That's Childish, So Childish…
Chapter Sixteen: Say It Started When I met You…
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Disclaimer—If you don't know by now that I don't own anything, then you're really slow to catch on…
Warnings—Treize-torture. Nothing permanent, though. Teasing. Minor violence. Minor mental abuse.
Zechs says hello to Noin. Treize recalls just why he used to keep Zechs occupied on mission after mission... Heero decides to recruit Sally Po as the team's doctor… which does nothing to decrease the stress levels in the alliance. It /does/ offer hope for finding Wufei, though.
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Zechs resisted the urge to pace despite the strain it put on his self- control, waiting as Treize punched the code for reaching Noin in Sanc. //Relax… Relax, Miri. Noin won't laugh her head off. Not if you ask her not to. Trust her… Trust her…//
He clenched his hands until they ached. //Hell, /I/ would laugh at me!// he admitted to himself. //This is just too… too… absurd? Weird? I can't blame Noin if she falls off the chair laughing. Heck, if Lady Une found it funny… and she /never/ laughs…//
Treize glanced at him, smiling smugly still. "Relax. She's /your/ friend, after all," the older man suggested, amused.
"Easy for you to say," Zechs grumbled back. "Lady Une didn't laugh at /you/!" //And I'm still putting something nasty in your boots for this, Treize. Don't even think I'm letting you get away with that!// He could hear Duo and Heero snickering behind his back, but refused to dignify them with a glare.
The ex-Oz General just smirked, and turned to face the screen again as Noin's face appeared. "Ah, Miss Noin," he greeted amiably.
Dark eyes blinked at him, before Noin dipped her head politely. "Your Excellency," she acknowledged, a hint of curiosity in her voice. "Does this mean… that you found him?" She hesitated at the end, uncertain.
//You've been worried for me, Noin…// Miri felt something squeeze his heart, and bowed his head shamefully. //I am sorry to do that to you. Then again, it's not like they let me send letters from there…//
"He took some finding, Miss Noin, but yes, my search has been successful." Treize glanced towards the boy hovering next to the console, out of visual range but within touching distance of the screen. After a pause, he added, "I have some good news and bad news…"
Noin's eyes widened, and she eyed Treize warily, scrutinizingly, as if trying to gain insight on his words by studying his face. "What happened, your Excellency?"
//Here it comes.// Miri braced himself inwardly, though he knew it wouldn't help much.
Treize shifted a bit in his seat, smirking at Zechs's fidgeting. "Well, the good news: he is right here…"
She appeared to slump in relief, smiling hesitantly. "And the bad?" Noin inquired.
Treize merely looked at Zechs.
//Treize… I'm not going to kill you—that'd be too nice of me. I want you to suffer for this… for a LOOOONG time…// Clearing his throat, Miri stated quietly, wearily, "It's a long story, Noin…"
His former classmate frowned slightly. "Zechs…? Did you catch laryngitis or something?"
In the background, Heero smothered a chuckle from his position in the doorway. Duo glanced curiously at his fellow Gundam pilot, lost. Treize merely grinned.
//I wish.// "Not… exactly, Noin," he tried, ignoring the snickers.
Tilting her head, Noin's frown deepened with concern. "Zechs… That mask of yours broke, didn't it? That's why you're hiding."
Miri took a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh. //I may as well get this over with.// "No, that's not it… Noin… Just promise that you won't laugh."
"That I won't… /laugh/?" The poor woman seemed bewildered.
"That you won't laugh." Zechs kept his voice firm. //And I should have elicited this promise from Lady Une, too, before speaking to her.//
"I don't see why… All right. I promise I won't laugh, Zechs. Now will you stop hiding?" A pleading note entered Noin's voice.
Gathering his courage, the Tallgeese's pilot stepped around the console and traded places with Treize, taking over the seat. Slowly, he looked up through the mask's eyeholes at the screen—and fought the urge to cringe against the laughter he just /knew/ would be forthcoming…
//At least, if she laughs, she can't possibly sound like Lady Une…//
Noin stared, eyes so wide that Zechs wondered how they managed to stay in her head. Her jaw sank down, moved a fraction of an inch in an abortive attempt to say something, then settled for just hanging open for a bit longer. It took a good full minute for Noin to get past the shock, but when she did, she managed to get her jaws moving again, though her eyes continued to bulge.
"Z-Zechs…?"
Bravely, Miri tried a smile. //I guess it could be worse…// "Yes, I know. It makes piloting anything bigger than rollerblades a bit of a challenge."
