked like she was enjoying herself. She was almost...NORMAL in a way. He went in search of Catherine.
He found her by the clothing patterns, flipping through them. He was unsure WHY Cathy wanted to do something like this to someone that had treated her with nothing but silence in return. But she always WAS a kind-hearted person and the choice was hers to make. And it made Washu happy, so it was obviously a GOOD one. "Oh hi. What do you think of THIS?" He raised an eyebrow at her.
"I think you'd better ask WASHU." He looked at the bead aisle they were just in. "She left that aisle but didn't say where she was going." He reported. Catherine looked at the section she hadn't been to yet, but made a mental note to check it out.
"Has she picked out any kind of clasps of some kind?" He shook his head.
"I didn't see any in her hands when I found her." She shook her head, looking down at her watch.
"Well she doesn't have a whole lot of TIME left. We need to leave in half an hour." He blinked.
"Why are you DOING this Cathy?" He asked softly. "Why buy her fabric? She's been wearing the small amount of clothes for weeks now." Catherine looked at him and smiled sadly. He didn't understand; she didn't think he truly would.
"You just answered your own question Trowa." She put the patterns away and looked at him. "I do this because although I very well KNOW she hasn't been friendly toward me, hardly anyone has been friendly BACK. I know something hurt her greatly that makes her hate men, but she's never been downright rude to ME. I know with a little continuous friendliness, she'll let me in. I do this out of the goodness of my heart because I KNOW she has so little with her and this will help her out. The ringmaster doesn't pay her hardly anything because he rarely wants her around as is. She's stuck." She shrugged. "If she WILL open up just a little, maybe I can HELP her with her problem."
He stared at the true purity that stood in front of him. He admired her perseverance and constant friendliness toward Washu. He'd noticed what Cathy was saying though. Washu would be rude to him and even the RINGMASTER, but she would ignore Cathy at best. He'd even SEEN the pair exchange a few words every once in a while. But she might be right. Her earlier behavior had been timid, but at least Washu SPOKE. And after she'd given in, she was almost in a gleeful mood. He liked seeing that small tilt to her lips. It wasn't a true smile, but it was better than her unemotional face or frown.
"Do you REALLY believe she'll tell you her problems?" He was still somewhat skeptical, but his mind remembered the whole train incident. He'd never told Cathy he'd brushed Washu's hair, or about the sad look in her eyes when he finished. He'd always WONDERED what she was thinking but knew she'd never tell so he dropped it.
Catherine nodded. "I've never really been anything but trustworthy and honest with her. She'll understand that she CAN trust me once she let's herself believe it." She smiled wryly. "I WISH she would trust me. I don't know WHY that's so HARD for her."
"Well she doesn't trust ANYONE, it's not you alone."
"And I wish I knew WHY. Everyone has to trust SOMEONE. The world would be a VERY sad place otherwise." She sighed and shook her head, wanting to drop it.
She silently walked down the aisle in the opposite direction. Guilt and apprehension ran through her. She'd been wandering around the unseen aisles, looking at everything the store had when she heard them talking. She didn't want to listen in till she heard it was about her. She'd heard the OTHERS talk about her, but it was nothing NEAR what Catherine was saying. She stared at the objects hanging up idly, feeling worse. 'And she always wonders why I never treat her bad like the others? She treats me like mother.' Her jaw clenched. 'Would it be SO WRONG to be a little more respectful?' She picked at the needles she wasn't paying attention to, one hand clutching a few things Catherine told her to get.
"Ah, there you are. Ready to go? Anything else you want?" She let go of the pack and stared at what was in her hand.
"This. And...um-"
"Did you want anything else Washu?" She ducked her head nervously.
"Well there was this thread a few aisles over and-"
"Show me." She looked up at Catherine's coaxing smile. She slowly walked over and to the wall covered from top to bottom. Every color imaginable was meticulously arranged to fit the rainbow. Catherine looked on with wide eyes. "Pretty." She spied the credits each one was and calculated how many Washu could get. They were ACTUALLY pretty CHEAP considering the amount of thread each had. "You should be able to get six or seven." Catherine fingered her chin. "That might be the rest of your leeway." Washu nodded and picked the most common black and white for stitching. She grabbed the same yellow and blue as the fabric that was bought. Honestly not knowing WHAT she wanted to design, her mind sporadically conjured up a floral pattern. She grabbed two different shades of light green and a lavender shade. An idea popped into her head and she compared the navy with the black, finding no drastic color change. She decided to put that back and grab an orange that she eyed when choosing. She held everything and wished she had an idea of what she was going to do with such a haphazard array of colors. She mentally shook her head; it was being BOUGHT and THAT was what she was grateful for. She looked at Catherine and the three converged at the counter to pay for it all.
