Duo's Child

Chapter 12

Duo struck Uno's face with a pillow early morning. "Wake up, Uno! I gotta get you ready for school."

"No." Uno mumbled as she curled up under the covers.

Duo sighed the pulled the covers off her bed. "Yes."

"No," Still, Uno managed to keep herself comfortable enough and hugged the pillow more.

"Uno, I'm going to count to three and if you're still lying down when I'm done, then I'll go get Heero."

"Hn." Uno replied.

"One…two…"

"I'm up." Her head sprang out of the covered hole she dug and softly glared at Duo.

Duo smirked, "I know."

Uno walked down the hallway a half hour later and up to Duo. He handed her the backbag Quatre bought for her and smiled. Uno frowned her sleepy eyes.

"You look lovely today," Duo rubbed in.

"Can it, Duo."

Duo laughed and put his arm around her back, guiding her towards the front door.

"Don't beat too many people up in school now, you hear me Uno? It's your first day so give it some time before you take it over."

"Hn." Uno smirked and stepped outside towards the car. "What are you doing today?"

Duo unlocked the car and started towards the driver's seat. "Preparing for work…I start later on today."

"What as?" Uno sat inside.

"Mechanic." Duo sat inside and shut the door. "Something you've probably never heard of yet."

"What do you do?"

As Duo described what mechanics do on the way to her school, she began taking note of the neighborhoods around her. Knowing Duo, she'll end up riding the bus to school a few days and knowing Quatre, wind up meeting people. She shut her eyes, expecting a long ride, and before she had enough to fully relax and wake herself up, the car came to a halt.

"Don't fall asleep, Uno. The school's right there." Duo pointed ahead of them to a giant building with Winner imprinted on the top.

Duo handed Uno a small piece of paper. "Here's your schedule. I'll pick you up at 3:30 when the elementary grades get out, alright?"

Uno nodded and gave Duo a hug when he leant over. She held the paper and opened the door.

"Uno," Uno looked back at him, "you behave yourself today."

As Uno entered the school, she took in the amount of people that were around her. Being in Quatre's mansion has taught her one important thing that she defiantly needed use here: a sense of direction and a good memory. She looked around at the walls with listed signs and then to a person stepping up to her.

"Looking for a classroom, little one?" A female teacher looked down at her. Uno nodded and showed her the classroom listed on the paper.

"Alright, I'll take you to him. Come on." She smiled down at Uno and placed her hand on Uno's back, guiding Uno where to go.

When they entered another hallway, Uno found many more students her age and doors where teachers welcomed each person. The teacher guiding Uno directed her towards a guy at the end of the hall. When they reached him, Uno nearly had to look up to see his face. The man looked down at her and instantly took in thought.

She looks very familiar. He looked at her black attire and long braid, compiling them with her adorable violet-blue eyes.

"This is a new student for your classroom." The lady said to the man. He nodded and took the paper Uno lifted up to him.

"Thank you Mrs. Lighthouse." He glanced at Uno after he read her name. "Uno Maxwell."

Uno nodded. "My name is Mr. Merquise." Impossible. Maxwell? The look?

He handed her the paper back and had her enter while he shut the door behind them. He pointed to a chair for her to sit in while he presumed his way towards the front of the room.

Uno sat down in a chair along the center right-side of the room and glanced around at everyone. Some boys and some girls sat in the room; a girl in front of her and a girl behind while a boy sat to her left. She returned to face the teacher.

"I hope you have read the two chapters I assigned for everyone," he began, "because today there is a test about it."

The class groaned and a few students dropped their heads on the desks. Uno looked around at each person. She remained quiet as a few others glanced in her direction.

"Yes, we have a new student. This is Uno Maxwell; she has just transferred from home school."

A girl raised her hand and was given permission to speak. "I heard home school is for bad kids."

Uno bit her tongue and looked down.

"That's not true Sarah. Some of the brightest people were home schooled."

"But that means they can't fight then."

Uno bit harder.

"Bobby, don't make assumptions. Not all home schooled children are what you think. Yes, Cindy?"

"But, if Uno was home schooled, then why didn't her parents let her go to public school? Did they think she was too good for us?"