Noin quickly smothered something into her hand that sounded suspiciously like a giggle. "It… It looks like you've gotten the short end of things, Zechs…"
//Oh no, the blasted height-jokes…// "That's one way of putting it," he sighed, looking down at his sandals. //At least she's not collapsing off her chair with laughter! It really /could/ be much worse…//
When he looked up again, though, Noin was grinning at him in a strange way he had never seen before. In some terribly soft, adoring, ready-to-hug-the- stuffing-out-of-you way. Like someone who found the most adorable puppy forlorn in the street. Or the most alluringly huggable plush toy. It made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
//Uh-oh…//
"Zechs," Noin stated, a Cheshire-cat smile spreading across her face.
//This isn't good. This is… This is getting scary…// The normally cool- tempered Lightning Count felt a sudden urge to flee, and fought the inclination to cringe in his seat under that growing smile.
"You look so damn CUTE!" Noin squealed.
//Oh GOD…!// Appalled, horrified, Zechs cringed back until his body was molded to the curving back of the chair, eyes widening in terror under the mask. //All right, I was wrong: it really /is/ worse! Noin actually… /squealed/! She called me… CUTE! I'm not a plushy! Keep /away/ from me, Noin!//
And Noin was still giggling. She /had/ to know how this was making him feel—because it must have been evident on his face and in the way he seemed to want to put the chair between himself and the screen through osmosis. "You look so /adorable/, Zechs! You make such a cute kid!"
//Mommy?// the boy in question mentally wailed, mortified. He glanced over at Treize and the Gundam pilots, pleading desperately with his eyes as he half-whimpered, half-squeaked, "Help?"
Treize never met his eyes—the usual so dignified man was too busy, doubled over with silent laughter that was threatening to be very vocal any second now. Duo was literally sitting on the floor, a sleeve stuffed in his mouth to muffle his mirth, though that didn't stop him from stamping on the floor. Heero had his eyes closed and head thrown back, leaning heavily against the doorjamb, chuckling quietly, though convulsively.
A flare of anger made Miri straighten a little in his seat and glare at the lot. "Some bunch of allies /you/ guys are," he griped.
They merely laughed the harder.
With a weak groan, Zechs slid his hands over his face, under the edge of the mask. //If there isn't a cure for this age thing, I don't think I'll live much longer…//
Noin giggled quietly, trying to hide her smile with a hand when those icy blue eyes opened again to glare at her through the mask. "Really, Zechs… I don't think it's that bad. Just keep telling yourself that it could be worse…" she suggested mischievously.
Dropping his hands, Miri's eyes hardened, and he waved at his allies with one hand as he turned the view screen with the other so she could see his companions, already half on the floor, laughing uproariously.
"If you find out /how/, Noin, let me know!"
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Revenge, as expected, took place that night. Treize had taken special precautions—such as having a couple of his men guard his room from all comers, and checking his bed and room carefully before actually slipping between the covers.
//I know he's going to do /something/. Zechs was not very pleased by today's humiliations. For shame, Treize, taking pleasure in your best friend's embarrassment… Oh what the heck—it was funny and it was worth it!// Treize couldn't help a slight smirk as he stared up at the ceiling. //Worth every bit of it… God help me, though. Zechs won't let me live it down…//
Noin had been very willing—almost glad—to hear that the whole lot of them, which was just short of two full armies, intended to drop in, perhaps permanently. Of course, only she and Zechs had any idea how many Sanc could house and hide. //Still, of course she wouldn't discuss it with him before the Gundam pilots. As he said, she would never betray his identity.//
That made him thoughtful—and speculative—about what could happen when they met Miss Relena. Only heaven knew how Zechs would react. It was inevitable, however, that the hostess meet her guests at some point or other—if not by their choice, then likely she would hunt them out on her own. That was, if the inquisitive streak in Zechs ran true for her. Hopefully the evilly mischievous streak did NOT!
//I don't think the world could take two Peacecrafts like that at the same time… And he lived with at least five levels of cousins?!? I remember feeling sorry for the King… I know /I/ cannot endure a whole extended family like that! I'd have been in the hospital by the end of the week!// But he couldn't help a soft chuckle. //On the other hand… It's /such/ fun to tease him! I had forgotten what he was like as a child… and the chaos we caused between the lot of us, with Dorothy.//
Fond memories carried the ex-Oz General off to sleep, feeling safe and sound… and knowing that this feeling of security was merely his own illusion. For despite all his preparations and precautions, Treize Kushrenada knew better.
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The next morning, Zechs calmly strode into the conference room with a mugful of coffee in one hand and mask in the other and a serene smile on his face, moving to take a seat. Setting the mug on the table, he lounged against one arm of the chair, hanging his feet over the other, and glanced up at the clock on the wall expectantly.
//Fifteen, fourteen, thirteen…//
Duo blinked at him from over another coffee mug, Quatre seated beside him with some aromatic tea, their quiet conversation dying under the weight of their growing curiosity. Heero, at the far end of the table, ticked time away on his new laptop industriously, not appearing aware of anything going on around him.
"Hey, Zechs… are you expecting something?" Duo queried, blinking first at the clock, then at the pale boy.