Washu was extremely uncomfortable. They'd left the store and went to walk around and enjoy the sunshine, but Washu staggered behind. Holding the bags with everything so generously given to her, she eyed them uneasily. NEVER had a near stranger been so heartfelt and giving to her. Nobody said anything and Catherine pulled the two into a clothing store. Trowa split up to wander around, but Washu held fast to Catherine's side. She silently followed her around, looking around agitated. 'The longer you wait, the LESS you're gonna wanna do this.' She berated. She looked at the floor and swallowed harshly.
"Catherine...I-" Catherine turned to the near whisper. She smiled softly at the downcast look on the poor girl's face.
"Yes?"
Her eyes darted around; feeling now was no better time. She looked into the older girl's eyes. "I-" She held up the sacks. "Thank you. For buying me all this." Her hands dropped. "I know you didn't HAVE to and I just wanted to let you know I appreciate it." She managed a small smile, feeling heat enter her cheeks. Catherine smiled softly.
"Well you're welcome Washu. But just spending time with you is thanks enough." She turned to the clothes and rummaged through them. The feeling of an intense burden left her shoulders, though confused entered the gap. What did she MEAN? She followed the energetic woman around, pondering why her presence ALONE was payment for the gifts. It didn't make a whole lot of SENSE to her.
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"Ah, THERE you are." The three looked at each other in confusion and then at the speaker, wondering who was supposed to respond. "There was a call for you Trowa. It came bout half an hour ago." The messenger held up a slip of paper. "This has the number to call back." Curious who found him in the middle of nowhere, he took the paper but didn't recognize the number. He took off without a word, going to find wherever the vid phone was.
Washu held onto her bags as she walked to her tent. People she passed eyed them with strange looks and she felt uncomfortable. But...what was the big DEAL? She went shopping, somewhat. Her mask shot back up and her chin rose. Since WHEN had she EVER explained HER actions? Eyes locked on the flap, purposely ignoring everyone else. She was wondering where she was going to PUT everything. She set the bags next to the duffle and kneeled. Unting the strings, she lightly ruffled through everything. 'There's not really enough room in here for all this.' She bit her lip. Had she KNOWN she would have had to carry extra now, she would've been more adamant about NOT allowing Catherine to buy her anything. She eyed the bags. Still...it felt pretty good. A smile graced her face. Despite what she'd come to think, people weren't ALL that bad.
An idea struck her. The smile widened. 'Yea, that would be nice.' The plan set, she just needed the time to accomplish her task without getting caught. She stood up and left the tent. 'I have PLENTY of time for that. Now to figure up a few ideas before the show.' She honestly didn't know where to start looking, but she decided to ask Catherine. She mentally paused as she began her journey to the tent. 'Funny, that doesn't sound so bad.' Her mask slipped as amusement entered her eyes. There was no way to knock so she pulled at the flap slowly.
"Catherine?"
"Just a sec." She let go of the flap and awaited permission to enter. Catherine's upper body appeared soon after. "Hi Washu." She smiled and stood aside, allowing the Chinese girl in. Washu ducked her head, feeling that nervousness again; strange how she never felt this way a while ago. "Did you need something?" She felt like wringing her hands, but clasped them behind her back.
'Since when did TALKING become so HARD? Before you just flat out WOULDN'T, what's your PROBLEM?' Scolding herself made her feel better. She met Catherine's eyes.
"Washu?"
"Do you have...um, any writing materials?" Catherine narrowed her eyes, not understanding. Washu looked at her feet. "I wanted to work on a few ideas for designs." The light bulb turned on.
"OH. Duh me." She shook her head smiling. "Yea, I THINK I have a notebook around here somewhere." She rummaged through a few bags before she found that and a pencil stuck in the spiral binding. She handed it over to the timid girl, mentally wondering WHY she was suddenly so shy. "If I'd have KNOWN you were going to need one, I would've gotten you a sketchbook." Washu flipped through the pages, making sure they were empty. She wouldn't want to intrude if Catherine had something private written or drawn somewhere.
