After that she regularly squared off against WuFei in the gym. She had thought after that one match that the event would never be repeated, that the headstrong young man would have proved his point and not want to further sully his hands by fighting a woman. He never made any mention of it. He would just walk onto the mat when she was there and bow wordlessly to her and she would bow back and they would practice.

She liked that about him. How when he decided something he didn't need any words. She liked practicing with him. She liked learning from him when he would gently correct her stance or when they were so involved in the patterns that the moves were all that existed in the world, just the flow of muscles and stances, the feel of sweat on her skin, the mat firm and sticking slightly to the soles of her feet. It was there that she didn't have to think, didn't have to worry about him. She could just be with him and it was natural and honest and fierce.

She heaved a sigh as she stared into her tea cup. She was on her lunch break and had only just realized that her tea had been cold for at least the last ten minutes. She had been too wrapped in her thoughts to notice.

"Hey Mary! I saw you and Chang going at it last night. Very impressive!" Ardon swung out the chair across from her and turned it around, sitting with his legs on either side of the back and his arms folded across the top. It was a stance completely suited to the carefree man and Mary wondered if he was, like the cheerful Duo Maxwell, an American.

She stirred the tea bag string around the edge of the cup absently. "Yes. He is very skilled." She didn't notice the way her lips quirked up in a tiny delighted smile.

"You sound pretty pleased." He observed.

"It is nice to have such an opponent. It enables one to learn." She wondered if WuFei would be there tonight.

"That sounds like something Q would say." The braided former pilot of Deathscythe had, as was his habit, come around the corner unexpectedly and joined the conversation.

"Q?" Meiran asked, not having heard of a Preventor with that name or designation.

"I'll have to introduce you two. I think he'd like you. Especially once he hears you're the one who's been taking on Wuffers." Duo gave one of his trademark million watt smiles.

"His name is WuFei." Absurdly she felt that she was defending WuFei from his friend.

Duo groaned. "You sound just like WuFei now. He's always correcting me."

Ardon interrupted. "Why would Quatre care about them sparring?"

She filed away the name Quatre for future reference but at the moment it didn't ring any bells.

"You don't know WuFei like we do. Back during the war he wouldn't even fight Noin because he wouldn't fight 'women and bleeding hearts.' Trust me, even Heero was shocked when he heard Wu-man took on Mary."

"I would not allow him to retreat with grace." She shrugged. She had been rather insistant.

"Mary, that guy has ever backed down from anything. If he fought you it was because he wanted to. You've never met anyone as stubborn as WuFei."

She narrowed her eyes and lifted her chin. He would continue his insults. "There is nothing wrong with a determination of spirit. Chang defends his beliefs."

Duo grinned again. "I don't doubt that. Heck, I know that better than any of you. You're pretty stubborn yourself, aren't you? Anyway..." He had been leaning against the wall and now he straightened up. "I'll be seein' you 'round kiddies."

Meiran stared after him.

"What?" Ardon asked, having noted her expression.

She just shook her head. "I don't understand that man. He is a strong warrior yet he acts like a fool."

"Who do you suspect more though? The warrior or the fool?" Ardon asked shrewdly.

Meiran regarded him thoughtfully, knowing then how Ardon could be a Preventor. "I think he is a very dangerous man."

"All five of them are." Ardon turned his eyes to where Duo had disappeared and then stood and left Meiran behind.

Author's Notes: Thanks so much for all the reviews I've gotten recently! It's so rewarding to get those little comments. Plus it gives me something to read, because I always look at you guys' profiles when you review. Thanks again and keep reviewing!