Miri nodded smugly, glancing back up at the clock. //Real soon now…// "Ten, nine, eight, seven…"
Heero paused typing without looking up, and reaching into his belt, produced some wads of something from a pocket, quickly sticking them into his ears.
Quatre exchanged worried looks with Duo.
"…two, one…" Zechs finished, grinning broadly.
Someone shrieked in an almost feminine fashion.
Duo looked about fearfully, as if wondering if it was something he'd done or that he would be blamed for. Quatre started, worried eyes darting about for the source.
Heero resumed typing away, but brought up a quiet question, as if asking about the weather or the current status of his Gundam. "What did you do to him?"
"Oh, just the traditional something in the shampoo. Never thought I could find that specific hue, but it's amazing what the rugmakers around here could scrounge up for me…" Miri supplied nonchalantly, still watching the clock. //I thought that fiery, glowing scarlet shade was most amazing… Now another minute for him to dry off…//
Quatre groaned and hid his face in his hands. "Allah save us… Won't his men react?"
Zechs half-giggled, half-chuckled slyly. "Not unless he acts like his hair is different around them. Which he won't. He knew this was coming." //I /did/ warn him!//
Duo shook his head and grinned. "Guess it could be worse…" he stated.
Heero snorted softly, as if to disagree.
Miri looked back up at the clock, smiling cheerfully. //Thirty seconds…//
"Yeah, well, guess I rather like my hair as it is, too, Heero," Duo admitted. "Hey, isn't it safe to remove those earplugs yet?"
Without peeling his eyes from the clock, Zechs offered, "It's not over yet…" //Twenty…//
Heero, still typing away, nodded slightly without looking at them.
Quatre looked from one to the other, scratching his head. "Are you in on it, Heero?" he asked, a little confused.
"No," came the terse answer from Wing's pilot.
Miri merely smirked. //He didn't have to be.//
"He warned Treize," Heero added after a moment, to explain. "It was obvious."
//…two, one…//
"ZECHS!!!!" someone screamed angrily.
"Right on time," the boy murmured with satisfaction. "Treize is nothing if not routine…" //Now give him five minutes to soak ort rip the worst off and escape it… and realize just what it means…//
Quatre shivered, and huddled over his mug of tea as if needing it for reassurance.
Duo eyed Zechs warily, scratching his head, and asking cautiously, "Do I want to ask what /that/ one was for…?"
Miri looked down at his mug happily. "Probably not, but if you're curious… Rubber cement in his long uniform pants." //I discarded the idea of rubber cementing his boots…//
Duo winced. Quatre whimpered. Heero's fingers stopped tapping and the Perfect Soldier actually glanced over at the blonde ex-Oz pilot in something akin to mild surprise.
"How's he going to get them /off/?" Duo asked hesitantly.
//Oh, he'll find a way… eventually. But it'll take every hair he has with it.// "I can't recall which, but either turpentine or nail polish remover does the trick… Both of which mean a rather smelly bath… In any case, I think we may as well get on with this meeting. He won't be joining us anytime soon." Closing his eyes contently, Zechs Merquise took a leisurely chug of his coffee.
"Brr… Man, I'm glad I'm not /him/," Duo muttered, shuddering. "Until he gets that bath… That's /gotta/ chafe!"
Quatre made a gagging sound.
Heero actually snickered. "Consider it payback… for the New Edwards Base incident."
Duo just shook his head until his braid swung like a pendulum and grinned broadly. "Still… How did you come up with these kinds of punishments?"
Zechs settled back with coffee in one hand, and flopped the mask over his face with the other, smirking slyly at the Gundam pilots. With the mask over his face and that slight smile beneath, it added to his air of a Cheshire-cat's unavoidable and potentially detrimental mischief—a type of mischief you usually want to avoid.. "Oh, I've been in the revenge business for a looong time…"
Lounging contentedly, Miri closed his eyes under the mask and sipped his coffee again. //It sort of came with the name… Maybe I should start a business after the war: Zechs Merquise, Professional Humilliator. "They humiliate you, I make them regret it." It sounds promising…//
Quiet footsteps approached, and Trowa wandered in the door, looking over his shoulder in a somewhat-suspicious manner, as if not quite believing his eyes though what he saw was no longer there.
"Good morning, Trowa," Quatre offered brightly, sounding relieved to see the tall Gundam pilot. "Is something wrong…?"
Trowa tilted his head to the side, as if puzzled, then pointed a thumb over his shoulder towards the corridor. "What happened to Treize?" he asked, curious.
"Does it look like he fell into a tub of dye?" Duo piped up eagerly. That idea of revenge for the New Edwards Base incident obviously appealed to him.
The green-eyed Gundam pilot frowned slightly. "If he did, that's not what soaked his pants. They're still white, though glued to him."
Duo chuckled evilly, trying to hide his glee behind his coffee.