"Thank you." She managed another small smile before going to find someplace to brainstorm.
After securing the stays on the main flap, she stood back her mind churning. "What has gotten INTO her? I've NEVER seen her so TENSE." She shook her head baffled and went back to the book she put down.
'That's the second time she's THANKED me too.' Her eyebrows furrowed. 'She's NEVER done that before.' Her eyes diverted to the entrance, a soft smile flitting across her face. 'Whatever happened to her, it's a nice CHANGE.'
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He waited for the pick-up. A female answered, unfamiliar but beautiful none-the-less. "Mr. Winner's office, how may I help you?" A smile threatened, but he would save it for when he saw his friend.
"I was told to call this number back. I believe Quatre is expecting my call."
The girl nodded, not knowing why this strange man knew her boss. No...she needed to stop THINKING like that. 'He said you two were FRIENDS.' She reminded herself. She managed a small smile, but Trowa noticed it didn't reach her eyes.
"Just a moment sir." Her face faded as Quatre's company logo came into view.
'I wonder what Quatre wants.' He curiously wondered. The smile roamed free. 'Probably to see if he can get the headmaster out to the colony.' An eyebrow rose slightly. 'Man, I'd forgotten all ABOUT that.' The screen shifted and his friend came on.
"Hard at work as always Quatre?"
A joyful smile met his joke. "Trowa!" The smile was returned, though less intense.
"How are you my friend?"
"It's good to see you again, even like THIS."
A playful gleam entered his eye. "Going to talk me into persuading the headmaster to perform out there?"
His smile dissipated, those bluish eyes turning serious. "Not this time my friend, I need your help."
He turned serious as well. "Name it." Quatre ducked his head, not really knowing how to delegate his plan. Trowa noticed his slight unease.
"I want you to change some credits from one of my accounts." Quatre stared at his fingers as he toyed with a nail. Trowa's eyes narrowed in confusion. What did THAT have to do with HIM?
"Then have one of your accountants do it." He suggested. Quatre shook his head and looked into Trowa's eyes again.
"I came to you because no one at the company can know about it." A half smile appeared. "Kind of a surprise if you will." The rest of the smile appeared. "Besides, I'm a better strategist than hacker." He turned serious again. "I need you to transfer 100,000 credits from my account to another." Trowa's eyes widened slightly. THAT MUCH?
"Do you have the numbers?" He decided not to pry and just do it, an explanation could come later.
"Only to MY account. This's where your hacking skills come into play. The money goes into a friend's account, but I don't know the code so you'll have to find it." Trowa smiled softly at his friend's generosity. Quatre's heart was filled with kindness and the amount never ceased to amaze him.
"What's the name?"
"Barbados. Manuel Barbados. I don't know the bank name, but you could cross-reference that with Maria Angel Barbados. Angel is her maiden name." Trowa nodded, mentally taking everything in.
"Which account do you want it taken out of?" Quatre's view was obscured, as was his attention. It returned a second later as a piece of paper was held against the screen.
"This's my personal account." Trowa rummaged around for something to copy the code before Quatre pulled the scrap back. "The password is Sandrock." Trowa raised a slight jestful eyebrow, causing his friend to duck his head with an embarrassed smile.
"There's no computer HERE. I'll have to go into town and find one. We have a show to do and that will last hours. It will most likely be LATE before I can slip away." He slightly warned. Quatre nodded.
"Whatever it takes. I'll be here for a while, give me time to play catch-up. Call back with that number I gave when you've confirmed it."
He nodded. Curiosity was getting the better of him. "So who are these people?"
Quatre's smile dropped, his face laced with a mysterious sadness. "Parents of my secretary. Good people who've just fallen on hard times but too proud to accept help." A wistful smile appeared. Mischief gleamed in Trowa's eyes.
"Is it someone special?" He half-teased. Quatre's smile changed and a tinge lit his face.
"We're good friends. But she won't accept my help." His smile turned evil. "What she won't know won't hurt her so make sure you don't leave ANY trace to either of us." Trowa raised a slight eyebrow, but managed a slight sarcastic smile.
"Wouldn't dream of it."
"Then I shall hear from you soon Trowa." Both nodded and cut the communication lines, preferring NOT to say goodbye. Mind whirling, he left the small room to go outside. Hands casually in his pockets, he slowly strolled around, lost in thought.
