I have a teacher who has a poster in his room that has something to the affect of, "We are the wall in our way." Hm. . . Definitely makes one think. CHAPTER NINE: BROKEN WALL.

So, I'm going away tomorrow. So, I decided to be nice and post early. Enjoy chapter nine folks! Next week might be late, okeyday?

Fairren: Okay, with your encouragement, I will post my next story. ;; I am afraid I tend to write very complex stories. AND FINALLY!!! Someone who understands the pain of swimming and kicking sets!! I hate butterfly as well, but my coach insists I am an IMer. I hate it even so. --;;;;

MissyIrene: Glad to know you like my story! I love a willing reviewer! I'm going to have around (thinking seriously. . .) four more chapters, and then, I've another story coming up as well!

ONE SMALL WARNING!!!! In this chapter, there is a very startling part of the story in which the reader finds out what happens to Quatre's mother. Just to warn you.

(Bursting at seams in annoyance) I have no claim to Gundam Wing. Take that!

"""

The best laptop I ever had was a cat.

Roberta Jacobson

"""

"So, you're officially an enchanter of the king of Perdition, huh?"

Quatre smirked at Wufei and stuck his tongue out at him. "No, not really. I'm an official enchanter in training. I'm not done training. Duo's teacher is willing to train me, I guess."

Wufei nodded and checked the bindings on his hands. Certain they were tight, he drew his sword and nodded at the sheathed katana beside the sword rack. "Come on, training time."

Quatre groaned and bound his own hands as Wufei had, putting an extra binding on each arm for the protection it might give him from bruises. He cautiously drew the sword and swung it experimentally. Its sharp edge glistened and Quatre winced. More than once he had gotten cut with a training sword. He took in a deep breath to steady himself and stepped forward to train with Wufei.

It started out easy. Wufei simply swung to warm him up, and then attacked in earnest, not yet using power, yet enough to bring sweat to Quatre's brow.

Quatre smelt it instantly and called up power to strengthen his block. A crack of power sounded as the swords met. Wufei caught his sword and held him long enough to show Quatre a smile. "Good, good. You're improving."

The next thing Wufei knew, his sword was flying through the air and he was defenseless. Quatre swung, and Wufei blocked with his hands as he had taught Quatre to. An especially powerful blow knocked the sword out of Quatre's hands and brought his own sword back to him.

The tables were turned. Yet Quatre did not need his sword as much. The first blow sent power scattering around the room with a large stench.

'What in the world?'

Quatre quickly sent a disapproving feeling to Duo before he turned his mind back to the fight. "Fight me, Wufei, or are you afraid you'll hurt me?"

He never felt such a powerful blow from his friend. His head hit the wall and it began to pound. Groaning, he looked up at an approaching Wufei. The man smirked at the teen and reached down a hand to help him up. "I think you forgot our first real fight."

Quatre grinned sheepishly and nodded humbly. "I forgot you are much better."

"So, you were the one who trained him." The pair looked into Duo's wide, violet-blue eyes, which were sparkling in glee. "I cannot believe this. You've taught him a lot."

"We've had several months."

"All the more impressive. He's a fast learner."

"Wufei's also a good teacher," Quatre interjected, earning himself a soft slap from a bashful Wufei. Quatre jokingly hit him back and once again, they were involved in a heavy fistfight.

A door opened and they paused, both still locked in position to attack again. The king's guard entered, a blank expression on his face. He gave each of them a surprised look and then shook his head. Quatre pulled away, a bashful look on his face while Wufei just chuckled. Trowa wrapped his hands and then weighed a practice sword in his hand.

He smirked and pointed at Wufei with it. "Spar." Wufei shook his head and pointed at Quatre.

"He needs the practice," Wufei answered, and Trowa merely nodded. Quatre slowly picked up his own sword and stood before the king's guard. The silent man jumped and promptly attacked with a high flip. Quatre ran out of the way and waited. The man landed and did not pause. He attacked immediately.