"It /is/ glued to him," Quatre supplied, making a face, clearly torn between sympathy and enjoying this torment of their former enemy.
"This meeting won't be terribly productive, then," Trowa sighed, taking a seat. "He's the one who can find the supplies and men we need to overhaul all the suits."
A short silence answered him.
"It's /his/ fault!" voices chorused, three hands darting out to point…
At Zechs.
Zechs opened his eyes and stared at the fingers aimed at him. Heero wasn't looking up from his laptop, even, but his hand still pointed. Mentally, he sighed. //And they say /I'm/ regressing?// "Hey, I /did/ warn him…" //All's fair in love and war…//
"I have to admit, we can desperately use both help and supplies," Rashid sighed from the doorway, entering the conversation.
Everyone seemed to sigh unhappily in the silence that followed, crestfallen. If Rashid said they needed it—they probably desperately needed it. And Wing Gundam wasn't even fully completed yet!
Miri eyed his reflection in his coffee mug. //Supplies are probably the hardest to find. All the gundanium down here on Earth is usually tracked…//
Squirming a little, Duo piped up, "I know a guy who can bring some help, then. Howard—he has a barge out in the ocean, and he fixed Heero's and my Gundams before. His prices vary, though—from money to assistance to whatever his whim is at the time, though I never had a bad bargain from him."
The large Maganac smiled. "Well, that's something," he rumbled. "If you can contact him, we can meet in Sanc's New Port City."
"Speaking of Sanc, we need to do something about /him/," Quatre added quietly, gesturing at Zechs again. "You said you wanted to be yourself there," the blonde Gundam pilot supplied gently.
Zechs grimaced into his coffee. "The only one who I know who /could/ reverse this is the one who injected me with the vile thing… And I don't think we can persuade her to cooperate. She enjoyed it a bit too much, if I recall right…" Mentally, he shuddered, recalling that frightening face amid whirling blurry colors, the spreading heat in his thigh from the injection… //No. Not her. Even if I have to stay like this the rest of my life!//
"Doctor Hassan said he's really not up to date on this kind of research," Quatre admitted softly, unhappy. "I don't think the scientists who built our Gundams did anything with biology, just engineering… So we should probably find another doctor…"
"Sally Po," Heero's voice supplied, his fingers rattling against his keyboard in a steady rhythm.
"Huh? The Alliance woman from New Edwards?" Duo wondered. "Why her? I mean, she was nice to us and all, but still…"
Miri shuddered and cringed slightly in his chair, hugging his coffee mug close. //A doctor from the Alliance? She'd probably kill me! I think /nobody/ from the Alliance would forgive me for my role in Operation Daybreak!// "I… ah… don't think…," he began hesitantly.
Heero ignored the mild protest. "She would be willing, and from her records, knowledgeable. From her reactions then, this kind of experiment would abhor her."
"Anyone know anyone else?" Quatre asked brightly.
Trowa shook his head in denial. Duo merely shrugged helplessly. Rashid stared at the table, arms folded across his chest.
"But… from the Alliance?" Miri asked weakly, sitting up. "Anyone from there would probably kill me rather than look at me—let alone help me!" //There /has/ to be someone else!//
Duo blinked at him. "She /seemed/ nice enough…"
"I think she would hold more of a grudge against Lady Une for the New Edwards Base incident rather than you," Heero supplied, looking up, though his fingers continued to fly on the keyboard. "I will have her meet us in Sanc… Besides, she was recently reported around—and helping—Gundam 05… We may be able to contact him through her."
"Wufei," Trowa murmured softly.
Zechs shivered slightly, looking into his coffee mug uncertainly. //I don't know if that's a good sign or a bad one!//
"We should at least offer him the chance to join us," Quatre suggested, asking for acceptance with his voice.
Duo scratched at the base of his braid and shrugged. Rashid didn't so much as move, though he sighed softly—probably thinking about fixing yet /another/ Gundam. Trowa nodded slowly.
Miri sighed softly. "All right…" //I'm not the wildest about this, though… Not after seeing what he did to Lake Victoria.// "Noin may have a grudge about how he slaughtered her students in Lake Victoria, though… Just so you're warned."
Heero nodded slightly to acknowledge it. "We will deal with that when we come to it…"
Miri wasn't concerned so much with those two fighting, though. //Noin could hold her own. She was just surprised at the time—and I must admit, so was I… It's this "Sally Po" that I worry more about…//
"Zechs… She won't hurt you," Heero stated quietly.
//Reading my mind, Heero. We're too much alike at times!// Zechs nodded slowly, sighing softly. "I hope so, Heero… Because if she's not fully willing to give it her all, considering how that first injection felt, I'm going to have a /really/ painful and horrible death."
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To be continued.
Any suggestion what I should have happen to Duke Dermail? Or the three bad guys Zechs met in Chapter 2?
