Author's Note: Hiyo! Well, school has officially begun, and on the first night, I've forgotten my math book. Go figure! Anyway, I decided that to make myself feel better, I'd write. You got lucky!
Ayeka went into the garden and set her sword down gently. She then proceeded to warm up and stretch. After an hour of this activity, she began to get a little curious. Where was Wufei? She abandoned her exercises and went searching. Was it because she'd been weak? What in the name of the trees had made her open up to him like that? He was known for his lack of respect of women, because he saw them all as weak. That is, all accept his dear departed wife, Meilan.
It had been a day of rain on the colony, and they had finished a practice session with swords when Ayeka had felt compelled to ask why Wufei insisted on calling the Shenlong Gundam Nataku. He had answered her coolly, but underneath that calm she had read him as clearly as any book. Wufei felt sad and a bit guilty about his young wife's death, they'd been little more than children, but he'd ended up respecting her. He'd taken up the fight in her name. It was then that Ayeka realized Wufei had a heart.
Ayeka found Manrui practicing her painting skills. "Manrui, do you know where Wufei is?"
Manrui blinked. "Didn't he tell you? Wufei bought a school on colony N0354. He left yesterday evening while you…were…out. Hmm…" She put her brush in the water jar and got to her feet. She marched out of the room, grabbing Ayeka's shirt in one hand as she growled, "Come with me."
They went to Master Long's meditation room, really more of an office, and Manrui put her hands on her hips and glared down at the little man. "Did Wufei leave an address?"
Master Long saw a frowning Ayeka behind Manrui and sighed. "Yes, let me write it down for you. I trust you plan on leaving soon?"
Catching on to her friend's plan, Ayeka smiled and nodded. "He was still learning Juraian sword work, and is not ready to go teaching." As they left with their knew information, Master Long looked out the window at the garden.
"Wufei, your actions betray you. Perhaps if you had told her I could have given her the wrong address." He looked at the photos on his desk. Two stood out from the rest, one of Wufei and Ayeka in midair during a match, the other was of Meilan. "I do hope you don't hide behind your grief, because Shenlong knows when its master has grown weak."
"This place is huge!" Manrui said. They had been dropped off in front of Wufei's new school and were fairly impressed. It was rather tasteful as large buildings went, and the number of people coming in and out was impressive for a school that was only a couple weeks old. Getting away form the colony and to Wufei had been harder than either woman had realized. Manrui had said they should take the Gundam, but Wufei had brought it with him. Where he'd stashed it was anyone's guess.
Ayeka picked up her relatively small duffel bag and headed for the door. "Come on, we aren't getting any closer just by standing here," she said. Manrui picked up her bag and ran after her friend into the school. A few people gave them weird looks as they marched through. Ayeka looked around the first of the first floor studios and said, "Next floor."
Manrui paused and said, "Wait a minute, how can we know he's not here? We didn't even look—"
Ayeka turned around and smiled. "He's not down here, trust me on this. I've worked with him enough that I can sense when he's nearby. Maybe it's his lack of sound…" Manrui shook her head in confusion and followed Ayeka upstairs.
They left that one and headed up again. They were on their way to the top floor when a young man, obviously a student, stopped them. "I'm sorry, only personal students are allowed past this point," he said. Ayeka and Manrui traded looks.
Manrui smiled through her teeth at the guy and said, "Then Tell Wufei his beloved cousin has come to visit." The boy didn't budge. "MOVE!" He flinched and turned around. He opened the door and closed it. Ayeka sighed.
"I never knew you were cousins," she said in a resigned tone. Manrui patted Ayeka's shoulder and hid a smile.
"Don't blame yourself, it's not something I'd be proud of if it were true." Ayeka stared. "What? We had to get in." Besides, Meilan added mentally, I'm Meilan's cousin, therefore his by marriage.
The young man came out and opened the door. "You may enter." He bowed respectively as they passed and closed the door behind them. Wufei's private training floor was set up for intense training, and Manrui eyed the area with interest.
"He's over here, I can hear him," Ayeka said, going left. Manrui just followed. They found Wufei instructing a young boy, perhaps eight years old, in a room lined with weapons on the walls. Ayeka could tell it was meant for show, but they were mostly quite serviceable. Wufei didn't bother to turn to see who it was, his student sure seem interested, though.
"Hello, Ayeka, Manrui." Now he turned around, his eyes hard. "How nice for you to visit. Master Long?"
"He's doing well," Ayeka said. Manrui gave Ayeka a look out of the corner of her eye. Wufei had meant that it was Master Long who told them where he was. Ayeka was being crafty, and the message was clear. You, me, alone, right now.
Wufei refused to take the hint. "I'm with a student right now, so you can go ahead to the house and I'll meet you later." Ayeka looked ready to turn into stone her face was so neutral, so Manrui grabbed the woman's arm and dragged her out of the room.
"I can't believe him! That stiff, snot-nosed, acorn-assed—"
Manrui put a hand over Ayeka's. "Cool it! I've never heard you talk like this before. Even your temper tantrums in the past have been polite, what's with the change?"
Ayeka sighed and Manrui took her hand away. Red eyes looked up at the colony walls. "I don't know what's come over me. I just have this horrible fear that those I care for will leave me to fight. It's one of those hazy memories I have of my life before Master Long took me in." Manrui rested a comforting hand on Ayeka's shoulder.
"Don't worry, this is one fish we won't let get away." Ayeka smiled a bit, amused by the comparison. At the same time, Manrui was pondering what possible excuses she could make to have to leave the two alone. The list was brief, until fate delivered a pleasant surprise. Manrui looked ahead on the sidewalk and said, "Isn't that Relena Darlian?"
Indeed, the former Queen of the Earth Sphere was taking a casual stroll along the road. Manrui and Ayeka smiled. "Hello, Foreign Minister Darlian," Manrui said. "I suppose you're going to visit Wufei? Don't waste your time, he doesn't even have a moment for his own kin."
Relena blinked in surprise. "You know Wufei?"
Manrui grinned. "Very well, actually. Ayeka, why don't you go ahead and take our bags to his house while I escort Miss Darlian here and explain."
Ayeka shrugged. "All right, but I'll expect you shortly." She walked off and Manrui released her bruising grip on Relena's shoulder.
"What was that all about?" Relena asked.
Manrui sighed. "Wufei is so thick headed that he can't see what's right in front of him. He never even told her he was leaving to start his own school, just left her waiting in the garden for him the next day. We just showed up and he told us to get out."
Relena nodded sadly. "I know what you mean, these Gundam pilots can be an odd bunch. The only ones open enough to admit their feelings are taken, Hilde made Duo a father twice over." She smiled at her memories of the little children playing.
Manrui looked down the road and asked, "Could I stay with you tonight? I really don't want to get in the way when Wufei comes home. I'll call in a little while to let Ayeka know." Relena smiled.
"You are a good friend, what's your name?" They started back the way Relena had come.
"Manrui Long…"