All That You Are and All That You Do
Konnichi wa from O.M.W.O.S. and Rae. ^_^
Say hi Ototo. ^0^ AAAAAAAAAAAAAAaAAAaaAAAAAAAA
0_o
O.M.W.O.S. walks up to her earth ototo and hits him over the head with her fan.
Now say hi Ototo.
*_*
Ototo?
*_*
Oh my goddess you killed Ototo, you bakayaro.
0_o
*_*
-_-
O.M.W.O.S. out
Disclaimer: Gods I wish I owned them but I don't.
Warnings: AU, new chara, Angst, maybe some OOC (you try writing with a cast of 6 plus extra's and when it's been six months since you've seen a episode of G.W. and you're poor and have no job and no money to buy G.W. on video. Darn you college for sucking up what little money I have.)
Rated: PG-13 for some violence and cursing.
Archive: If any one wants to, they can put my story up on their site. As long as you e-mail and tell me, so I can visit and check it out.
Feedback: Hell yeah. Um sorry about my language. It's late. 2:27 to be exact.
Thank you Chaos for beta-ing my work. Kami know's I need it.
CHAPTER 4
Wrapping a towel around her body Ma-ling unplugged the tub and stepped out. She watched the water swirl around in a whirlpool effect as it went down the drain. 'It's good I took a bath, it did wonders for my arm. It doesn't hurt as much.' She moved her left arm in a slow circle and felt her muscles scream in agony, yet not a single emotion raised to the surface. She hummed a soft tune as she dried her hair with a towel.
If it's worth while, then it's worth a few blows,
Worth a few setbacks, and worth a few bruises;
If it's worth while-and it is, I suppose-
It's worth keeping on, through the first struggle loses.
Ma-ling stopped in the middle of the song. 'Where did I hear that song from. Ah, what do I care about a song.' Deep down she remembered where that song came from
and she would never sing it again. She just didn't have it in her anymore.
Grabbing her new uniform she quickly put it on and was putting her hair back into a bun when she stopped. She twisted slightly and looked at her brown hair in the mirror. 'It's getting too long, I can hardly put it up anymore.' She thought looking at the end of her which rested just at her waist.
She looked around and spotted some scissors on a nearby sink. snatching them she measured her hair and began to cut. Three minutes later her hair was three inches below her shoulders. She didn't mess with her bangs, even though they were in her eyes, they reminded her of her brothers.
'Long hair never did belong in a battle.' Ma-ling bent over the sink and gripped its sides causing her shorter hair to fall around her face. She closed her eyes and remembered Heero telling her long hair never belonged in a battle...
~*~^~*~
At age seven, the twins were ready for combat simulations. Heero and Ma-ling stood straight as a rod waiting for their instructions from Dr. J. While waiting a couple of drunken mechanics stumbled into the hanger and towards the two small children.
"Well, looky here", one of them said with a strong slurring of words. "A couple of teenyboppers waiting to be trained to be good little monkeys.' he laughed like a horse while his friends joined in with their own kind laughter.
Heero and Ma-ling stared straight ahead, not even glancing at the drunks. "Hey you. I'm talking to you. You two are going to be the pilots of our Gundams. Ha, you can barely see over the dash board, let alone use a bike without training wheels." he laughed again still heading their direction.
When he had finally made his way over to them he let out a loud belch and scratched himself in front of Ma-ling who closed her eyes in disgust.
"Hey, what's the matter, little baby, your mommy ain't here to change your diapers."
Ma-ling opened her eyes and mumbled under her breath "You're drunk. Go home."
"Eh! What did you say to me girly. Or should I say baby." Ma-ling squared her little shoulders but remained focused at the wall in front of her. Heero remained the same also. "Hey, little baby, I'm talking to you" the man said spitting slightly on Ma-ling. Ma-ling clenched her hands into little fists but kept them at her side. Suddenly the man reached out and grabbed a hold of her long lose hair and gave a yank pulling the seven year old towards him.
"Why don't you respect your elders when they're talking to you? Huh, maybe the words ain't gettin to your brain, maybe you've got too much hair. I can take care of that." he again yanked Ma-ling around by her hair.
"Dr. J shouldn't we stop them, he could seriously hurt her, a personal said from across the hanger.
"No. Lets see how one reacts when the other is in trouble." Dr. J replied.
The pain was intense but Ma-ling didn't cry out. She screamed her anger and tried to hit the man, which only seemed to make him laugh even harder. He grabbed a pocket knife from one of his buddies and flicked the sharp blade out. Ma-ling's eyes saw it and she whirled around and sank her teeth into the mans hand.