Chapter Sixteen: Say It Started When I met You…
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Disclaimer—If you don't know by now that I don't own anything, then you're really slow to catch on…
Warnings—Treize-torture. Nothing permanent, though. Teasing. Minor violence. Minor mental abuse.
Zechs says hello to Noin. Treize recalls just why he used to keep Zechs occupied on mission after mission... Heero decides to recruit Sally Po as the team's doctor… which does nothing to decrease the stress levels in the alliance. It /does/ offer hope for finding Wufei, though.
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Zechs resisted the urge to pace despite the strain it put on his self- control, waiting as Treize punched the code for reaching Noin in Sanc. //Relax… Relax, Miri. Noin won't laugh her head off. Not if you ask her not to. Trust her… Trust her…//
He clenched his hands until they ached. //Hell, /I/ would laugh at me!// he admitted to himself. //This is just too… too… absurd? Weird? I can't blame Noin if she falls off the chair laughing. Heck, if Lady Une found it funny… and she /never/ laughs…//
Treize glanced at him, smiling smugly still. "Relax. She's /your/ friend, after all," the older man suggested, amused.
"Easy for you to say," Zechs grumbled back. "Lady Une didn't laugh at /you/!" //And I'm still putting something nasty in your boots for this, Treize. Don't even think I'm letting you get away with that!// He could hear Duo and Heero snickering behind his back, but refused to dignify them with a glare.
The ex-Oz General just smirked, and turned to face the screen again as Noin's face appeared. "Ah, Miss Noin," he greeted amiably.
Dark eyes blinked at him, before Noin dipped her head politely. "Your Excellency," she acknowledged, a hint of curiosity in her voice. "Does this mean… that you found him?" She hesitated at the end, uncertain.
//You've been worried for me, Noin…// Miri felt something squeeze his heart, and bowed his head shamefully. //I am sorry to do that to you. Then again, it's not like they let me send letters from there…//
"He took some finding, Miss Noin, but yes, my search has been successful." Treize glanced towards the boy hovering next to the console, out of visual range but within touching distance of the screen. After a pause, he added, "I have some good news and bad news…"
Noin's eyes widened, and she eyed Treize warily, scrutinizingly, as if trying to gain insight on his words by studying his face. "What happened, your Excellency?"
//Here it comes.// Miri braced himself inwardly, though he knew it wouldn't help much.
Treize shifted a bit in his seat, smirking at Zechs's fidgeting. "Well, the good news: he is right here…"
She appeared to slump in relief, smiling hesitantly. "And the bad?" Noin inquired.
Treize merely looked at Zechs.
//Treize… I'm not going to kill you—that'd be too nice of me. I want you to suffer for this… for a LOOOONG time…// Clearing his throat, Miri stated quietly, wearily, "It's a long story, Noin…"
His former classmate frowned slightly. "Zechs…? Did you catch laryngitis or something?"
In the background, Heero smothered a chuckle from his position in the doorway. Duo glanced curiously at his fellow Gundam pilot, lost. Treize merely grinned.
//I wish.// "Not… exactly, Noin," he tried, ignoring the snickers.
Tilting her head, Noin's frown deepened with concern. "Zechs… That mask of yours broke, didn't it? That's why you're hiding."
Miri took a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh. //I may as well get this over with.// "No, that's not it… Noin… Just promise that you won't laugh."
"That I won't… /laugh/?" The poor woman seemed bewildered.
"That you won't laugh." Zechs kept his voice firm. //And I should have elicited this promise from Lady Une, too, before speaking to her.//
"I don't see why… All right. I promise I won't laugh, Zechs. Now will you stop hiding?" A pleading note entered Noin's voice.
Gathering his courage, the Tallgeese's pilot stepped around the console and traded places with Treize, taking over the seat. Slowly, he looked up through the mask's eyeholes at the screen—and fought the urge to cringe against the laughter he just /knew/ would be forthcoming…
//At least, if she laughs, she can't possibly sound like Lady Une…//
Noin stared, eyes so wide that Zechs wondered how they managed to stay in her head. Her jaw sank down, moved a fraction of an inch in an abortive attempt to say something, then settled for just hanging open for a bit longer. It took a good full minute for Noin to get past the shock, but when she did, she managed to get her jaws moving again, though her eyes continued to bulge.
"Z-Zechs…?"
Bravely, Miri tried a smile. //I guess it could be worse…// "Yes, I know. It makes piloting anything bigger than rollerblades a bit of a challenge."
Noin quickly smothered something into her hand that sounded suspiciously like a giggle. "It… It looks like you've gotten the short end of things, Zechs…"
//Oh no, the blasted height-jokes…// "That's one way of putting it," he sighed, looking down at his sandals. //At least she's not collapsing off her chair with laughter! It really /could/ be much worse…//
When he looked up again, though, Noin was grinning at him in a strange way he had never seen before. In some terribly soft, adoring, ready-to-hug-the- stuffing-out-of-you way. Like someone who found the most adorable puppy forlorn in the street. Or the most alluringly huggable plush toy. It made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
//Uh-oh…//
"Zechs," Noin stated, a Cheshire-cat smile spreading across her face.