'Always thinking with his heart.' He fingered the scrap of paper. 'Wonder what happened.' He blinked. 'No, none of my business. I'll just do my friend this favor.' Not really having much to do, he roamed the camp and found a most interesting spectacle on the lion's cage. Amusement entered his eyes. 'Such a strange habit she has, sitting in high up places.' A glint of a smile loomed as he studied her. Hair in that famous braid of hers; sitting lotus position as always. Though instead of mediation she was hunched over, her hand scribbling on something. The pencil came up to tap against her cheek.
She felt the eyes around her and the lions as they shifted beneath her. She figured it was a gawker, apparently too lazy to do anything but watch her draw. 'Well not NOW.' She had the idea in her head, but it wouldn't go on paper. The pencil thoughtfully tapped her cheek. 'This is almost FRUSTRATING.' She mused. But it was just a small annoyance, nothing to worry about. She made a few sketches of shirts she could make, but what she WANTED was an idea for the perfect dress. She knew what she wanted, but when she drew it, it wouldn't look right. The pencil rhythmically tapped against the notebook while she rested her tired brain. Her eyes stared ahead, relieved to see distance instead of close-up. She noticed the sun and realized how low it was. She hadn't paid it much attention and it slightly surprised her. 'Not too long before the show.' She calculated the time with the sun's position and hoped an idea would come to her before then. But her mind blanked. Her eyes cast downwards with a sigh. She eyed the workers bored, still feeling like she was under a microscope. Curious, she looked around the hustle and bustle that picked up for the cause. Green eyes locked with hers. 'What's HE doing?' She found traces of amusement on his face and wondered why it was directed at her. His gaze never wavered from hers, nor did the small amount of emotion. 'Why is he STRAING at me?' She became uncomfortable and willed herself not to blush from all the attention she was receiving. 'What's the MATTER with you?' She silently asked herself.
She didn't understand it and she didn't LIKE it. Yet, she didn't feel a crude statement or a cold look was appropriate anymore. 'He's just STARING. Maybe he's not looking at ME. It could be BEHIND me for all I know.' She dropped her eyes, unable to continue the unchallenged stare down. The midnight orbs eyed the cage faithfully.
He figured he was making her uncomfortable by the look in her eyes. But he honestly didn't CARE. 'And why DON'T I?' He allowed her relief from the emerald pools and turned to go amble around for something to do. 'She's such an ENIGMA.' He pondered, staring at the ground as he walked.
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The crowd FINALLY left. Time seemed to take LONGER for him, WHY he didn't understand. But he knew the CAUSE. Quatre. He felt the WANT to help slowly rise in his heart. He tried to figure out the BEST ways to hack into the bank. The possibility of breaking and entering for an accessible computer crossed his mind. Though if he could find a store with lowbrow security, it would be easier to turn off the alarm; he hoped. Even in his DREAMS he'd never been this impatient. His 'mission' ate at him, his long fuse starting to dwindle. He'd kept low till everyone had gone to bed. He was thankful no one noticed him slip to the edge of camp. A thought entered his head, tampering with his forming plan. How was he going to get IN to town? He blinked and held it for a while. HOW far was it from camp? A mile? Two? Determination speared his veins, opening his eyes to large slits. 'No problem.' He figured. Bounding ahead, he set a quick jog. If he kept a steady pace there and back, the whole thing should only take a few hours. He fought a sigh. 'No sleep tonight I bet.' He glanced at the moon. It hung low in the sky and he marked its position above the trees. 'It'll be worth it to help Quatre.' Bubbles of small excitement rose throughout his body, adding a lighter step to his run.
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'Good, nobody's around.' A mischievous grin lit her face. Darting her head around to make sure the coast was clear, the rest of her body stuck out from her tent. 'Now, time to get to work.' Feeling excitement bubble throughout her body, she snuck from camp and into the woods. Her eyes sought out the position of the moon to gauge her time. 'It'll be ready before sunrise.' She fought a giggle as she ran to the spot.
