Chapter 18
In the morning, Quatre was still too weak to walk to what was known as the Classroom; it didn't matter really though, because Rashid had planed to stay with him during the testing anyway.
As Rashid carried Quatre into the room that looked so much like classrooms did on the vid, Quatre was instantly set at ease about the upcoming tests. Rashid had told him it was nothing to worry about, but Quatre wanted so very badly to do well, not for himself of course, he knew he was stupid, it didn't take his father's constant reminders about that fact either. No, he knew he was stupid because he had a secret, one he hoped wouldn't be called upon today.
The man at the front of the Classroom was Auda, Quatre remembered him from yesterday, though for some reason, Auda was the last person Quatre remembered talking too before falling asleep. Rashid had asked him about that this morning, asked if Quatre remembered saying anything to Master Habsaba the night before. Quatre was greatly upset that he couldn't remember speaking with Master Habsaba, he owed the man so much for taking him away from his father and giving him to Rashid, he didn't think he'd ever be able to repay that kindness.
With a smile Auda turned from Ralph and Trowa. "Morning Quatre. Did you sleep well last night?" Quatre sensed it, a strange emotion that settled over the occupants of the room as they waited for his answer. But he didn't know these people very well, none except for Rashid and Trowa, so he simply nodded his head and looked anywhere but Auda's face. As if by magnetism, he found himself looking at Trowa.
For a moment their eyes met, and Quatre felt that strange feeling again in the pit of his stomach. Suddenly terrified that it was another food episode like in the hospital, Quatre quickly looked away and buried his head in Rashid's shoulder, willing his Teacher to make him feel better.
"Good morning, Quatre."
And then that twisting turning feeling was back full force in his stomach, and Quatre looked up to smile kindly at Trowa, before ducking back and praying for mercy, just this once. Trowa's voice was so soft, softer than even his, and the way Trowa said his name, like it was important, it just confused him more to think about it.
Quatre was too caught up in his own stomach to notice that the adults in the room all fell silent when Trowa spoke to him.
Rashid was the first to recover. "Auda, where would you like Quatre to sit?"
"Oh! Right. You can just put him in that desk to your left, the one across the aisle from Trowa's." The man's voice was flustered for a moment but he quickly fell into what Quatre assumed was his teacher mode. "Right! Ok, morning to the both of you. Today you're going to be taking what are known as Aptitude Placement Tests or APT's. Trowa, I heard Heero telling you about them yesterday at the party and he was right, they're not designed to find out who's stupid or smart, only where you are right now so I can start you on a learning tract, fancy words for how I'm going to teach you.
"First, Ralph, Rashid, I don't mind if you both stay during the testing, in fact it might be better that way, but you'll both have to stay in the back of the room."
It was fast, a flash of worry that Rashid must have seen because two large warm hands found their way to gently press against Quatre's cheeks. "You will do fine, Quatre. I will be right behind you the entire time. Do your best, that is all I ask of you." He didn't trust his voice, the idea of being even three steps away from Rashid when he couldn't even move on his own was terrifying. But Rashid had promised him that he'd be right behind him, so Quatre had faith; which was the only thing he had right now anyway.
"Ok, second, have either one of you had any type of formal schooling? By that I mean have either one of you had either a classroom experience or maybe private tutors?" The first part of the question was directed at Trowa, the second at himself, there was no mistaking it. He knew that most children born into the type of wealth he had been should have received private tutoring in all forms of subjects. But his father hadn't believed in wasting the money until he was sure Quatre could be cured, and when the reprogrammer had finally given up, there wasn't a point.
Eyes downcast in shame, Quatre didn't dare look up at Auda. It wasn't that he was prideful, after the life he'd been forced to lead pride wasn't an issue, but it meant that he was stupid, it meant that his secret might come out, and he refused to let Rashid see it unless there was no other alternative.
There was a lengthy pause, and in desperation, Quatre hazarded a look in Trowa's direction--and then froze. Trowa's head was down too.