//This isn't good. This is… This is getting scary…// The normally cool- tempered Lightning Count felt a sudden urge to flee, and fought the inclination to cringe in his seat under that growing smile.
"You look so damn CUTE!" Noin squealed.
//Oh GOD…!// Appalled, horrified, Zechs cringed back until his body was molded to the curving back of the chair, eyes widening in terror under the mask. //All right, I was wrong: it really /is/ worse! Noin actually… /squealed/! She called me… CUTE! I'm not a plushy! Keep /away/ from me, Noin!//
And Noin was still giggling. She /had/ to know how this was making him feel—because it must have been evident on his face and in the way he seemed to want to put the chair between himself and the screen through osmosis. "You look so /adorable/, Zechs! You make such a cute kid!"
//Mommy?// the boy in question mentally wailed, mortified. He glanced over at Treize and the Gundam pilots, pleading desperately with his eyes as he half-whimpered, half-squeaked, "Help?"
Treize never met his eyes—the usual so dignified man was too busy, doubled over with silent laughter that was threatening to be very vocal any second now. Duo was literally sitting on the floor, a sleeve stuffed in his mouth to muffle his mirth, though that didn't stop him from stamping on the floor. Heero had his eyes closed and head thrown back, leaning heavily against the doorjamb, chuckling quietly, though convulsively.
A flare of anger made Miri straighten a little in his seat and glare at the lot. "Some bunch of allies /you/ guys are," he griped.
They merely laughed the harder.
With a weak groan, Zechs slid his hands over his face, under the edge of the mask. //If there isn't a cure for this age thing, I don't think I'll live much longer…//
Noin giggled quietly, trying to hide her smile with a hand when those icy blue eyes opened again to glare at her through the mask. "Really, Zechs… I don't think it's that bad. Just keep telling yourself that it could be worse…" she suggested mischievously.
Dropping his hands, Miri's eyes hardened, and he waved at his allies with one hand as he turned the view screen with the other so she could see his companions, already half on the floor, laughing uproariously.
"If you find out /how/, Noin, let me know!"
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Revenge, as expected, took place that night. Treize had taken special precautions—such as having a couple of his men guard his room from all comers, and checking his bed and room carefully before actually slipping between the covers.
//I know he's going to do /something/. Zechs was not very pleased by today's humiliations. For shame, Treize, taking pleasure in your best friend's embarrassment… Oh what the heck—it was funny and it was worth it!// Treize couldn't help a slight smirk as he stared up at the ceiling. //Worth every bit of it… God help me, though. Zechs won't let me live it down…//
Noin had been very willing—almost glad—to hear that the whole lot of them, which was just short of two full armies, intended to drop in, perhaps permanently. Of course, only she and Zechs had any idea how many Sanc could house and hide. //Still, of course she wouldn't discuss it with him before the Gundam pilots. As he said, she would never betray his identity.//
That made him thoughtful—and speculative—about what could happen when they met Miss Relena. Only heaven knew how Zechs would react. It was inevitable, however, that the hostess meet her guests at some point or other—if not by their choice, then likely she would hunt them out on her own. That was, if the inquisitive streak in Zechs ran true for her. Hopefully the evilly mischievous streak did NOT!
//I don't think the world could take two Peacecrafts like that at the same time… And he lived with at least five levels of cousins?!? I remember feeling sorry for the King… I know /I/ cannot endure a whole extended family like that! I'd have been in the hospital by the end of the week!// But he couldn't help a soft chuckle. //On the other hand… It's /such/ fun to tease him! I had forgotten what he was like as a child… and the chaos we caused between the lot of us, with Dorothy.//
Fond memories carried the ex-Oz General off to sleep, feeling safe and sound… and knowing that this feeling of security was merely his own illusion. For despite all his preparations and precautions, Treize Kushrenada knew better.
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The next morning, Zechs calmly strode into the conference room with a mugful of coffee in one hand and mask in the other and a serene smile on his face, moving to take a seat. Setting the mug on the table, he lounged against one arm of the chair, hanging his feet over the other, and glanced up at the clock on the wall expectantly.
//Fifteen, fourteen, thirteen…//
Duo blinked at him from over another coffee mug, Quatre seated beside him with some aromatic tea, their quiet conversation dying under the weight of their growing curiosity. Heero, at the far end of the table, ticked time away on his new laptop industriously, not appearing aware of anything going on around him.
"Hey, Zechs… are you expecting something?" Duo queried, blinking first at the clock, then at the pale boy.