Uno's tongue was beginning to hurt, but still she bit down. Mr. Merquise noticed this action by the clenching of Uno's jaw and spoke louder, afraid if his assumptions were correct.

"That's enough! Any more negative talk from any of you and you will loose recess for a week!" The classroom went silent. "Now, take out a pencil and a piece of paper and we will begin the test. Uno, if you wish you can try but you don't need to."

Some students glanced at Uno and gave her displeasing looked. Uno ignored them simply by making glares towards each person and took out a pencil and some paper. She looked up at the teacher when she was ready.

"Alright, answer them as best as you can without cheating; I will be watching." He turned on the overhead and stepped back to his seat. "Begin."

Uno looked at each question and read each one carefully. To her, they all looked like scrambled words, something Trowa taught her near the end of her lessons. She wrote her name on the paper and began jotting down the answers to what she thought was correct.

About ten minutes later, Mr. Merquise turned off the projector and cleared his throat. "Do you all think you did okay?" The class grumbled. "Well, here's the answers. Uno, like I stated, this doesn't count against you so you don't need to worry about them, alright? Okay, answer one…mouse. Two, letter. Three, rat. Four, cheese. Five, hamster. Six, scissors. Seven, number. Eight, phone. Nine, candle. And ten, angel. And the bonus question, computer. Now tally up the scores and do not cheat; when I call your name, tell me how many you wrong. Corey."

"Three," replied Corey.

"Okay, 70. Sarah?"

"Eight," Sarah frowned.

"Alright, 20. Doug?"

"1!" Doug grinned.

"Doug, you failed."

"I know," Doug sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Jessica?"

"Two," Jessica spoke, looking at a poster.

"Good, 80. Brittany?"

"One wrong," Brittany smirked, glancing at Uno.

"90, excellent." As usual. "Theresa?"

Theresa sighed, "four."

Mr. Merquise nodded, "okay. 60. Claryce?"

"Six," she answered.

"40. Read the chapters, Claryce; unless you want me to have another conference with your parents." Mr. Merquise looked at Uno. "Did you attempt?"

"I got none wrong." Uno blinked.

"What about the bonus?" She nodded. Mr. Merquise smirked.

"She cheated!" Doug exclaimed.

"She had to, home school kids aren't smart!" Brittany grinned at Uno.

"Cheater!!! Mr. Merquise, she's not allowed to go to recess 'cuz she cheated!" Corey shouted out.

Uno looked at each student then to Mr. Merquise. Her teacher stepped up to her and looked at her paper, then around at the other papers. He placed hers back down and returned to the front.

"Actually, I could state you three cheated." He pointed out towards the students around Uno's desk. "She aced right through the problems you got wrong."

Uno smirked.

"No way! She had to cheat off Brittany! Brittany's the smart one in the class; no home school kid can match her!" Doug stated. Brittany turned around in her seat to smile and blinked her eyes at Uno, rubbing in the fact that she's the popular one.

Uno slowly glared a glare her teacher recognized quickly. "How could I cheat if nobody else attempted the bonus question?"

"You probably just had luck, that's all." Brittany smirked and looked back down at her own desk.

"Okay, quiet. Uno did not cheat and I will not hear this topic anymore. Now, I want you all to read the next four chapters in your Litho-Words text book for another test tomorrow. Right now, pass up you tests and take out your social studies book. Uno, I'll get you text books tomorrow so look on somebody else's."

Uno nodded and looked around at each person who sat besides her; they all sneered at her so she figured she'll just have to look over Brittany's shoulder. Another student who sat to Brittany's left, Claryce, whispered to Brittany that Uno was looking over her shoulder. Uno ignored and relaxed in her chair.

"Okay, yesterday we were talking about how the start of all the wars was started by rebels against peace. Open to page 352 and notice the chart on the left. It shows how each side had its own decisions on what they believed could be obtained through peace. Notice how both sides agreed 50% that peace could lead to freedom, but notice how side A believed peace through wars and side B through pacifism."

"Mr. Merquise? What's pacifism?"

Uno blinked; she thought everyone knew.