Auda cleared his throat. "There's nothing wrong with not having a formal education. I only had three years of it before my family put me into reprogramming--"
Instantly, Quatre's head shot up to stare at the man before him. Eyes wide with fear, and.not hope, hope would be cruel.but a kinship with someone, someone who understood what he'd been through. Quatre didn't see Trowa's head come up as well, his eyes going immediately to Quatre.
Auda gave a sad smile. "Yeah, that's right Quatre. I was in reprogramming for almost a year. It's not something I generally talk about, and I'm sure you understand why, but if you ever need someone to talk to about what happened, well, that's what I'm here for."
If it was anything like what he'd been through, Quatre understood it wasn't something anyone would want to talk about. But the offer had been spoken kindly, and Quatre found himself trusting the man to his word--Auda would make himself available should Quatre need someone to talk with. It was kind of him and something about that hurt.
He nodded mutely.
"Right, well, like I was saying, no harm in no education, that's one of the reasons you're here after all. Here's how this works. Before the both of you is a computer monitor. When the testing begins, the monitor with display the questions. Just touch the box on the screen that has the answer to the question. Each question will have five answers, A-D are actually answers to choose from while E is 'I don't know'. Don't be afraid to choose E, missing one answer doesn't mean anything.
"There are two hundred questions on the first part of the test, which is the verbal component. This will test your skills in verbal communication, along with science, history, and a few other odds and ends. We'll move on after you're both finished. The questions get harder as you go, but don't worry about that. Try to answer each question as well as you can, points are given for the closest answer as well as the correct one. Do either of you have any questions?"
It seemed pretty straightforward to him, but he glanced at Trowa to see if he'd missed some obvious question. But Trowa was staring at the screen, and Quatre quickly turned back to his own monitor.
"Ok, you may begin as soon as the first question appears on your screen." With that Auda sat down and the screen before Quatre jumped to life, displaying in vivid color the first question.
What color is displayed in the box below?
Red
Yellow
Green
Blue
I Don't Know
The color was Yellow, Quatre touched the second box.
What shape is displayed below?
Circle
Triangle
Square
Rectangle
I Don't Know
It was a circle, Quatre touched the first box.
Which of the following objects is larger?
Cat
Tree
Ant
Mountain
I Don't Know
What a silly question, Quatre pushed the forth box.
What sound does--
"Trowa, do you want me to repeat the instructions?" Auda's voice cut through the silence, and Quatre quickly turned his attention to his friend.
Trowa sat with his hands in his lap, his eyes looking at Auda with cool indifference. With a shake of his head Trowa spoke. "No. I understood the directions."
There should have been a moment of confusion, a few more questions directed at Trowa to discover the problem. But it seemed Auda was used to this kind of response--no other questions needed except for one.
"Trowa, do you know how to read?"
Trowa's voice held no shame.
"No."
Instinctively, Quatre knew there should be tension, but it wasn't there. Nothing, but Quatre felt it, he sensed it because it was so much like how he himself felt, that need to be better than he was, not for himself, but for his Teacher--Trowa to Ralph.
Quatre's words cut through Auda's voice. "I could read you the questions if you want me to, Trowa."
Large emerald eyes dropped into ocean depths, and Quatre wondered at the quickening of his heart. But nothing could deny the shift, the way Trowa's eyes moved from that indifferent look of ice to that gaze of warmth. A small smile appeared on Trowa's lips, and Quatre found himself answering it in kind.
"Thank you, Quatre."
"You don't have to thank me; I know you'd do the same for me."
There was a startled look then, as if Trowa hadn't considered that. Then, with another warm smile Trowa very softly nodded his head.
"Yes, yes I would."
Auda cleared his throat and broke the spell. "That's very kind of you, Quatre, but we'll just have you both take the test with the computer reading the words. I'm going to restart the test, the words will still be on the screen, so Quatre, if you want to move ahead that's fine. Otherwise, the computer will read through each question, and Trowa, if you need it to repeat the question, just hit the button that flashes at the bottom of the screen. Ok, let's take the test!"
An hour and a half later, Quatre answer the last question prompted by the computerized voice before folding his hands neatly in his lap. Taking a deep breath, he turned to glance behind him--he hadn't looked at Rashid once throughout the entire test. His Teacher smiled back at him kindly, and Quatre felt his confidence boost before hearing the beep of the test's completion and turned to look at Trowa.