Miri nodded smugly, glancing back up at the clock. //Real soon now…// "Ten, nine, eight, seven…"
Heero paused typing without looking up, and reaching into his belt, produced some wads of something from a pocket, quickly sticking them into his ears.
Quatre exchanged worried looks with Duo.
"…two, one…" Zechs finished, grinning broadly.
Someone shrieked in an almost feminine fashion.
Duo looked about fearfully, as if wondering if it was something he'd done or that he would be blamed for. Quatre started, worried eyes darting about for the source.
Heero resumed typing away, but brought up a quiet question, as if asking about the weather or the current status of his Gundam. "What did you do to him?"
"Oh, just the traditional something in the shampoo. Never thought I could find that specific hue, but it's amazing what the rugmakers around here could scrounge up for me…" Miri supplied nonchalantly, still watching the clock. //I thought that fiery, glowing scarlet shade was most amazing… Now another minute for him to dry off…//
Quatre groaned and hid his face in his hands. "Allah save us… Won't his men react?"
Zechs half-giggled, half-chuckled slyly. "Not unless he acts like his hair is different around them. Which he won't. He knew this was coming." //I /did/ warn him!//
Duo shook his head and grinned. "Guess it could be worse…" he stated.
Heero snorted softly, as if to disagree.
Miri looked back up at the clock, smiling cheerfully. //Thirty seconds…//
"Yeah, well, guess I rather like my hair as it is, too, Heero," Duo admitted. "Hey, isn't it safe to remove those earplugs yet?"
Without peeling his eyes from the clock, Zechs offered, "It's not over yet…" //Twenty…//
Heero, still typing away, nodded slightly without looking at them.
Quatre looked from one to the other, scratching his head. "Are you in on it, Heero?" he asked, a little confused.
"No," came the terse answer from Wing's pilot.
Miri merely smirked. //He didn't have to be.//
"He warned Treize," Heero added after a moment, to explain. "It was obvious."
//…two, one…//
"ZECHS!!!!" someone screamed angrily.
"Right on time," the boy murmured with satisfaction. "Treize is nothing if not routine…" //Now give him five minutes to soak ort rip the worst off and escape it… and realize just what it means…//
Quatre shivered, and huddled over his mug of tea as if needing it for reassurance.
Duo eyed Zechs warily, scratching his head, and asking cautiously, "Do I want to ask what /that/ one was for…?"
Miri looked down at his mug happily. "Probably not, but if you're curious… Rubber cement in his long uniform pants." //I discarded the idea of rubber cementing his boots…//
Duo winced. Quatre whimpered. Heero's fingers stopped tapping and the Perfect Soldier actually glanced over at the blonde ex-Oz pilot in something akin to mild surprise.
"How's he going to get them /off/?" Duo asked hesitantly.
//Oh, he'll find a way… eventually. But it'll take every hair he has with it.// "I can't recall which, but either turpentine or nail polish remover does the trick… Both of which mean a rather smelly bath… In any case, I think we may as well get on with this meeting. He won't be joining us anytime soon." Closing his eyes contently, Zechs Merquise took a leisurely chug of his coffee.
"Brr… Man, I'm glad I'm not /him/," Duo muttered, shuddering. "Until he gets that bath… That's /gotta/ chafe!"
Quatre made a gagging sound.
Heero actually snickered. "Consider it payback… for the New Edwards Base incident."
Duo just shook his head until his braid swung like a pendulum and grinned broadly. "Still… How did you come up with these kinds of punishments?"
Zechs settled back with coffee in one hand, and flopped the mask over his face with the other, smirking slyly at the Gundam pilots. With the mask over his face and that slight smile beneath, it added to his air of a Cheshire-cat's unavoidable and potentially detrimental mischief—a type of mischief you usually want to avoid.. "Oh, I've been in the revenge business for a looong time…"
Lounging contentedly, Miri closed his eyes under the mask and sipped his coffee again. //It sort of came with the name… Maybe I should start a business after the war: Zechs Merquise, Professional Humilliator. "They humiliate you, I make them regret it." It sounds promising…//
Quiet footsteps approached, and Trowa wandered in the door, looking over his shoulder in a somewhat-suspicious manner, as if not quite believing his eyes though what he saw was no longer there.
"Good morning, Trowa," Quatre offered brightly, sounding relieved to see the tall Gundam pilot. "Is something wrong…?"
Trowa tilted his head to the side, as if puzzled, then pointed a thumb over his shoulder towards the corridor. "What happened to Treize?" he asked, curious.
"Does it look like he fell into a tub of dye?" Duo piped up eagerly. That idea of revenge for the New Edwards Base incident obviously appealed to him.
The green-eyed Gundam pilot frowned slightly. "If he did, that's not what soaked his pants. They're still white, though glued to him."
Duo chuckled evilly, trying to hide his glee behind his coffee.