He was fast. Fast and powerful. His speed added a deadly touch to his attacks, and Quatre was hard pressed to block them all. Wufei and Duo just sat companionably near each other, watching the battle as the two warriors fought.

"He's tired," Wufei murmured, his eyes following the slowing motions of Quatre's feet and blocks. Duo nodded, and then, as unobtrusively as possible, he entered Quatre's mind. The power was draining fast before the wall, yet he found a rift in the wall. It was strange; it had opened once he had met his sisters. It was different. Somehow, his family had started a strange rift in the wall, and the more he spent with them, the larger the hole.

Duo gently prodded the wall and it throbbed with pain and fear.

He drew back to his mind and watched as Quatre's body slowed, the power attacks draining him more than protecting. Wufei was watching worriedly and Trowa did not let up.

'Quatre, just keep going, but listen to me.'

'I'm trying.'

'Your power is draining low. But behind that wall, you've got a reserve much larger than what you have to begin with. When you have almost hit the edge, put all your remaining power into the wall. Break it.'

'Will it work?'

'I don't know.'

A feeling of understanding touched him and then Quatre's movements slowed again. The power was draining quicker and then, suddenly, it was gone. Duo jumped up, fear in every muscle in his body, until he felt the throb.

It pulsed, gently, firmly, powerfully. Pushing, answering, rising, fighting, breaking. Trowa stopped at the sudden feeling of power and watched the doubled-over form of Quatre, wonder in his eyes. Quatre spun and attacked the air with a vicious kick. The effect was shattering. The kick let out a sound like a sonic boom and threw Trowa across the training hall, even though it did not touch him.

There had been several other pairs training in the hall, but when the king's guard flew past them, they all stopped and stared. Quatre smiled, wavering weakly. "Duo," he whispered, his eyes focused on the stunned face of Trowa across the hall. "It's gone . . . Wufei!" Quatre turned to run to his friend, but promptly collapsed.

Wufei answered with a speed pulled out by his power. With a soft smile, he lowered Quatre to the ground and felt his forehead for overheating. "He's fine," he whispered.

Duo watched the gentle movements of the tough-worded ex-guard. This boy had softened him, he guessed. Happily, he crossed the training hall and watched as the king's guard struggled to his feet. "You've definitely got an opponent worthy of fighting. And you helped break his wall." Trowa looked at him and then looked at the unconscious boy being treated by the dark-powered man.

"I know."

Duo watched, almost confused, as the guard walked calmly out of the training hall, a small look of triumph on his face. The door opened and Duo caught a glimpse of his king standing outside, watching Trowa's face. He smiled warmly and then the door closed behind Trowa.

"""

Quite some time passed, and to Duo, it passed quickly. The days were spent with training with Quatre under Helen's strict tutelage and watching Quatre train under Trowa and Wufei. By the time the night came, Quatre was dragging himself to his bed, often with the help of Wufei.

His naturally soft personality made him a favorite with the kitchen wenches immediately, once it was certain he was a friend and not an enemy of the king. There had actually been a rather funny episode with knives and angry kitchen wenches the first time Quatre had tried to enter the kitchen, but it was all straightened out now. (A/N: Angry kitchen wenches with knives! Run for your lives!!!)

But he was not just a favorite of the wenches. There were several guards that he became rather friendly with. To mention a couple, there was Trowa, whom he grew close to during his long training sessions. There was also Dorothy, the little-known guard to the princess. She was a dangerous warrior, yet was usually posted as a lady in the court. She was soft with him, but never showed much more than simply compassion.

Duo even suspected him of befriending Heero, the king's mysterious Night One. Few spoke of him, and when they did, it was in whispered tones. But in his usual night walks, Duo had seen Heero leave Quatre's room, often with a strange look on his face. Yet he remembered his promise to not let his mouth betray him, and did not ask Quatre about it.