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'100,000 credits, they'll be set for a few years.' He surmised. Fingers sped rapidly across the keyboard, eyes glued to a small monitor. His lithe body bent toward the flying numbers in concentration. Getting in was the easy part, finding the person was the difficult part. Quatre failed to mention if the Barbados were on Earth or a colony. Doing a galaxy-wide search would take longer. It didn't take long because the records started at Earth and spread out from there. He found Mr. Barbados in the western area of Europe. A map pulled up, showing the entire continent. His fingers typed in the coordinates to zero in. A single vertical and horizontal line moved around until they crossed at his target. A square popped up, enlarging the view. He calmly repeated the process a few times till the city gave a vague outline. His deft fingers blurred until the name Barbados came up. He smiled in triumph; victory was within his grasp. He pulled up the bank account with only two tries, amazed it took his so long to crack security. An eyebrow raised. 'I must be losing my touch.' Pulling up Quatre's account took no more than fifteen seconds, though the low memory on the computer he used was responsible for putting him behind by five of those. He successfully withdrawaled the specified amount and finished two minutes later. He shut down everything and his agile figure snuck back out the way he came in.
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'I wish I knew what she liked.' She gazed around the small field. 'I'll just have to get a few of each kind then.' A smile made her easygoing task much more fun. 'I won't IMMEDIATELY open up like she wants, but this is a good start.' Her simple task took her till nearly dawn. Arms full, she looked into the sky and marveled at how late it had gotten. Her eyes widened slightly as she made her exit. Situating her bundle, she bounded from the clearing. She got halfway to camp when she heard it. The sounds of the forest halted in the entire area. She'd been part of that change, but not enough to change everything in a fifteen-foot radius. She quickly hid her small body behind a tree. She closed her eyes and used the silence to find whatever was out there. Soft running caught her ears, only two feet. Human. Her eyes shot open and she stilled her body to hide better. The footsteps neared camp, right where SHE was going. A small protective side flared towards the people, but most went to the animals. She was caught off-guard for mere seconds. Concern for HUMANS? Well, she could see Catherine, but nobody else really mattered. She crouched low and homed in on the creature that would try to steal for a living. Using the silence for directions, it also guided her steps to keep quiet. Small shadows appeared as daylight threatened. The brush moved and she could hear even breathing. She dropped among the foliage and peered through the leaves. The figure slowed as if taking time to relax. Her eyes narrowed. It started slowly walking to camp, its stance casual. She moved to be able to lash out with her foot and trip the intruder. Her leg blurred as it shot out and tripped the shocked person. A startled cry was muffled. She spun around and shot up, fists clenched tightly.
His hands caught himself before he was halfway to the ground. Strong muscles pushed him up and he flipped before crouching in the forest. He cursed his loose attitude, he SHOULD'VE been paying ATTENTION. A sense of déjà vu surrounded him. Having an idea of who was 'attacking' him, he glanced around the area. He didn't SEE anybody, but he was covered himself. He looked up and saw a tree branch about ten foot up, only a ways away. Judging the distance, his muscles catapulted him easily onto the branch. Quickly turning, he scouted the ground. A lone figure stood up, extremely near where he was hiding. His suspicions confirmed when he saw the telltale braid swing with her movements. He crossed his arms as he watched her. "What are you doing out here this early?"
Her eyes widened. She KNEW that voice! 'What the HELL...?'
"I could ask YOU the same thing." She bit back. Not because she hated him, but he nearly SCARED her half to death! She looked at him and waited for him to come down, but he leaned against the tree instead. An eyebrow rose slightly. Running at high speed, she vaulted from the tall grass and to the large branch. She sat down and draped her legs on either side of the wood. Hands lightly touched the tree as she stared into his face, waiting for him to explain. He didn't and she was starting to get annoyed. "WELL?"
"I asked you first." She blinked at the different answer. Their eyes stayed locked and one of his eyebrows rose slightly. Frustrated, hands were thrown in the air.
"FINE!" Still sitting, she leaned all her weight to one side and flipped the other leg over, landing gracefully below. Trowa marveled at how she was able to do such things. He figured that only he and the other four, along with Cathy, could do flips like that. She dusted her hands and turned to him. "Well?" Hands covered her hips as she impatiently waited. He looked down at her irked face and took a step into the air. Without bending his knees very much, he landed gracefully before her. She took note of how EASY he made it look. Not saying anything else, she turned and nearly stalked through the forest, peeved that she had to explain herself to him. He slowly followed with a carefree walk. Mostly, he was wondering what got her so riled up. It was almost the same as when they first met. But she seemed to yell at him differently. Her tone and body language were different. They reached a large tree and he stopped short when she dropped to the ground. His eyes looked at her arched back, shoving hands into his pockets with a bored stroke. The dusk brightened and he needed to get back to his tent without arousing questions.
