Part 4

Chapter 1

The Outcasts Meet

Zechs knew it before he entered the bar. The place was bad luck. Noin however thought differently. Then again, she never simply relied on hunches or funny feelings. She knew that they were tired and out of food and the bar could provide them with both food and a place to stay.

The two entered the ramshackle building and sought out an empty table in the back corner of the tavern. The bartender was along presently to take their orders. He looked them over carefully and only half listened as they asked for food. He walked away but continued to stare in their direction. Zechs was beginning to feel really bad about the whole place.

"Do you think he knows?" he whispered to Noin, trying to keep the worry from his voice.

Noin simply smiled at him and covered his hands with hers. Sometimes Zechs felt that a companion that would actually tell him what they were thinking for a change wouldn't be a bad idea. Then Noin leaned over and spoke softly into his ear, "Don't worry. If he tries anything, you can just set the place on fire." She softened the remark with a kiss on his cheek, but Zechs was not happy. He sat back in his chair and refused to look at her. He was shocked that she would talk so nonchalantly about such a personal subject. Zechs squirmed in his chair and hoped that no matter what he would never had to use his gift for such a purpose.

Noin seemed to be done talking however and simply sat and hummed to herself. Zechs could never figure out how she kept so calm all the time. He sighed heavily and turned his attention back to the bar. The bartender was speaking with someone who appeared to be the manager of the tavern. He occasionally glanced in their direction. The manager then turned and looked long and hard at the two. He whispered something to the bar-keep and disappeared into a back room. After a while Zechs was relieved to see that nothing was going to happen. Perhaps the manager didn't want to turn down paying customers.

The food they had ordered was brought to them at last and Zechs went at it with a will. Noin on the other hand took small dainty bites and ate slowly. Zechs just shook his head. She hadn't eaten for as long as he, but she still managed to be classy. He sighed and continued eating his meal, trying not to wolf it down. The food wasn't especially what Zechs would call a good meal but at least he wasn't starving anymore.

After the disappointing meal Zechs sat and sipped his drink. Noin had given him a disapproving glance when he had ordered it. Zechs shrugged and drank it anyway. He was glad for his older appearance. As he relaxed he looked around the tavern at the other lost souls that had chosen to congregate there as well. On the farthest corner from him sat two old men. Beside them was a group of rowdy men, probably in their thirties. They were singing and cursing loudly as the drinks continued to be brought to the table. A few tables away sat an older woman with her husband. They were chatting quietly and ignoring the group of fellows.

Zechs blinked his eyes several times and tried to clear his head. He was more tired than he thought. Either it was from the alcohol or fatigue, he didn't know. Noin was looking past him at the table behind him. She seemed to be lost in thought. Zechs yawned and rested his head against his arm on the table. He almost didn't realize what was happening until Noin tapped him gently on the arm. He lifted his head in time to see the group of men from the far table stand drunkenly and saunter over to their table.

Zechs came fully awake and sat up straight in his chair. The ringleader of the bunch approached him. Zechs could tell that he was drunk.

"Hey, you there..."the man slurred. "We...we don't take to your kind around here. You just better scram. Now."

Zechs looked coolly back at the man and wondered if he could take him. The man was much bigger and probably stronger than Zechs. The young man was experienced though and had been involved in many such confrontations.

The men saw that Zechs and Noin weren't leaving and began to get angry. They started to shout and soon the whole tavern was dead silent. The manager came out from the back and walked over to the crowded table.

"Now look," he said, "I don't want any trouble. You two will have to leave. I'm sorry, but he's right. I didn't want to bring it up before, but you two arent welcome."

Zechs slowly stood and took Noin by the hand. She too stood and together they headed to the door. The sound of the chair scraping against the floor alerted Zechs of what was happening. He wheeled around quickly, pushing Noin behind him in the process. The chair hit Zechs in the chest and he stumbled backward, the air knocked from him.

The ring leader had attacked him from behind. The manager was backing away, obviously not wanting to be involved in the fight. He also seemed to have no intentions of stopping the fight. Zechs crouched down into a fighter's stance and looked around for something, anything that he could use as a weapon. The ring leader had discarded the chair and was now holding a long blade. Zechs knew that wasn't a good sign.

Zechs had been in knife fights before. They were bloody and cruel, and at the time he had a knife too. He was about to face the man bare handed. It was not good at all. The man seemed to have sobered up completely and was now in the process of gutting the younger man. Zechs kept himself always one step ahead of the flashing blade, but knew that soon he would tire and then the bigger man would close in on him.

The two opponents circled each other and a crowd of spectators had closed in a round them. Busy thinking about the blade, Zechs didn't see as one of the man's friends lashed a foot out. Zechs tripped and fell heavily to the floor. The man with the knife rushed in and Zechs turned to roll. There wasn't any place to go. He was trapped and the larger man was bearing down on him with the fury and speed of a hurricane.

Then suddenly, the man was no longer there. Zechs watched in amazement as the man flew backward through the air and crashed with a resounding snap against the tavern wall. He slumped to the ground and ceased to move. Zechs got shakily to his feet and looked around. He knew that there was no way that he could have done that. He didn't know of any of his kind that could do that. There was just no way. He looked at Noin, and for once she looked just as stunned as he did.

Zechs barely noticed as the crowd parted. He was only dully aware as the spectators slowly dissolved back and left Zechs, Noin, and another person standing in place. Zechs looked at the third person and wondered if it was him that had done that. It couldn't be, he reasoned with himself. It's just a kid.

