Shizuko: *singing* We-e-lcome to our fi-i-iky.
Astra: *singing* dun dun dun dun
Shizuko: *still singing* We-e hope you li-i-ke it
Astra: *sinsingsing* da da da da
Shizuko: *sings* Ju-ust to re-e-fre-esh you…
Astra: *singsing*de de de de
Shizuko: *singity* We no o-own Gundam Wing
Astra: *sings* he he he he!
Both: ENJOY!
Chapter Thirteen
Duo leaned back and sighed contentedly. "Man, that little freak sure has a great pantry, wolves or no wolves."
Quatre gave him a disapproving look. "It's not nice to call people freaks," he said. "Little girls in particular."
Duo shrugged. "You can't deny it."
"Are you going to take a look at the door?" asked Quatre, quickly changing the subject.
"All in good time. I wanna get some rest."
"Duo!!"
"What? No use escaping without the strength to run."
"Duo…"
Duo stifled a yelp as he scooted back in his chair. He had never seen Quatre look this annoyed…irate might almost be the word. "Okay, okay, I'm going. Sheesh, you looked psycho, man!"
Quatre watched in satisfaction as his friend approached the door and wiggled the handle. Nothing happened.
Duo took a deep breath and rubbed his hands together. "Okay. Watch this!" Pointing at the door, he yelled something unintelligible. There was a flash of bright neon green light, nothing else. Almost nothing, that is—except for the two three-inch cockroaches that materialized on the floor. Quatre turned white and climbed up on a chair. "Not that one," muttered Duo, stamping on the insects. "Prank charm."
"Duo! Be serious!"
Duo pouted and faced the door again. "Don't insult that charm! It was one of my favorites!" He eyed the door again, calculating. "Got it! I always wanted to try shooting fire."
Quatre was in the middle of climbing down the chair when he froze suddenly. "What do you mean 'you always wanted to'? You haven't done it before?"
"Nope!" responded Duo cheerfully, "but I will have now!"
Before Quatre could do anything, Duo had extended both arms to the door and said some more weird words. The sound of a huge explosion filled the air, along with a thick, black smoke. It enveloped the two unfortunates before either could do anything. Just before his head hit the floor, Quatre heard Duo mumble something that sounded suspiciously like, "Oops."
*
A faraway voice in Midii's mind spoke.
Wonder if insanity runs in the family?
To any observer, the answer to that question had to be yes. Most definitely yes.
Midii stood, her back pressed against the wooden compound wall. She had rubbed mud into any skin that wasn't covered in black cloth. In her right hand was a small knife. In her left hand was a kit to draw blood.
I should change my name. How about Insa Neidiot (A/N: Might help if you read it out loud)? Or how about plain old Padded Room Needed?
She took a deep breath. I can't believe I'm going to go draw dragon blood…
*
Iria surveyed the four precise rows of seven shape-shifters each. She, the twenty-ninth, stood before them all. They had agreed unanimously to help quell whatever disturbance was out there, and now she had to organize their attack. "I think we should send about five to go look for Quatre. Rhea's volunteered to lead that pack. Even if there are a few wolves like I suspect, I think five would be able to handle them. Also, I've heard that Relena Peacecraft has fled to Haval."
An excited murmur ran through the group at the name.
"Yes, Relena Peacecraft herself," stated Iria. "A little bird told me—literally. Two of us will go and watch over her, but remain unseen if at all possible. Her death could throw this country into turmoil. The rest of us will go to Crest Falls and see if they need any help with anything. Questions?"
No one had any, so they set off right away. No one else was around to see, but had they been, they might have spotted a flock of hawks winging their way towards Crest falls, a pair of falcons headed towards Haval, and a few does bounding off towards who knows where.
*
Lucrezia grinned at the look on her dear boyfriends face.
No wonder he loves me…
She continued to watch and after a moment realized that the other two were just standing there aghast (Zechs) and confused (Relena). She should have just waited patiently, but that wasn't what her personality quite dictated.
"You haven't been waiting half of your life for this moment in order to just STAND there…TALK to the girl…"
Zechs blinked and glared at her. Then he looked at Relena.
"Please excuse my manners, I was quite," he looked at Lucrezia, "surprised,"
"No problem at all," Relena said, "But I'm quite confused,"
"Come on in and sit down, it's a long story,"
Moments later the three of them were in the study. Lucrezia sat on a love seat back in the corner while Relena was offered a chair. Zechs remained standing.
"Where should I start?" Zechs muttered.
"The beginning generally works, honey," Lucrezia said.
Zechs' eyes flick to her and then back to Relena.
"People call me Zechs Merquise. But that isn't the name I was born by,"
Zechs paused.
Relena stared at him, at his eyes. His eyes were now ice blue, full of memories, painful memories. But deep inside was a light, a light that her soul and mind had long since dampened.