"It's a belief that everything can be settled through discussions without a war. They disbelieve in war all together and believe talking can set things right. Yes, Brittany?"

"But what if the other person doesn't want to talk?"

"Then that becomes a war in the long run. Pacifism was tried years ago when the Peacecraft Kingdom was in power; unfortunately, their triumphs were destroyed when the rebel did not agree with talking things out."

"But why did people want to fight instead of talk?"

"Let's ask Uno! She was home schooled! She would know!" Doug exclaimed as everyone turned to look at her. Mr. Merquise sighed and Uno blinked, looking around at everyone.

Brittany grinned and turned back around in her chair. "She's not smart at all. She probably doesn't even know what's going on right now."

Uno growled; she was getting fed up and no longer cared. "Shut up, Brittany."

The class grew quiet and their teacher began staring at Uno, getting unhappy.

"Did you hear what she said?" Brittany stated to Mr. Merquise.

"You only think I'm stupid because I don't speak in class, which is what the rules said to do. But how can I be stupid from being home schooled if I skipped kindergarten when I signed up?"

"Uno, I want you to stay after when everyone goes to lunch." Stated Mr. Merquise. The other student's 'ooh'd and 'ahh'd at her, but still she ignored them, biting her tongue and picturing herself explaining to Duo what was going on.

"You're in trouble!!!" Taunted Doug.

"Doug! You're staying on the side today for recess!"

"What? Why?!"

"Anyone else who decides to tease Uno as well will loose their recess just like Doug. Understand? Everyone nodded. "Good, now we're going to lunch but when we return I want none of you to be rude to Uno. We will take a pop quiz on your social studies assignments and anyone else who decides to talk bad to her will have more to do."

Everyone stood up from their desks and lined up at the door, waiting until Mr. Merquise said they could go. "Uno, on other days you will be assigned a spot in the line according to your height but today I'll walk you down to the cafeteria. Okay?" Uno nodded and he nodded for the kids to leave the room.

Uno looked down at her desk as he sat on the desktop besides her. She glanced up at him.

"Sorry."

Mr. Merquise sighed. "Uno, who are your parents?"

"I don't have any."

"Who brought you here and taught you at home?"

Uno pondered up at him.

"I understand this is your first day here but normally I don't let people off so easy when they act rudely to others in class. But, considering this is your first day here and the other students treated you badly, I'll let you slide. I just don't want to see you acting wrong towards them, alright? Treat others the way you want to be treated."

"I do." Uno replied and looked up at him. "They don't."

Mr. Merquise leaned back some, taking in note of her appearance. "Who takes care of you? Are they any relation to you?"

Uno shook her head.

"What's their names?"

"Why?"

He smirked. "Alright, I can look it up on my own, but the way your acting reminds me of a few people I once knew. But Uno, try not to fight back when people are mean to you; okay? They might be rude but just ignore them and it'll go away."

"No it doesn't. I ignored them and they didn't stop," frowned Uno.

"Well, they will now. I'll make sure they don't talk bad to you anymore, okay?"

"Okay."

"I don't want to see you turn into a bully because you look like you can. But, I do have a question to ask of you."

"Okay."

"Why do you dress like that?" He had to ask one way or another where she'd tell him what he needed to know.

"Like what?" Uno questioned.

"The braid and the black clothes? Why not color? Who braids it?"

"Duo braids my hair."

"Duo?" It can't be.

Uno nodded. "Mmhm. Quatre says I look just like him, too."

My goodness. "Really? Quatre and Duo, huh?"

Uno nodded.

"Do you live with Heero, Trowa, and Wufei as well?"

"Yeah; how do you know?"

"Let's just say they're old acquaintances of mine." Mr. Merquise placed his hand on her back as they both stood to go to lunch.

"Am I in trouble?"

"No Uno, not this time. Next time you will be so be careful. I'm sure with Duo around, you've learned to have a temper, but you need to learn to control it."

By the time recess came near, Uno was exhausted. Everyone ignored Uno like she had hoped they would, but she wasn't meeting any friends like Duo said to. She did, however, not fight anyone. Uno followed the big crowd of kids outside to the playgrounds and looked around for somebody to play with. It seemed nobody had any spare time for her so she decided to go to the swings and sit down. When she sat, a few other students circled around her; Uno looked up innocently at each one as the sun shined in her face.

