Astra and Shizuko: Hello!
Astra: You know what? I think I found something better than SUGAR…
Shizuko: Wha?
Astra: REVIEWS…so keep reviewing, and thanks to everyone who all ready did!
Both: *grin*
Chapter Nine
Relena was wrapping up her rant, so Trowa stood up to leave. Wufei and Heero rapidly followed suit. "Hold it right there," said Relena firmly.
"I thought you were done," groaned Heero.
"I am, but you boys owe me big for this."
"So…"
"So I'm going to sit here, and you are going to tell me everything that's going on." She cast a very meaningful glance towards Trowa. Completely outmaneuvered and with no more arguments, the guys reluctantly complied.
*
"Who are you?" The voice made Midii jump. "You don't look like a guard."
"Identify yourself first."
"Chang Meiran, Flyer extraordinaire. Now who are you?"
"Midii Une, also a Flyer. Are you prisoners here?"
"You better believe it," came a new voice.
"Who's that?"
"I'm Commander Sally Po, and I'm very glad to see that not everyone is out of commission yet."
"How many of you are in here?"
"Fifteen counting us. The other thirteen are sleeping right now. I'm sure there are Riders and Flyers locked up elsewhere."
Midii sat down on the cold stone floor. "Hnn…so now that I know your in here, how do I get you out. They might notice fifteen people just strolling out a side door of the compound."
After a few moments of silence, Meiran spoke timidly. "Have you heard anything about one Commander Chang Wufei? I'd really like to know if there's any news."
"I…I don't know," said Midii. "Wait…I remember! Rider Trowa said that was his commander. I think Wufei's fine. That's the last I heard, at least."
Meiran breathed a sigh of relief and hope filled her eyes. "Thanks…"
Flashback
The morning after the comm. orb incident, Meiran got up early. As annoyed as she was with her husband, she did feel a little sorry. Walking into the kitchen, she looked through the cupboards, and finally pulled out enough ingredients to make some oatmeal. She then set to places at the table, though they were at the far ends of it. Wufei looked surprised when he came out and saw breakfast waiting. All he did, however, was mumble something like "thanks" when he sat down. They ate in complete silence, until Meiran set her glass down with an abrupt bang. "I can't believe we've been married all this time, and you never told me you were a Flyer."
Wufei glanced up. "If I may point out, 'all this time' has only been four days, and you never told me either."
Meiran scowled. "I can't believe I got stuck with you."
"Why are you feeling sorry for yourself? What about me?"
"You should count yourself lucky."
Wufei choked. "I would rather have a quiet, demure, gentle, submissive, and proper Chinese girl. You say I'm lucky to get stuck with a loudmouth, rough and tumble, rule-breaking-"
"I get the point!" yelled Meiran. She leaned her forehead on her palm. "All right," she said softly. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm sorry."
Wufei wasn't sure he had heard right. "What?"
"Don't rub it in! I'm sorry, okay?"
"What for?"
"Yesterday. It was all…just a big misunderstanding."
"I guess." They lapsed into silence again. Suddenly, Wufei smiled at her slightly. "You have a pretty good tackle, though – for an onna."
Meiran raised an eyebrow. "And you wrestle pretty good – for an otoko."
They actually looked each other in the eye for the first time without an angry glare. They didn't say anything else over breakfast, but after that, they had at least the beginnings of a friendship.
End Flashback
"…I hope he's still okay."
Nearby footsteps brought the three women to full alert. Midii silently moved from her sitting position into a crouch.
"You better get out. Come back tomorrow night," Sally whispered. Midii nodded in response and slipped back outside.
Once she reached Astin she led him farther into the woods, finding a better place to hide for the night. As she watered the animal, she thought. That was almost too easy. All that kept those prisoners from escaping was a lock pick and a sleepy wall guard. It's almost as if they wouldn't care if some escaped. Midii shook her head. This wasn't her thing. She could do almost anything a commander told her to, but that was just it. She followed, didn't lead. And here she was. Alone. In the middle of a place she didn't know. With people depending on her.
She looked up. Tree branches obscured the night sky, taking over. In the thick wood, she rarely saw a star shining through. But they were there. And they were bright.
*
Sally sat in her own little corner of the cell. Meiran had joined the others in sleep and she was alone now. She inhaled deeply and then regretted doing so. The air was hot and humid and seemed to stick in her throat.
She stood up, stretching her stiff legs. They didn't get to move a lot in the cell, it was too small. Even so, everyday she pulled rank and forced her cellmates to walk around it a few times. If they ever had a chance to escape, no one was going to get left behind because they were too stiff to run properly.