Quatre was a powerful force to reckon with now, his strength more obvious now that the wall was gone. He rarely grew tired in a one-on-one battle when he had rest that morning. On the rare occasion of Helen being sick, Quatre got a morning of rest and by the afternoon, was a wrecking ball in the training room.

But to Duo, he seemed distant. Something was bothering him. He could see it in his eyes when he was finished annihilating his foes in the training hall. He could see it when Quatre stared out at the river with his eyes focused on the river's depths. He could see it even when Quatre gave up his power to give Wufei the strength to heal himself and who ever had been wounded in a fight.

Duo could do nothing, though, but watch and wait. He had tried to pry into Quatre's mind, but Quatre had only gently pushed him away. The power behind his push now made a very firm negative to his access.

Until that one evening. Rarely did Quatre ever enter his mind as the sun set, but this time, Quatre slowly approached his mind through their link, and Duo welcomed him willingly.

Quatre asked quietly and Duo opened his mind to him. He could feel Quatre sifting through his mind and memories, and Duo waited, wondering at the unique feel of examining that it brought about. Memories flashed past his mind, delving deeper and further, almost desperately. Duo sent a wave of calm at him and Quatre stopped, seeming to take a deep, mental breath. Then, a picture was brought to his mind.

'Who is this?'

Duo examined the picture and a smile crossed his physical body. 'That is Lady Catherine Winner, your mother.'

What he expected was a wave of shock, or a wave of understanding. What he did not expect was the wave of memory and fear and pain to flow over him. Duo sat his physical body up and reached out mentally, touching a lightly constructed wall around Quatre's mind.

'Quatre?'

'I know what made that wall.' The feeling of pain in his mental voice made Duo's eyes water. Slowly, the flash of memory that had raced over his mind came back, slower, making it obvious to his mind. Quatre showed him a piece of memory that had been locked within the wall, to be kept away from his mind ever again, yet it was back.

He could see Lady Catherine's face, beautiful even at her age. She was smiling down at him, as if he was a child in her arms. Sky moved above him, and then she moved down, as if off of a horse. The river was visible behind her and he simply watched. Suddenly, something startled her and she jumped.

There was a baby's cry of fear and a burst of power. The look of horror on Lady Catherine's face froze and then all went dark.

Duo's physical body was upon its feet in moments, running to Quatre's room. The young enchanter sat on his bed, tears staining his pale face. He looked up at Duo and sniffled weakly.

"I . . ." he murmured, sobs taking over him. Duo crawled onto the bed and carefully pulled Quatre into an embrace.

"You were a child," he answered encouragingly. Quatre shook his head, clinging to Duo's tunic.

"I killed her, Duo! I killed my own mother!"

"How were you to know?" Duo asked, rubbing Quatre's back soothingly. "You were frightened. Calm down, Quatre."

Quatre hiccuped and leaned into Duo's chest, sobbing and rubbing his wet face on Duo's shirt. "Well, that solves washing it," Duo tried, and Quatre snorted a laugh, leaving a sticky, gooey mess on Duo's shirt. Duo looked at the mess and Quatre blushed. "Never mind that."

"Sorry."

"It'll mend. But that solves one mystery," Duo said, still rubbing Quatre's back.

"What mystery?"

"Of what happened to your mother. She disappeared when pregnant with you, you know," Duo explained. "It broke your father's heart."

Quatre clung tighter to Duo and his shoulders stopped shaking. Suddenly, he looked up at the door and Duo followed his line of sight. Just as his eyes fell upon the door, Wufei burst through it, his face red and his eyes wide with fear.

"Are you all right, Quatre?"

Quatre nodded, sitting up and wiping his eyes. "I just made a mess," he said, chuckling lightly as he looked back at it. Duo shrugged and mussed Quatre's hair.

"Oh, Duo! I remembered something," Quatre said, his gaze falling on Wufei. "Wufei said he had seen my mother in the Loquacity court." Duo's eyes widened and he stood up.

"You did?"

"As a child. Why?"