The drunken man howled and tried to shake the girl lose. Releasing his hold on her, she took the opportunity to escape, while taking a piece of him with her. The man uttered a string of foul language that no longer made Ma-ling's ears burn. Blood oozed from his wound and he grimaced in pain as he held a hand over it.
"You little bitch, he spat. He swung his good hand around intending to hit the girl but Ma-ling dropped to the floor. He grabbed a wrench from a nearby table and was about to hit Ma-ling when a shot rang out.
The wrench fell from the mans hand and he stumbled to his knees. Blood poured from his shoulder, where a bullet made a nice little home. Ma-ling turned around and saw Heero pointing a gun at the man. He stood in front of her as a shield. He kept the gun trained on the man withering in pain.
"God dammit, get him", the man yelled in pain. The other two men advanced on the boy but quickly backed up as the gun was turned on them.
"I will shoot anyone who comes any closer", Heero said in a soft but deadly tone. "Don't make me repeat my actions." Ma-ling looked up at her brother but
quickly cast her eyes down as he frowned at her. She knew she should have had her gun with her, but she left it in her room.
"Excellent work, dear boy. Excellent work", Dr. J's voice said from behind them. Heero whirled around and faced the Dr. with his gun. He quickly holstered it and stood at attention. Ma-ling scrambled to her feet and stood next to her brother.
"You pathetic fools", Dr. J said at the drunken men. "Go get yourself cleaned up." The two uninjured men helped their bleeding friend up and carried him to the sick bay.
Dr. J turned his attention back to the twins. He reached out with his clawed hand and grabbed a hold of Ma-ling's long hair. "This has caused you a lot of trouble. It'll have to come off." He saw her eyes react but her face held no emotion. "Unless you find a way to take care of it."
Before Ma-ling could say anything she heard a loud ripping sound next to her. Heero ripped a piece of cloth from his shirt end and handed it wordlessly to
Ma-ling. She accepted the black material and put her hair into a bun.
"Well now. Shall we get on with our training. Follow me." Dr. J said walking towards a door.The twins followed behind.
"You know long hair doesn't belong in battle." Heero whispered to Ma-ling.
"I know kyodai, I know."
Gathering her wet hair into a bun Ma-ling threw her clothes into a bag marked with her name and room number and shoved it into a chute that went to the basement of the school. There it would be washed and pressed and ready for her the next day. She hated this kind of star treatment, but this was what the school did, so Ma-ling went along with it.
Glancing in the mirror one last time, she left the bathroom just as dinner was being served. Kids were milling around the halls as Ma-ling pushed her way down the stairs and towards the boys dorm rooms. 'Which one is it. Brooks, Dorn, Regier, Serrano, ah Maxwell. 'She opened the door marked 'Maxwell' and slipped inside before any one saw her.
Inside the room were two beds and two dressers. Luckily Duo didn't have a roommate so Ma-ling didn't have to worry about pesky boys. No sooner had she sat on the bed did she hear a knock on the door. "I told you Duo, I don't want to talk."
"Hello, Ma-ling Yuy", a voice said on the other side of the door.
Ma-ling's eyes widened and she stood. 'Quatre.' She placed a hand over her mouth. 'Oh God, Quatre is that you.'
"It's me Quatre. I brought you something to eat. May I come in."
'Quatre.' Memories came flooding back. Ma-ling shook her head. 'Oh Quatre, how I missed you. Please help me, hold me, I need you. Too many memories, too many sad memories.'
"No. I'm... not...dressed.", Ma-ling managed to say without her voice cracking.
"All right", came the hesitant reply. "I'll just leave it at the door. I'll be downstairs with Duo if you need me."
Ma-ling could hear the remorse in his voice and she tried to keep herself from running out the room to him. She heard Quatre's retreating footsteps and leaned against the door, waiting for them to fade. When they did she opened the door a crack and saw a tray of food. Hunger finally overtaking her she grabbed a sandwich and quickly retreated back into the room, but not before Quatre caught a glimpse of her
while he walked down the stairs.
*
"All right, but be careful. Trust me", a precarious Duo said.
Quatre stared at him funny then continued his way towards where the cafeteria lunch line was supposed to start. No one was there so he stepped up to the counter.
"Excuse me", he called out.
A woman made her way to the counter from the kitchen. "I'm sorry dinner isn't ready yet."
Oh I know that, my friend was here already asking. But I was wondering, you see my friend Ma-ling Yuy is very sick and she can't come out of her room. I was wondering if maybe you had some sandwiches made, I could take it up to her. I'm awful worried about her." Quatre used one of his honey grins.
The woman smiled back. "Well I can't see why not. Hang on a sec, let me see what we have. Ah ha. We have a couple of tuna sandwiches. Will that do?"