*
*
Dorothy sat in her own cell and sulked. Her shoulder had a definite bruise on it, and the guards outside the door were not very understanding. All that they had done in answer to her outraged ranting was laugh and jingle the keys tantalizingly out of reach. The imprisoned medic slumped against the wall and shivered. The small brazier had been taken when she had been thrown in. As she clutched her jacket, though, she found a small ray of hope. The guards had not taken her wooden spoon. It remained in her inside pocket, a strange and unexpected piece of luck. This thing has got to be invincible or something, she though, pulling it out. After all, it's made it through the past floods storms, that last forest fire, and now an invasion. I guess the guards though it would be harmless. She grinned. Let them find out how very wrong they were.
*
Duo found himself being shaken awake very suddenly. Quatre was standing over him, the light of the setting moon illuminating his face. "Get up! We've gotta go."
Duo groaned and rolled over. "What's wrong now??"
"Nothing. We just should go."
"Can't we wait until a decent hour and have breakfast first?"
"No. Knowing my sisters, that would be about noon."
"So?"
"Well, then there'll be goodbyes and entreaties to come back soon and you know girls…oh, just come on!"
*
Dorothy was in the middle of some thinking when she heard the door open. A guard entered with a bowl of food in his hand. She smirked. How fortunate! I must have gotten the one cell where the food door doesn't open. Ah, that's right. Flyer Maxwell mangled the hinges a week ago and nobody ever got around to repairing it. Well, opportunity knocks. She stood slowly, and approached wearing a submissive façade. The guard, completely taken in, did not even see the blur of the wooden spoon before he fell unconscious.
The other guard glanced when he heard the thud. "Hey! Cut that ou—" With another lightning strike from the indignant medic, he collapsed also. Dorothy viewed the damage with satisfaction as she slipped the spoon back into her pocket. Then, noiselessly, she escaped over the wall outside and into the darkening forest.
*
Relena stared at the unfortunate trio before her. "Explain. NOW."
Wufei tried first. "Well, um, it started about a hundred fifty years ago with the uprising of the Yanga warlords in rebellion against the taxes on grain during the reign of King Tairs…" To his credit, Wufei really did try. He just kept trying and trying and trying. It wasn't long before Heero began to doze off. Trowa occupied himself by staring blankly at the underside of the hair that hung in his face. (A/N: Shizuko: And therein lies the secret of why it stays so stiff… Astra: But we're not gonna tell you! *evil laughter*) Relena listened intently for the first few minutes. Yet despite the many words coming from Wufei's mouth, she was still extremely confused. "…therefore, after thirty years of tension, the new monarch was finally forced to compromise with the people or face revolution. However, unrest still stirred through out the kingdom…"
Relena sighed quietly. Seconds later, something whizzed past her ear with an angry whine. Before she registered what it was, she felt Heero shove her to the ground, simultaneously unsheathing a dirk nearly identical to the one Trowa already held in his hand. Relena rolled over, pulling out her favorite throwing knife from the inside of her jacket. Only then did she get a glance at their attackers. Ten soldiers dressed in black and dark green surrounded them. "Drop your weapons and surrender," growled the one that seemed to be the leader.
"GHAAA!! ONLY WEAKLINGS SURRENDER!!" Wufei shouted, as he charged at the soldiers, swinging his katana. Trowa and Heero followed his example and soon were engaged in full battle. Relena slipped behind a tree and watched for an opportunity to launch on of her knives. The opportunity only showed itself once because of the close quarters of her friends and their enemies. She used it well, though, and one man fell with a thud, the hilt protruding from his back. Suddenly, a hand clapped over her mouth, and a sharp blow from behind turned the world black.
*
Once back on the road, Duo had decided yet again that things were too quiet. "…you're cruel, you know that, Quatre? I mean, I could still be in that great bed, sound asleep and snoring to my heart's content."
Quatre winced at the thought.
"…and in a few hours I bet your sisters would have a great breakfast all hot and ready. I mean, what with what they made for dinner—what was it again?"
"Grilled cheese sandwiches."
"Yeah! Those were really, really good! What do they usually serve for breakfast?"
"Talkative Flyers."
Duo closed his eyes blissfully. "Mmm…that sounds—HEY!!"
Quatre cleared his throat. "Duo, we turn here."
"Oh, okay." As they started down the path, Quatre suddenly stiffened. "Did you hear that?"
Duo broke his soft, tuneless humming to glance down at the Rider below. "No. What?"
"I dunno. Like something was coming…"
Duo glared at Quatre. "Stoppit! You're not just doing this to scare me, are you?"
"No! No, I'm not! Honest!" protested Quatre, his eyes still flicking over the foliage around them in nervous agitation.
Shizuko: We really are being mean to Duo.
Astra: *shrug*
Shizuko: Of course, that's probably because its so much fun…*grin*
Astra: You've read it? Now review it, please! *puppy god eyes* pls?