Duo shook his head and sat down again. "She disappeared and Lord Winner suspected Loquacity of kidnapping her." Quatre's eyes were wide, and he was now looking at both of them with curiosity.

"Treize always told us that she had come looking for help," Wufei mentioned. "He said he opened up his court to her and she stayed as a guest."

"And Quatre was born there."

"Yes. She told only Treize the name of her baby: Quatre."

Duo took in a deep breath. "The same name his father insisted on naming him. I think this will forever remain a mystery."

Wufei nodded and then, both sat and looked at Quatre. "You're quite a piece of history," Duo muttered.

Wufei agreed and then, giving Quatre a tight embrace, they stayed beside him until he slept. And both left, all knowing a new piece of information. Information that might never fit into the puzzle.

"""

Treize looked out over his lands, farmlands with crops springing out of them. All it would need would be one month without rain and a scapegoat and the peasants would be mad. But that would be killing his own people, and would be very blatant.

He could not have that. Perdition had to attack first. Maybe no rain and then find someway to get them to attack first. No, that would also be too strong. He tilted his head and one of his servants rushed to his side.

"Yes, My Liege?"

"Get me that girl," Treize snapped, thinking into his plan deeper. The servant took in a deep breath and then stepped minutely closer.

"May I ask which?"

"That Naraku or something or other," Treize muttered, his mind further disappearing into his scheming. The servant coughed and Treize jumped out, his annoyance obvious in his eyes as he saw the servant was still there.

"Chang's girl?" Treize gave a regal sniff and nodded.

"She'd be good for this. Bring her up."

The servant nodded and walked backward, bowing deeply.

Treize glanced out at his country, sighing contentedly. He was like the Desert Trader Lord of old, having to choose between friendship and his people, and chose his people. So would he be, helping his people instead of his cousin, Darlian. So would he be. Only minutes had passed before the door opened again and he heard two footsteps enter his domain. "You called for me, Your Kingship?"

Treize stood and turned to look at the girl. She looked just as she had so few years ago, yet dead somehow. Her dark hair was pulled back into two pigtails, looking more like a tomboy than a lady. Her eyes were what made her seem dead. They were broken and without hope. Treize noted with a small spark of interest that he had had a part in the deadening of her. "Has it reached your ears yet that Chang has abandoned his king and taken with him a choice possession of the king?" The girl's eyes flashed.

"No, it had not. But then again, not much reaches one in the Dark Rooms."

Treize smirked. "I am willing to postpone your sentence and possibly minimize it if you do one simple thing." The girl nodded.

"What would that be?"

"Bring me Darlian's head."

The girl nodded. "Anything for you, My King."

"""

(Giggle) Angry kitchen wenches with knives. (Chuckle) What am I holding back for? That phrase just makes me laugh! (GUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!)

And poor Duo. He's got a mess to clean up. And about that "Desert Trader Lord of old" Treize was thinking about. It's an old legend of the Desert Traders. Basically, it's a story of a the Northern Desert Lord Zyen (dating from around 500 Before Records) who had to choose between his people and a friend he rescued from slavery, and chose originally his people. It nearly cost his friend his life, but Zyen realized that at the right time and rescued him and ended up destroying the slavers. I'm thinking about putting it into a story, like a novelized version of the shorthand legend, but it's just an idea as of now.

Teaser:

"""

But when the fear went down the link, he heard a snarl from the room before him. There was a small dark person, leaning over the very still form of the king. The person spun and Wufei's world and heart stopped.

"""

About next chapter: I want to stress how important Wufei and Nataku's relationship is to me. I have in my possession the Episode Zero manga, and I found their relationship really, really moving. So that is the relationship I play on, but unfortunately, it sort of turned sour in this fic. (Next one, it's ripe and sweet.) It's sort of like the Inuyasha/Kikyo relationship in that manga, if you know what it is.

I think that's it. Yeesh, I hate swimming. But I've gotta do it. Without it, I'm just a lump of lard sitting in this chair.

'''Kay Kylo