"I know you…"
She reached her hand up to his cheek. It was slightly damp; she hadn't noticed he had been crying ever so lightly.
Her mind fought with itself. It was there…he was there…
Millardo…
"Millardo!"
"You…you remembered! But you couldn't have…"
"You found something…"
She fought to remember.
"...something no one wanted you to find…"
Zechs gaped.
How could she remember? Remember anything of that past?
"You were taken away…you were special to me…you…"
Relena held her hand to her chest and looked at him tearfully.
"You were my brother,"
*
Despite everything, Midii was in total awe.
This creature has demolished buildings, sown fear and cut lives short, and yet, it radiates such calm serenity and strength. He's nothing like Astin. Astin follows my directions, but he is still full of passion and feeling. This…this thing…it's all about order. I don't think it would question anything…
She was crouched next to the sleeping form of one of the Icys. She shook her head, clearing it of her thoughts.
I have to finish what I came here to do.
She reached out her hand to draw the dragon's blood.
Its eyes snapped opened.
They locked with her's.
Suddenly her whole world was blue. It was frozen and cold.
She saw herself from another person's perspective. She was a small flame against plains of white ice.
The flame that was she grew brighter…melting that frozen world. Breaking through it.
Midii fell to the ground, the real ground, breathing heavily. She lifted her head to find the dragon once again gazing back at her.
She lifted her hand to his snout. He bent his head under her touch, a sound, almost like a cats purr, emanating from his throat.
Midii had claimed herself a new friend.
*
Wufei rested his chin on his hand and surveyed the rest of the waiting group. Waiting and nothing else, it felt like. Heero was talking to Trowa, discussing Relena's abduction and trying to figure out exactly what they planned to do about it. Dorothy sat on the side, diligently sharpening two of the throwing knives Relena had left behind. Wufei was wonder whether or not she would be able to use them properly. The prospect seemed rather dubious. Relena certainly hadn't.
Waiting…
Waiting…
Wufei sighed. I miss Meiran.
…
Whoa. Did I just think that?? No way. Well, I guess she wasn't that bad…
Flashback
Meiran stood in front of Wufei's desk at High Cliffs. "You called, O Great Commander?"
Wufei sighed. She still hadn't forgiven him for requiring her to use his proper rank when addressing him. Keeping his eyes on the letter he was writing, he groped absently for another message that was already sealed nearby, not bothering to look at her. "Flyer Chang," he said, handing her the parchment and still refusing to even glance at her, "you will deliver this to Southern," he finally looked at her, "quickly."
Meiran took the paper from his hand a little more violently than necessary, spun on her heel, and stalked out of the room, notably omitting the salute. Wufei was too busy not looking at her to notice. He did, however, notice the door slam that knocked half the items on his desk onto the floor. Muttering obscenities or something of the sort, Wufei bent down to retrieve the scattered papers.
While reorganizing, Wufei came upon a sheet that was supposed to be included in the letter he had given Meiran. Stifling another word that he hadn't learned in kindergarten, he snatched it up and ran out the door, heading towards the stables.
By the time of his arrival, Meiran had already saddled her dragon. Soon she would leave, meeting her rider companion at the gate. Wufei strode up to her and said stiffly, "This is to also be included with the message. It…got misplaced."
A thinly veiled smirk played across Meiran's face as she looked at the papers he held out to her. "Oh, you lost them, sir?"
He chose to ignore her choice of words and tone and handed her the message. She reached for it, her fingers accidentally brushing his. He glanced up at her, their eyes meeting for the first time in weeks. They didn't move their hands. For a long moment, they stood there, separate from time. As he gazed at her, his vision seemed to cloud in darkness, drawing Meiran away from him. He blinked, and image disappeared, but the cold sense that something was wrong stayed. Meiran, however, didn't seem to sense it, or perhaps she did, for as she slipped the paper into her message bag, she leaned over towards him and brushed his cheek with her lips. Then, in a whirl of wind, she was in flight…gone.
Flashback
Wufei hadn't seen her since.
*
Sally sighed and closed her eyes.
Where is Midii? We haven't heard from her. We would have heard some kind of commotion of she had been found and captured. Could something be keeping her from us? Perhaps I should take things into my own hands…we have to get out of here soon…who knows what's happening to the rest f the country while we sit in here and rot? If every base is getting attacked like Southern…we're doomed.
That day could ever be erased from her memory. No warning…no hope…nothing she could do to help the people who were under her command, the people she loved. They had put their utmost trust in her. And she could do nothing. Absolutely nothing. All she could do was crumple under a force she didn't know or recognize. Fall… the screams and cries of those nearest to her echoing in her mind…they still did.