'Man, I can't BELIEVE I have to EXPLAIN my being out here!' She swiftly gathered the few dozen flowers and stood up. Clutching them to her chest almost protectively, she faced him, hoping she WOULDN'T have to explain. It would probably be embarrassing and she didn't like embarrassing.
He saw the flowers and didn't know WHAT to think. "Flowers." He looked into her eyes. He KNEW it sounded REALLY dumb. "You were out picking flowers before DAWN?" He looked at her somewhat odd. "WHY?"
She felt her chin reflexively raise at his look. "That's MY business, not yours. So, where were YOU?" There was no way he was going to jeopardize Quatre by explaining just HOW he hacked into the computer. That was none of her business and in FACT, NONE of it was. But she had revealed the reason for HER location, it seemed only a fair trade.
"Doing a kind favor for a friend." Which left only more questions she wanted to ask. But there was no point, she needed to get back to camp and get things set up.
"Whatever." She cut off any further discussion and walked through the woods. He was slightly stunned at her sudden departure, but followed her at a leisurely pace. Once they reached the skirts, Washu headed for her tent and Trowa went for the train. The best thing about being up this early, no one else was around. The BAD thing, he hoped Quatre wasn't true to his word and still THERE. He dialed the number, but was somewhat relieved when his message service picked up. The words filled the screen with the hours and if he'd like to leave a message. A keyboard was pulled out as his fingers hovered above. But he blanked for a split second. If Quatre wanted their interference to be a secret, what was he going to say if his secretary got the message? Something broad, but with his name at the end to give Quatre the hint. Nodding decisively, his fingers went into action.
For the second time that day, her head stuck out from the tent. She looked around and hoped no one would get up soon. NO one. The rest of her body poked out, still holding the flowers. She just had to worry about HIM. She looked over at the train. 'Go, before he comes BACK!' Snapping into action, she quickly made her way over to another tent.
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She groggily opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. She glared slightly at the bright colored fabric around her. 'Damn sun.' She closed her eyes and sighed. 'Man...I'm up.' A hand rubbed her face. The other rose and together they simultaneously slapped her cheeks a few times to wake up. She yawned and noticed a bunch of strange smells. Blinking tiredly, she sat up and looked around the small space. It seemed different somehow. A hand scratched the back of her unruly hair. It paused, stunned. Her eyes widened. They took in her eight by nine tent surprised. DOZENS of flowers were on the floor, over her bag, on her chair, and her bed. White, orange, pink, blue, violet, and their green stems wafted everywhere.
"WHAT THE HELL?" She yelled stunned. Once the shock had worn away, a bright smile lit her now awake face. She carefully picked up the flowers over her and smelled them. "Oh man, I don't BELIEVE this!" Her voice lace with giddiness.
'This is SO SWEET.' Carefully holding the flowers in one hand, the other threw back the covers. Leaning over carefully, she collected enough till she had a footstep on the ground. She looked at the small rainbow in her arms and what she had yet to collect. 'But WHO?' It was no special occasion and she wasn't going OUT with anybody. She narrowed her eyes curiously, but decided to pick up the rest of her beautiful gift and get ready. She could figure it out later. As soon as she had everything under control, she went to get dressed. She glanced at her new treasures. They would need water, but what kind of VASE would FIT everything in front of her? She just HAD to know who was this kind and generous! She plucked a few from the pile and went for the exit. She found a rather good-sized crowd assimilated around her tent. She blushed, not really MEANING to yell that loud.
She sat above the lion's cage for a good view and to wait. She'd heard both outbursts and the happiness that laced the second one. She felt the proud tilt of her lips. So, she'd made a good choice. She FIGURED the elder woman would like it. After she'd noticed her gift in Cathy's hands, she immediately regretted not putting something more distinguishable down. She wouldn't have put her name on paper or anything, but a simple 'thank you' would've been nice. A small token of her appreciation for trying to take care of her. 'And a peace gift I guess.' She figured. She looked down briefly in shame than back to the ecstatic woman, now trying to find out who sent her the gift. 'I haven't been very nice to her, it was the LEAST I could do.' Her eyes watched the confusion on the young woman's face as the small crowd moved on.