"That'll be great, thanks." Quatre said putting the two sandwiches on a tray.
"It's good to see kids like you worried about their friends."
Quatre smiled and nodded his thank you. He quickly grabbed a carton of milk and headed back towards the stairs, passing by Duo and the girls again. He saw Duo had edged closer to the girls and were talking to them, Quatre rolled his eyes and continued on his way. Walking up the stairs he saw a girl head into a room, her back was turned so he didn't see who it was. Strolling down the hallway he looked for Duo's room. 'Graben, Hudson, Ketscher, Lockwood, ah Maxwell. Here it is'. Quatre shifted the tray to one hand and knocked on the door. A cross voice answered him.
"I told you Duo, I don't want to talk." he heard Ma-ling 's voice say.
Quatre tried to keep his emotions in check. "Hello Ma-ling Yuy," he said a steady voice. 'Remember me.' "It's me Quatre, I brought you something to eat. May I come in?" 'Please. It's been too long for old friends.'
"No, I'm not dressed", he heard her voice reply weakly. A lousy excuse, but he accepted it for now.
"All right. I'll just leave it at the door. I'll be downstairs with Duo if you need me." he said, setting the tray by the door. He straightened and placed his hand on the door. After a moment which seemed like an eternity he left and headed back down the stairs. A door opening caught his attention and he turned around and saw a small delicate hand reach out and grab a sandwich, the door closed immediately afterwards, as
if afraid of what may be on the outside. Sighing, Quatre proceed the rest of the way. Walking down two flights of stairs he began to talk to himself.
'My dear Ma-ling. Do you not remember me. I was the one who left you. Left you to yourself. I was a fool then, a child. I've done some growing up. Please, will you come out of your shell and talk to me. I'm so sorry I hurt you, I didn't mean to. Ma-ling... I'm sorry.'
"Hey Quatre, better get in line or you'll never get anything to eat", Duo's loud voice yelled at him. Quatre looked up and realized he was standing in the middle of the cafeteria. Blushing slightly he stood in line behind Duo who was eying the pie that was on the counter.
"So, you came out alive."
"Huh."
"Earth to Quatre. I said you came out alive. She didn't bite your head off." Duo said.
"I didn't get to see her. She wouldn't let me in the room. So I put the food by her door and left."
"You mean you didn't talk to her. Geeze I would of just let myself in. My door doesn't lock you know." Duo said walking backwards.
"I would never invade her privacy. She probably doesn't feel like talking anyways. I wouldn't."
"Yeah, you're Mr. Polite. Always worried about others. Hey, come on people this isn't a stopping zone. I'm hungry, get a move on." Duo said impatiently at the slow moving line. He turned back to Quatre. "So when did you get here anyways."
"A couple hours ago. I got a message fromfrom Heero asking me to join you guys on a mission. I guess I was a little too late. I was supposed to sign up at this school and meet you, Ma-ling and Heero for a briefing. Trowa would come later. But when I got here the Principle said I was already signed up and that they were waiting my arrival. I just got settled in when I saw Trowa in the study hall. He filled me in on what has happened." Quatre said walking through the line. He grabbed some food they were serving, not really paying attention to what he had, and followed Duo to a table.
"That's strange. I got a mission report saying pretty much the same thing. Except it wasn't from Heero." Duo plunked himself into a chair and dug into his meal.
"Heywhere you keepingSandrock." Duo said between mouthfuls of food. "He's close, Quatre said staring at Duo who seemed to be enjoying his meal quite voraciously. He looked down at his food and saw that he had picked up a plate of lasagna and suddenly didn't feel very hungry.
"You gonna eat that?" Duo asked hopefully.
Quatre pushed his plate towards the starving American. "No, go ahead."
"Thanks pal, Duo said as he devoured the rest of his meal and started on Quatre's.
"Don't you ever eat?" Quatre asked inquisitively.
"Not when you're on the run and fighting. That reminds me, how many missions have you had when we all split up two years ago."
"Not that many. Do you think OZ is giving up. There don't seem to be many base's left."
"I noticed that too. Do you think we could actually finish this war by the end of the year. It's the end of July right.
"Yeah."
"So, I think we could actually do it." Duo pushed his empty plate away. "Oh man, just the thought of not fighting. I don't know, makes me kind of glad, but then what'll become of Deathscythe." suddenly Duo became quiet. "Hey Quatre."
"Yeah Duo," Quatre said.
"I was wondering. You know Ma-ling took over my room until they get her window fixed. And well I ah"
"You were wondering if you could bunk with me."
"Yeah, I uh don't want to"
"Invade Ma-ling's privacy."
"Right."
"Sure, but you get the floor."
TBC