She looked around at the fourteen other people in captivity with her. Thirteen. Thirteen were from Southern. Days ago she had ad two hundred and twenty-three proud members of the Southern Range Rider and Flyer Compound.
Hard and silent tears spilled down her face.
Thirteen.
*
Quatre was sitting in a chair, racking his brain for another escape plan. Duo was sitting at the table, demolishing yet another large pile of food. "What if…we found a window and managed to break it with something?" suggested the blond.
Duo, looked up, not missing a bite. "No win'ows, Kah-ruh," he said with his mouth full. "'member?"
"Yeah…how about we wait for some unknown shadow to lead us to a crack in the wall, and we follow it out into freedom."
Duo swallowed and looked annoyed. "Quatre, have you been reading the Arabian Nights recently or something?"
Quatre looked a little sheepish. "Well…yeah…"
"Then I might point out that when that happened, Sinbad had been left in a closed pit to starve. We've got food here!" He began eating again with great relish. Quatre remained planning in his chair, hardly put out by comment.
"Something's gonna happen, I can feel it…"
*
Rhea stopped and glanced around, trying to sense a direction. She changed into a squirrel and skittered up a tree. Within a few minutes, she was back on the ground again as a doe. Nodding to her sisters, she set off again, this time sure of her direction.
*
Zechs was aghast. There was no way she could have known that…no possible way...ever…no no no…he had made sure of that…
As he tried to see where it had went wrong, Noin voiced a comment, "Zechs, my dear, what happened to 'I cast the spell myself, nothing can change it.' Huh? What happened? What if she had remembered earlier?"
"Well…uh…I," Zechs began to stammer out, but Relena interrupted.
"What do you mean spell?"
Zechs met her eyes and began, "I suppose since you don't remember everything, I'll have to tell you that story anyway..."
Flashback
Millardo Peacecraft stood stock still, his hands clasped behind his back. His chin was raised proudly and regality dripped from his figure. He radiated strength and stability. On the outside he was everything you could ask for in an heir.
His likeness wavered and rippled in the waters of the pond he was standing next to. Ironically, that skewed reflection was a better likeness of his spirit than he was.
Millardo ran his white-gloved hands through his hair and turned away, his shoes clicking on marble stones.
So much has changed…all because of an accident…or maybe fate…
He had turned sixteen seventh months ago. Being the prince and heir of the country, the day of his birthday had been filled was balls and festivals, but the day after had been his.
He had taken off his state wardrobe, changed into more common attire, and headed out to the stables. There, he grabbed a second-best saddle and led his horse out of the palace grounds.
He mounted up and went riding through the countryside. He was sure that his parents would thoroughly reprimand him for leaving without an escort, but it was worth the time alone.
Winding trails led him through the forest. Eventually, Millardo stopped having to acknowledge other travelers. The area was empty. Around midday he decided to head back, it wouldn't do to be out when night had fallen. There were rumors about the woods at night…
"Are you lost?"
Millardo calmly turned his horse around to see the source of the voice. It happened to be a girl with dark purple hair that fell to her shoulders. She was wearing a brown dress covered with a full-length evergreen apron. A kerchief of the same evergreen pulled some of the hair away from her face. She looked to be about his age.
The girl repeated her question firmly, with only a trace of uncertainty, "Are you lost?"
Millardo found his manners and was about to answer "No", until he realized he didn't know where he was. Things looked…different…
"Actually, I do seem to be,"
She grinned knowledgeably, as if she was in on some secret he didn't know.
"Trying to find the capitol?"
Millardo didn't see any other way of getting home, so he answered truthfully, "Yes,"
She looked up for a moment, as if her answer was in the sky, and then said, "I'm not quite sure what road to take. Would you like to come back with me to my home? I have a map there,"
Millardo nodded and dismounted. He gestured with his arm towards the horse, offering her the chance to ride. She shook her head, so instead they both walked, with him leading the animal.
A few moments of silence passed when he voiced a question, "What do people call you?"
She smiled and looked at him. "Noin,"
He couldn't help but say, "Noin?"
"It's my last name. My real name is Lucrezia,"
"A beautiful name,"
"Exactly," she looked at the surprise in his eyes and laughed again. He liked her laugh, quiet and joyful. "And what's your name?"
Millardo hesitated only a moment before answering, "Zechs. Zechs Merquise," It wasn't best to go around telling people you were in a position of power. There was no telling what kind of reaction you would get, and all to often it resulted in something lethal.
She smiled again and pointed, a cottage was coming into view. "That's it,"
"You live pretty far out here,"
"Less neighbors to pry,"
"Zechs" had laughed then, not knowing how true it was…
Astra: oh…we so eevvviiill…
Shizuko: CLIFFHANGEER!
Astra: But at least this chapter was longer than most!
Shizuko: See you next time, please read and review!