Trowa walked to his surrogate sister, noting the flowers. His brain tickled tiredly. After a moment, his eyes widened in recognition.
"Trowa, did you give me all these flowers?" He shook his head dumbly. "Well WHO? I just can't BELIEVE this!" She glanced back into the tent. "All these flowers just didn't WALTZ in here by themselves! There's got to be SOMEONE I can thank for doing this." She sighed.
Washu smiled. Well, why not go and leg the cat out of her bag. She stood up and landed noisily on the ground purposely, catching the attention of the two. A small smile just wouldn't leave her face. "Good morning Washu. Do you know who gave me these flowers?" She stepped aside and pulled the flap with her, revealing all the colors Washu tirelessly collected. "I REFUSE to believe they just POPPED UP. The person responsible WILL be thanked." She stopped her rant and smelled the flowers with a smile.
Trowa was in shock. They'd bloomed some, but were the topic of Washu's presence when he cut through the woods. He didn't know she was capable of such a generous act. He'd never thought she would've done something like this weeks ago, but she changed for some reason. He saw the small tilt to her once emotionless face.
Washu headed toward her tent without a word. Catherine shook her head, thinking the mysterious gift would have a mysterious OWNER as well. Washu paused with a hand holding the flap open. That smile of hers rose another fraction. "Catherine?" She jerked her head in Washu's direction.
"Yes Washu?"
She tried to fight the smile, but it wouldn't budge. "So...you LIKE your gift?"
Cathy brightened. She looked at the bundle in her hands. "I LOVE them. The smell is heavenly and some of these types are my favorite. It was such a pleasant sight to wake up to." Washu closed her eyes and gave a satisfied nod.
"Then...you're welcome." Without allowing Catherine to say anything else, she entered the tent and went directly for her bed.
She stared at Washu's tent. Her jaw slowly dropped. Her eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets. The muscles had to fight not to slacken and drop her present. "Washu...WASHU did this???" She looked back into her tent in disbelief. It just didn't SEEM like the Chinese girl. But, everyone she asked denied it. Her eyes watered. Her heart swelled. She bit her lip, but a shining smile broke through. "She did this." She whispered. "I can't believe it."
"Why?" Trowa's voice was still shocked, but he was slowly recovering.
"I don't know." She looked at the different types and furrowed her eyebrows. An idea hit. The fabric; it HAD to be. But, JUST the fabric? Was it an olive branch sent by a dove of peace? She looked at the larger pile. She needn't have done all THIS, though it was GREATLY appreciated. She looked at the younger girl's tent flap, smiling softly. She wanted a more formal 'thank you' than what she had ranted. She quickly set the flowers with their companions and closed the flap. She left Trowa standing there and made her way over. "Washu?" Her soft voice carried, but no response came. Biting her lip uncertain, she entered silently. Uncertainty became a tender smile as she watched the young girl sleep. Tiptoeing in, she leaned over and covered her sideways figure with the sheet. She kneeled in front of the bed and watched the sleeping girl. Motherly instinct kicked in.
'She won't care.' She told herself. 'She's asleep.' Her inner lip was clenched between her teeth. 'It won't hurt.' She'd debated it and gave in. She didn't want to ruin whatever was blossoming between them but the girl was asleep. She wouldn't even know someone had visited. Catherine stood up and leaned over her carefully. Her lips lowered till she was a fraction above the girl's forehead. They pressed against her skin lightly, briefly. She leaned back and smiled softly. Her head tilted on its own accord. Turning, she walked to the edge of her tent and opened the flap.
Even though the girl couldn't hear it and probably wouldn't accept it, maybe her subconscious WOULD. She turned and looked at the girl one last time. "Thank you Washu." Her whisper was deathly silent, hoping she wouldn't wake her. After standing outside, a hand rested centimeters from the canvas. "I'll come wake you in a bit for breakfast." She murmured, then went to her tent to fix a bath for her flowers. She eyed the volume and shook her head in wonder, unbelieving the silent girl had such a large heart.
Hearing the silence, a hand moved. It contacted with other skin that had been touched earlier. She groggily opened her eyes and stared at the flap. She allowed herself a tired smile. It'd been a LONG time since she'd gotten such a kiss. Nodding in confirmation at the last statement, she rolled over to catch some precious sleep before facing the day again.