"It /is/ glued to him," Quatre supplied, making a face, clearly torn between sympathy and enjoying this torment of their former enemy.
"This meeting won't be terribly productive, then," Trowa sighed, taking a seat. "He's the one who can find the supplies and men we need to overhaul all the suits."
A short silence answered him.
"It's /his/ fault!" voices chorused, three hands darting out to point…
At Zechs.
Zechs opened his eyes and stared at the fingers aimed at him. Heero wasn't looking up from his laptop, even, but his hand still pointed. Mentally, he sighed. //And they say /I'm/ regressing?// "Hey, I /did/ warn him…" //All's fair in love and war…//
"I have to admit, we can desperately use both help and supplies," Rashid sighed from the doorway, entering the conversation.
Everyone seemed to sigh unhappily in the silence that followed, crestfallen. If Rashid said they needed it—they probably desperately needed it. And Wing Gundam wasn't even fully completed yet!
Miri eyed his reflection in his coffee mug. //Supplies are probably the hardest to find. All the gundanium down here on Earth is usually tracked…//
Squirming a little, Duo piped up, "I know a guy who can bring some help, then. Howard—he has a barge out in the ocean, and he fixed Heero's and my Gundams before. His prices vary, though—from money to assistance to whatever his whim is at the time, though I never had a bad bargain from him."
The large Maganac smiled. "Well, that's something," he rumbled. "If you can contact him, we can meet in Sanc's New Port City."
"Speaking of Sanc, we need to do something about /him/," Quatre added quietly, gesturing at Zechs again. "You said you wanted to be yourself there," the blonde Gundam pilot supplied gently.
Zechs grimaced into his coffee. "The only one who I know who /could/ reverse this is the one who injected me with the vile thing… And I don't think we can persuade her to cooperate. She enjoyed it a bit too much, if I recall right…" Mentally, he shuddered, recalling that frightening face amid whirling blurry colors, the spreading heat in his thigh from the injection… //No. Not her. Even if I have to stay like this the rest of my life!//
"Doctor Hassan said he's really not up to date on this kind of research," Quatre admitted softly, unhappy. "I don't think the scientists who built our Gundams did anything with biology, just engineering… So we should probably find another doctor…"
"Sally Po," Heero's voice supplied, his fingers rattling against his keyboard in a steady rhythm.
"Huh? The Alliance woman from New Edwards?" Duo wondered. "Why her? I mean, she was nice to us and all, but still…"
Miri shuddered and cringed slightly in his chair, hugging his coffee mug close. //A doctor from the Alliance? She'd probably kill me! I think /nobody/ from the Alliance would forgive me for my role in Operation Daybreak!// "I… ah… don't think…," he began hesitantly.
Heero ignored the mild protest. "She would be willing, and from her records, knowledgeable. From her reactions then, this kind of experiment would abhor her."
"Anyone know anyone else?" Quatre asked brightly.
Trowa shook his head in denial. Duo merely shrugged helplessly. Rashid stared at the table, arms folded across his chest.
"But… from the Alliance?" Miri asked weakly, sitting up. "Anyone from there would probably kill me rather than look at me—let alone help me!" //There /has/ to be someone else!//
Duo blinked at him. "She /seemed/ nice enough…"
"I think she would hold more of a grudge against Lady Une for the New Edwards Base incident rather than you," Heero supplied, looking up, though his fingers continued to fly on the keyboard. "I will have her meet us in Sanc… Besides, she was recently reported around—and helping—Gundam 05… We may be able to contact him through her."
"Wufei," Trowa murmured softly.
Zechs shivered slightly, looking into his coffee mug uncertainly. //I don't know if that's a good sign or a bad one!//
"We should at least offer him the chance to join us," Quatre suggested, asking for acceptance with his voice.
Duo scratched at the base of his braid and shrugged. Rashid didn't so much as move, though he sighed softly—probably thinking about fixing yet /another/ Gundam. Trowa nodded slowly.
Miri sighed softly. "All right…" //I'm not the wildest about this, though… Not after seeing what he did to Lake Victoria.// "Noin may have a grudge about how he slaughtered her students in Lake Victoria, though… Just so you're warned."
Heero nodded slightly to acknowledge it. "We will deal with that when we come to it…"
Miri wasn't concerned so much with those two fighting, though. //Noin could hold her own. She was just surprised at the time—and I must admit, so was I… It's this "Sally Po" that I worry more about…//
"Zechs… She won't hurt you," Heero stated quietly.
//Reading my mind, Heero. We're too much alike at times!// Zechs nodded slowly, sighing softly. "I hope so, Heero… Because if she's not fully willing to give it her all, considering how that first injection felt, I'm going to have a /really/ painful and horrible death."
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To be continued.
Any suggestion what I should have happen to Duke Dermail? Or the three bad guys Zechs met in Chapter 2?