Quatre watched as Trowa closed his eyes, drew in a deep breath, nodded to himself, and then turned to look back at Ralph. Then, as if they were caught in the same groove, he turned to look at Quatre and offered a weak smile. Quatre returned the gesture just as Auda stood up.
"Ok, while the two of you take the last part of the test, the computer will grade this one. This is the mathematics portion of the APT. Don't be intimidated by it, it's just math. Do your best and remember that points get awarded for close answers as well as correct ones. You may both begin as soon as the questions appear."
It was as if his heart had stopped dead in his chest. Quatre felt the cold fear travel down his back as the sweats of terror trickled down his back. Not this. Not his secret. Oh please Allah, be merciful, not this, not in front of Rashid.
The first question appeared, and Quatre heard the mechanical voice of the computer as if through layers of cotton and the ringing in his ears.
"1+1=?
1
2
4
11
I Don't Know"
The shaking started somewhere during the computer's dialogue, somewhere between the first box and the last. His mind fumbled through everything he'd ever read, trying to determine the answer. Oh God, this couldn't happen, he couldn't be found out so soon! Please, not in front of Rashid.not in front of Trowa.
Quatre pushed the repeat button at the bottom of the screen.
"1+1=?
1
2
4
11
I Don't Know"
Ok, it's just like reading. That.first mark.the straight vertical line, that must be a one. Ok, now the cross shape, that must be the plus part. The computer said one twice, and there are only two symbols that are identical, so the straight line has to be the one. Next is the two horizontal lines, the computer said equals. Alright, plus means together, equals means total. So it must be one together with one totals.
With shaking fingers and his heart beating wildly, Quatre selected the second to the last box.
He breathed out a sigh of relief when the question disappeared, only to panic again when it was replaced by another.
"2+3=?"
2
5
6
23
I Don't Know"
Ok, ok, Quatre, you can do this, it's just like teaching yourself to read. Ok, the first symbol is two, then there's the plus again, that must be the three, and finally the equals again. Two together with three totals.
Quatre selected the second to the bottom answer again.
Then, just as before, the question disappeared only to be replaced by another, and Quatre felt his heart struggle not to explode in his chest.
"5-2=?
3
1
4
25
I Don't Know"
Oh God, this wasn't like the others! Where was the cross? The together symbol?! He couldn't do this! Rashid would find out just how stupid he really was! NO! What if Rashid didn't want a stupid Recruit?! What if Rashid didn't want to take the time to helping someone as stupid as he was?! What if Maguanacs had to at least pass the math part of the test before they were allowed to stay?! What if he didn't pass and they made him leave, go back to his father?! NO! That can't happen!
He didn't know he was sobbing, didn't know he'd made a sound until he sense the presence of someone close by him. Startled at Auda's sudden appearance by him, Quatre recoiled, drawing his hands to his chest to defend himself. The silent tears still tracking down his cheeks.
"Quatre, it's alright. Math can be hard for a lot of people. All you have to do is your best. If you don't know--"
If he didn't know.NO! He had to know the answers--all of them! He wouldn't be sent away, he couldn't be! He'd die if they sent him back!
The panic and desperation seeped into his eyes, but Quatre didn't care. With a desperate lunge, he slammed his finger onto the computer monitor, not caring what it hit.
There are only five answers, only five, and none of them said that the answer wasn't there. Then there's the 'I Don't Know' that's not an answer, only an admission of incompetence. There are only four potential answers, only four, by luck alone a person should get one out of four right! He would pass the test, he would stay, they couldn't make him go, he wouldn't! He'd die if they sent him back.
Auda glanced at the screen before standing and going back to his desk. It was when Auda moved that Quatre saw Trowa's face. The boy was quiet, but his face was written in understanding and pain. Understanding of what was happening, pain because he knew what it was like to disappoint his Teacher. Quatre turned away from the sight.