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Quatre had entered the bar in a state of near exhausting. He had literally collapsed into the chair in the very back of the bar. He was thankful that no one had seen him come in. He pushed his chair back against the wall so that he was completely lost in the shadows and fell asleep.

His dreams were a myriad of confused and depressed thoughts. A long voyage across the sea, the sense of complete abandonment, but mostly a deep sadness. Quatre deeply resented the fight within him to stay alive. He would have liked to simply crawl into the hole of despair he felt and die, but for some reason his mind wouldn't let him do that. It had forced him to keep moving and had led him to the small tavern.

He was jerked roughly awake by the sounds of a struggled. He watched for a minute as an older man from the town tried to catch and end the life of a younger quicker man. Quatre watched this strange young man, and then realized what had drawn his attention to him. That man was different. Quatre puzzled this in his mind for some time and then turned his head slightly and saw the other. It was a pretty young woman. She was different too. Quatre could sense that she didn't want to see the other man hurt.

Suddenly Quatre watched as the younger man fell heavily and attempted to roll out of the way of the man holding the knife. The olive skinned lady gasped. Quatre made a split second decision and realized that he could no longer simply sit and watch. The younger man couldn't, or wouldn't stop the attacker by himself. Quatre stood at the edge of the crowd and then started to feel lightheaded. He watched with mild amusement as the older man flew through the air and was forced into the tavern wall.

The young man stood up shakily and looked around in shock. Quatre sighed quietly. He hadn't meant it to be that powerful. Oh well, at least he had stopped the fight. He took his eyes off the slumped figure against the wall and looked at the two other people. They were staring intently at him with bewildered looks. Quatre sighed again and then headed for the door. He couldn't understand the world at all. He didn't understand why everyone hated people that were different. It made no sense.

Zechs watched as his rescuer headed toward the door. He was still in a state of pure astonishment. A kid did that? Then Zechs was headed for the door as well. He needed to find out how that had happened. How could a child be so strong? He wondered. Noin was walking to the door too. She seemed just as perplexed as he did.

Soon all three of them were standing outside in the quickly diminishing sunlight.

"Hey wait," called Zechs hesitantly, "I, uh...want to talk to you...if you'd just....hey wait!"

Quatre quickened his paced and crossed his arms over his chest. He really wasn't interested in talking to the young man. He especially didn't want to talk about what had happened in the bar.

Noin ran forward and caught the stranger by the arm and whirled him around. Zechs stared in surprise. He had wanted to talk to the kid, but he had no idea that Noin really wanted to as well, or why.

"Listen, we really need to talk," said Noin in her most persuasive tone. "I want to know how you did that and who you are." When he didn't answer right away Noin shook him and repeated herself. "I don't care if you don't want to talk to us. At this point I'm telling you that you have to."

Zechs quickly checked himself to make sure his mouth wasn't hanging open. He had ever heard Noin speak so harshly to anyone. She looked as if she would slap the kid if he didn't answer her. He looked just as shocked. He blushed slightly and catching Zechs's expression, started talking.

"I'm Quatre...I...um...I'm not quite sure how I do that, but...um...look, it just sort of happens, okay!" He sputtered.

"That's fine," said Noin, much, more calmly. "Now where did you come from, and what are you doing here?"

Zechs stepped forward and unhooked Noin from Quatre. "Noin," he started softly, "Let the kid alone. Stop interrogating him, will you?"

"No, it's okay," Quatre said softly. "I was just as surprised as you were to find people...well...you know, like me."

Noin softened her look and then reached out and touched Quatre gently on the arm. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be harsh. If you'd feel comfortable talking about yourself, go right on ahead. If not, well, then it's none of my business. I know that I would feel uncomfortable talking about myself, especially to a stranger. The reason why I want to know about you is because...how would you feel about joining us?"

Zechs looked at her incredulously. "Noin! What are you doing? We hardly know him! We can't be responsible for some kid..."

"Zechs," she interrupted, "I believe it would benefit us greatly to have him come along."

"But why? I mean why...hang on! Why am I always the last one to know anything about you! How come you never tell me anything!" Zechs took a deep breath and suddenly felt very tired. It had been a long day and he couldn't seem to keep it all straight. All he could think was, poor Zechs. He's probably too dull to get it. He felt angry and confused all at once. He wished for the hundredth time that Noin would tell him what was on her mind. She had some reason for inviting the kid to come with them, but so far Zechs hadn't figured it out.

"It's all right, Zechs. I just think that it would be a good idea for him to come with us. But by the way, I'm Noin and this is Zechs," she said, hardly taking a breath between reprimanding Zechs and introducing herself.

"I'm Quatre…still," Quatre said awkwardly. He was very confused too. He had no idea why this woman was asking him to join them. For once though, he was beginning to feel happy. He didn't know why, but these people seemed more real to him than anyone else he had met on his travels. They seemed nice enough as well, if not a bit hasty. Suddenly Quatre felt as though he didn't want to be alone any longer. For a few brief minutes while talking to the two young people, he hadn't felt quite so sad. "Yes," he stated confidently.

"Yes what?," asked Zechs, still slightly mystified by the whole evening.

"Yes, I want to come with you."

"Oh," said Zechs, feeling very stupid. "Well, then if you want to, I guess it would be okay."

Noin smiled her approval and then the three simply stared at each other and then began to laugh slightly. The whole situation seemed to be very funny as they looked back on it. They all felt a sense of companionship, and suddenly the world seemed a brighter place amidst the black and white.