"That's my swing you're sitting on! Get off!" A chubby boy proclaimed.

"No." Uno frowned.

A girl sat besides her; she had frizzy red hair and purple glasses. "We'll make you move, so get off!"

"No." Uno gripped onto the chains of the swing.

"Okay, let's compete." Said a tall, skinny, boy with curly black hair; he sat on the other side of Uno. "Whoever is last to go highest when Bill says to stop, has to get off."

"Sounds great to me!" Stated the girl.

Uno sighed, "fine."

"Ready…set…" Bill began. "Go!"

And as soon as Bill leaped to the side, the three were off on a competition to swing the highest. At first, the girl on Uno's right was in the lead and soon after the other boy on her left was highest. Uno continued to swing without a care in the world and before she knew it, Bill shouted to stop and Uno realized she was at the top, just above the bar.

"Look girl! Bill said to stop and I was higher than you! So get off!" The other girl yelled out at her.

Uno sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine."

Uno didn't stop, but waited until her swing was high enough in the sky in front of the crowd before she leaped off. When she pushed herself off the swing, she was high enough to look above the entire crowd of people and see her teacher watching her. Uno landed on the ground without pain and started walking the second the sit ground. The children behind her teased and joked at her, but Uno just ignored them and shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans.

Duo…why did you make me come here?

3:30 hit and Uno waited out in the front of the school for Duo's black vet to make its appearance. Besides her, Brittany and Doug stood together waiting for a ride. Brittany glanced at Uno.

"So, you sure your mom can give me a ride home today?" Doug asked.

"Yeah. My mom doesn't care; she's done it before."

Uno looked to the busses and watched other people get on their designated selection. She sighed and watched as a blue car drove by her and stopped by the curve near Brittany.

"Wow! My older brother said a Lexus is a fancy car." Doug proclaimed, looking at the Lexus symbol on the front of the car.

"My mom owns her own company." Brittany leaned in to ask her mother is Doug could have a ride home.

Uno looked ahead when she saw the familiar black vet pull up and stop besides her. Windows automatically went down on their own and heavy metal music lowered. Brittany and Doug glanced back at Uno and sneered her.

"Hey Uno! Ready to go home?" Duo smiled at her and unlocked the automatic doors.

Uno glared him as she opened the door.

"Doug…looks, it's Uno." Brittany nodded towards her. Uno glanced at them.

"Dude…my older brother had one of those! Those are extremely cool cars!"

"There's no way Uno can have that. Don't forget, she's home schooled."

Uno ignored their talk and sat in the car. She slammed the door shut and slammed her back against the seat. Duo heard a tiny growl and looked at her.

"Bad day?"

"Everyone's being mean to me so I told them to shut up."

"Uno. What did I tell you about talking rudely to others?"

"I don't care. Mr. Merky said he'd stop anyone who treats me badly as long as I don't fight back."

"But you did." Uno continued glaring the car in front of them and breathed heavy.

"How many people were rude to you today?"

"All of them. They said home school kids are stupid, bad, and don't know anything and don't know how to fight."

Duo sighed and shut his eyes as he leaned back in his seat. They were treating her as bad as they have treated him on the first and only day of his school many years ago, only she didn't hit anyone—yet. Duo inhaled.

"Uno, just promise me one thing: don't hurt anyone so badly if you ever get into a fight. Okay?" Uno glanced up at him.

"Why are you saying this to me?"

"Let's just say…" Duo found enough space in front of him to drive away and started the engine once again. "Something similar happened to me when I was back in school."

Duo grinded the wheels on the car and peeled away from the front of the school. He raised the volume of his CD and drove down the street in a fast frenzy, cutting off other cars and the slow-ass Lexus that was hogging the fast lane.

Duo didn't want to have to deal with another problem like the one he had to deal with when he was younger, but if this keeps up, he's removing Uno from school all together and hiring a private tutor. Hell, he might even ask Wufei for help.