Safety 5
By Day Dreamer
*Sigh* This should be a pretty good one. Once again I apologize for taking so long -_-
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"Calm down Zechs!" Noin pleaded, "Who is trying to kill Relena?" Zechs ran his fingers through his long white bangs.
"When I was still a child," he began, "Our country was attacked and captured. You are aware of that. They had help though. A neighboring country wanted our land and had hated our family for as long as we have known. They were half responsible for the attack. The leader of the country was a man named Vert. He died after the wars, but he still has many followers," he paused searching her expression, "And a son."
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The man smiled at Heero, his green eyes glowing.
Heero did not return the smile.
"So how did she hurt her arm that badly?" He asked searching through the pocket of his black overcoat.
Heero glared. "You didn't see that those apartments just exploded?"
The man glared back. "You don't have to be hostile." He adjusted his glasses and forced a smile, "I'm here to help." Heero studied the man. He was obviously about 19 and well dressed behind the long overcoat. He had an air of intelligence about him, which Heero didn't like, or trust.
"I never would have guessed." Heero said as he started to pick up Relena, but the man stopped him.
"Don't move her." He said reaching out, "Here." The man took a roll of bandages out of his pocket and started wrapping her arm up. "I know you are very protective of the princess, but you must let me help." The man finished wrapping up her arm. He stood up and inspected her again. "I don't mean her any harm. I just want to help. She is a princess after all." He sat down next to Relena.
Heero's fingers fidgeted a little, wanting to pull out his gun. "Thanks for your help, but you should leave now."
The man looked up from Relena with a slight smile. "Now why is that?" He asked almost sarcastically.
"Because, I don't trust you."
The man laughed and stood up.
"I shouldn't be surprised should I? After all you were a gundam pilot, weren't you?" He looked straight at Heero; "You don't trust anyone, isn't that right? That is what your known for." He laughed a little to himself and looked back at Relena, "And I suppose I would be the last one you would trust. My timing could be better. Come to think of it, I would make anyone suspicious wouldn't I? Well, I'd better start being more behaved." He put his hand out to Heero. "My name is Vert. Vert the second, but I don't personally like that title." Heero did not shake his hand so Vert shrugged and put it back into his coat pocket. "I would like to help save the princess if I may. Though you have been doing an excellent job protecting her yourself. That brings me to my early question; how are you protecting her so well?"
He looked at Heero, waiting for an answer, but after not getting one, just continued on.
"At first I believed it to be because you were a gundam pilot, but now I have feeling there's something more, isn't there?" Heero gently picked up Relena and stood up. "Where are you going?"
"Back allies aren't the safest places." Heero said walking towards the street.
"Of course, but where are you going to go?"
Heero looked back, and then kept walking. Vert laughed a little and shook his head.
Once Heero got back to the street he saw Duo running toward him.
"I got em!" Duo shouted, waving a box of bandages in the air. He stopped just in front of them, "Oh." He said looking at Relena's arm, "You didn't say you already had some."
"I didn't" Heero said as he started walking.
"So then, how'd you get em?"
Heero sighed looking down at Relena. "Remember the guy I told you about with purple hair?" Duo nodded. "His name is Vert and he had some in his pocket." Duo looked confused.
"I thought he was the guy we were after. Isn't he behind the attacks?" Heero ignored him and just looked ahead. "So, where we goin'?"
"A hotel."
"Where?" Duo asked trying to keep up with Heero. Heero shrugged. "Well, I saw a nice one to the right of the next intersection." Heero nodded.
"I want you to check out the room. They'd get suspicious if I walk in with Relena like this." Just then Relena started to move. Heero stopped walking and put her on a near by bench. "You alright?" He asked looking down at her. She blinked her self-awake and sat up.
"More or less." She said she looked over at her arm. "What?" She looked up at Heero, but he looked away down the street.
"Can you walk?" He asked. She stood up and nodded.
"Don't worry the hotel isn't far from here." Said Duo smiling.
"Hotel? …" The bombing flashed back to her. "Oh. Heero, I'm so sorry about your apartment."
"It doesn't matter." He said coolly.
They walked to the hotel, to get a room. The man at the front desk was reading a newspaper. Duo stood at the front desk wail Heero and Relena looked at pictures around the room. Finally Duo rang the bell load and the man jumped and snapped away from his newspaper.
"I need a room." The man nodded looking over an empty sheet of paper.
"I suppose we could fit you in somewhere." He said as Duo looked up at the full rack of room keys. The man looked behind him at Relena and Heero. "A room?" He asked lifting one eyebrow.
"Naw, I guess we'll need two rooms." He said smiling and rubbing the back of his neck.
"Very well," The man said scribbling on the paper, "And what name would this be under?"
"Duo Maxwel." The man looked up a little surprised and rechecked the rest of their party.
"Is that young lady, Miss. Relena?" He asked pointing his pen at her.
"Who wants to know?" Asked Duo leaning on the desk.
"Well," He said turning to a bunch of boxes behind the desk, "I have a letter for a Miss. Relena."
"What?" Asked Duo astonished. The man handed him a letter with "Miss. Relena." On the front and under it said "or gundam pilot." Duo examined the letter.
"Relena! You have a letter!" Relena spun around and Duo handed the envelope to her. She looked at and then looked up and Heero. He looked at the letter in deep thought. She felt something small inside the letter.
"Should I open it?" She asked. Heero paused and finally nodded and she torn off the top of the letter. She took out a small piece of paper and read it first.
"My Dear Miss. Relena,
Please forgive me for not introducing myself at the last assembly you held. My name is Vert. Please understand I mean you no harm. I'm lead to believe that you got an impression of other wise. Inside is a present for you I hope you will---"
There was a long scribble, as if the pen had fallen out of the writer's hand. She reached in side the letter got out a small necklace that was at the bottom. It was silver with crystal beads hanging from it. A small sunbeam hit it and it sparkled and cast rainbows against the sidewall. Duo smiled at Relena's pleased face and looked up to see Heero finished checking out the rooms.
Poor guy. Duo thought to himself.
They reached the second floor with their rooms side by side.
"Well, two rooms." Said Duo looking at the doors. He turned to Relena, "I'm going to guess you want to stay with Heero." Relena blushed a little and Duo laughed to himself. Heero didn't notice either of this.
"Relena, I want you to stay with Duo tonight." He said looking up. Duo looked down at Relena. She looked a little hurt, but was trying to hide it. She held on to the necklace tightly.
"Are you sure, Heero?" Duo asked. "I mean, we both know she'd be a lot better o-"
"I'm sure." He said quickly as he tossed the key to Duo and went into the other room.
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