For Rel
Note: I don't own Gundam Wing or the characters.
This explanation goes to Ashely Ortiz and anyone else interested. I believe, through some of the comments Heero made about Relena during the series, that he does think of her as a child. Especially since she has been sheltered and pampered her whole life. Even though he does know that she has a strong will she is still a child in his eyes. Also, since he didn't really have a childhood that most children do, I also believe he doesn't have a clue as to what he's saying. That's my theory anyways for this story.
In addition, a special thanks goes to Chiara for giving me the correct Italian sentences in Chapter 2. Thank you! n_n I really appreciate it!
Trowa approached the girl named Salimar after she parted from Marquis Weridge, which Trowa noted was a bit on the informal level. He came up to her as she sat at an empty table writing in a small notebook while rocking her head to some soundless beat. Not even when Trowa stood across from her did she acknowledge his existence, for she was lost in her own world of music.
Clearing his throat was the one thing that truly got the girl's attention, her head had jolted up out of her little world. "Oh, didn't know you were there. Please take a seat," offered Salimar gesturing to the chair next to her.
Nodding his thanks, Trowa sat down in a position that allowed him to keep an eye on Quatre and one on the girl he was to question. His eyeing Quatre must have caught the girl's attention for she commented, "You like him." This caused Trowa to shift his eyes to her for a second. "Don't deny it."
"I deny nothing," Trowa insisted. "You just…misunderstand." Quite the contrary though, but he was not going to say anything of the sort to a stranger.
"That's why you keep your gaze glued to him right?" taunted Salimar biting the top of her pen with an amusing grin on her lips.
"I am his bodyguard, nothing more or less," he stated simply, it was the truth after all even though it was a bit of an understatement.
"Of course you are," giggled the girl before returning to her writings. "It's okay, I had a crush on Adam when I was younger but than I found out that he didn't like girls in that way."
A natural dislike for girls I am certain. Just a sign of immaturity, Trowa told himself. "How old were you at the time of your 'crush'?" he found himself asking.
"About twelve years old, before I moved to Korea, as I am sure you already knew though," she answered though a pinch of sarcasm had entered her voice when she mentioned that Trowa held that knowledge.
"I had no idea I assure you," claimed Trowa truthfully as his interest was caught by the notebook Salimar wrote in. Than it returned forcefully to Quatre, where they rested.
"Really? I highly doubt that with what Relena has told us about you preventers. Once one has a bit of information, they all do, and Hilde got some information," snorted Salimar as she closed the notebook after noticing that it was attracting unwanted attention from Trowa.
"I'm not a preventer," the silencer stated firmly.
"Than what are you?" she challenged leaning closer to him with a raised eyebrow.
"A clown." At this, the girl broke into fits of endless giggles which caused her to clutch her stomach as she attempted to calm herself after a few moments. "You find that amusing do you?" noted Trowa casting her a questioning glance. None of the other pilots ever laughed at his career choice.
"No, the mental image of you as a clown," the pianist laughed only to sense that Trowa did not fully understand her meaning. "Think about it, you with a red, curly, puffy wig with big red shoes, red nose, and a ridiculous red outfit to go with it all. Brings a rather disturbing yet hilarious image to mind, no?"
"I suppose," agreed Trowa chuckling softly as he thought about it. "I am afraid that's not my attire though."
"Aw…!" pouted Salimar snapping her fingers. "If you're a clown than why are you playing bodyguard for a colony representative?"
"My friend asked me if I would until his normal bodyguard felt well again," explained the usually quiet pilot knowing full well that Salimar was running the question and answer part of the conversation. He needed to regain control of this interrogation as soon as possible before she escaped. "Though that's not what I wanted to speak with you about, Ms. Reigns."
"Of course not, you wish to talk about the former Vice Foreign Minister Relena Darlian. So, let's talk about her. What do you wish to know about her?" smiled Salimar knowingly as she leaned back in her seat comfortably and crossed her legs not very lady-like.
"Let's start with where she could be," suggested Trowa glancing at Salimar quickly for any signs that she knew the girl's whereabouts. There were none, but the question was worth a try.
"No idea. She could be in space, on Mars, in Japan, Russia, Korea, Vietnam, Australia, Sri Lanka, Canada, Africa, Iceland, Greenland, the Amazon, Chile, Brazil, or even in this very room for all that I know," she shrugged carelessly. "Wherever she is, I just hope she's safe."
"Have you spoken to her recently?" questioned Trowa curiously.
The girl breathed out a sigh of exhaustion before she replied, "Not recently. The last time she contacted me was about 3 weeks ago from a payphone somewhere in the Mexico area."
Mexico? Where was Heero 3 months back? Most likely looking in France at that time, thought Trowa as he made a mental note to ask Heero about it. "What did she tell you?" he continued hoping against hope that this girl wasn't as smart as he presumed her to be.
"Classified information," she informed him cracking a small smile and rolling her eyes. Like she would tell, he couldn't call her on withholding information since he wasn't a preventer or a police officer.
Raising an eyebrow at this answer Trowa thought he should press the matter a bit more. "Really? Such as where she was?"
"No, but I know that she contacted me from the Mexico area by the noise in the background. All we talked about were just her thoughts on recent subjects, people, and her own life. Even about her little game that she was playing," responded the girl as she uncrossed her legs and glanced around the room, most likely realizing what the former pilots were up to.
Even so, she had caught Trowa's interest with the mention of a "game". "Game? What game?" He just had to know.
All Salimar did was give him a rueful grin. "Have you ever met Relena?" she asked back.
Taken back slightly Trowa regained his composure and answered, "Yes, a few times while standing in as Quatre's bodyguard, but I have never officially met her. In fact, we never once held a conversation before." Looking at Salimar, Trowa witnessed this expression of regret and sadness in her eyes. It was sympathy and Trowa never liked getting sympathy from others. "Why do you look like that?"
Shaking her head Salimar just smiled. "Just thinking what you and her missed out on," she sighed sadly. "You would've really liked her, the real her, not that polite act that she puts on for the public. She was, and still is, so…agh! I can't think of the word, but you would've liked the real her." With that she got up ready to leave, and Trowa knew he should stop her.
"How do you know this?" inquired the curious pilot returning his gaze to Quatre.
Stopping before she could take a step away from the table, Salimar bent down to Trowa's ear, knowing that he wasn't watching her do so. "I just do," she whispered softly than patted Trowa on the shoulder and began to make her getaway, but only to have her wrist be caught by Trowa.
"What was that, that you were writing earlier?" he asked her.
"Oh, well it's a song," she told him and Trowa knew it wasn't a lie for her heart beat did not speed up but rather slowed down as if she was relieved.
"For the band?"
"Yes, since it's tradition," she smiled, giggling a little bit.
"Tradition?"
"You see, each member of the band must write one song, by his or herself, and at least two instrument parts for that song," she explained to him.
"I would have thought that one song you sang in English in Verona would be your song," he told her.
"No, my song is in Japanese since Draca and Lynn enjoy the language."
"You don't?" Trowa had a sense that there was something about the Japanese language that Salimar didn't enjoy.
"I don't mind it but I like variety," she told him. That wasn't a lie either.
Cracking a tiny smile Trowa released Salimar from his grip. "Thank you for your time, Ms. Reigns," he said formally.
"No problem, it was a pleasure speaking to you, Trowa. It is Trowa right?" she assured him though, she wasn't certain of his name.
"Yes," confirmed Trowa. Than she left returning to the instruments, Lynn, and Adam. Amazing that you remembered me from the bar in Verona.