Then Auda was back, in his hand six bright yellow hexagon flat blocks. Carefully, he laid each one down on top of Quatre's desk until they formed two columns and three rows. When Quatre looked up at him, Auda smiled.
"Quatre, how many blocks are here? Can you tell me that?"
Silently, Quatre turned back to the blocks and counted the way his sisters had taught him a long time ago, back when they still cared.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
"S-six?" A question, his voice's admission that he might not be right.
"Very good, six. Now, how many are there?" Auda shifted four from the desk and back into his hand.
Quatre counted.
One.
Two.
"Two?"
"Good. Now, if I add two to those two that you already have, like this. How many do you have now?"
Again, he counted silently, each number in his head, assigning it to a block.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
This time with more confidence. "Four."
"Good job. Now, if I do this, how many do you have?" With one sweep, Auda removed all the blocks from the desk.
Quatre blinked. "I don't have.any."
"That's right, what number represents none?"
Represents none? Quatre looked up, confusion in his eyes.
And then, something profound seemed to dawn in Auda. Lifting his hand he picked up the pen like stylist used to convert strange lines into things the computer recognized as letters. With a quick circular movement, Auda drew an oval on the screen.
"OK, Quatre, what number is that?"
Number?! It must be a trick, Auda was trying to trick him! Anger welled up in Quatre; he was doing everything in his power to keep from being thrown out of the Maguanacs and this man he didn't even know was trying to trick him!
Quatre's eyes were cold when they turned to Auda. "It's an oval."
Auda paused, but the light didn't leave his eyes. "That's right, Quatre, it is an oval, but it represents a number. What number does it represent? I'll give you a hint, it's the same number that represents how many blocks are on your desk."
But there weren't any blocks on his desk! What was going on!?
Suddenly, Auda reached for the stylist again, this time drawing a vertical line. "How about this number Quatre, do you know what number this represents?"
The vertical line, it was the same from the first question.
"One?"
"How about this number?"
From the second question.
"Two?"
"And this number?"
"Three?"
"How about this number, Quatre?"
Two vertical lines, the one on the left half the length of the one on the right, then a horizontal line that touched the bottom of the short vertical line and crossed the long one. He'd seen it before, but had no idea what it was.
This was it. Auda was going to tell Rashid he was un-teachable, that nothing would ever make Quatre smart, that it was a waste of time to try. Rashid would send him back then, what was the point keeping around an idiotic boy who couldn't even do math or walk, who was sick, carrying some strange disease, and was a damaged empath. No, this couldn't happen!
"Quatre's it's ok not to know the--"
"NO!" With a violent push, Quatre tried to stand, to get away from the man before him, the one that had exposed him for the worthless boy his father had always claimed him to be. But his strength was far from returned, and with a dramatic shift, he crashed onto the dark blue carpeting.
"Quatre!" Funny, through all the people calling his name he only heard Trowa's voice. Thin and yet battle worn fingers went to his arm and upper back, stabilizing him. A brush of coarse hair as the tip of a set of bangs brushed against his cheek. Trowa had pushed Auda out of the way, Trowa was the one supporting him.
Through his sobs, the words fell as Quatre felt the others closing in on him.
".so-sorry.so sor-rry. St-stupid, stupid.s-sorry."
"You are not stupid, Quatre!" That was Rashid's voice, and instinctively, Quatre eased away from Trowa until Rashid caught him up into his arms and deposited him into the giant's wide lap. One large hand stroked his hair, while the other lifted Quatre's hand and held it against Rashid's chest, over his heart. "You are not stupid, Quatre. None of this is your fault. Your father should have taught you these things, should have told you again and again how smart and caring you are. But the past cannot be undo, and so you will have to learn now, but that does not make you stupid! Untaught, perhaps, but not stupid. You are bright and energetic about learning, I have seen that in the way you look at the world around you. This is only temporary, Quatre, you will see, you are not stupid, but extremely smart."
His hand against Rashid's heart told him that his Teacher spoke the truth, at least the truth he knew. But the others might still make him leave, they might send him away as a lost cause. He had to know, had to find out.
In his desperation, Quatre's question came out as a plea for sanctuary. "Please don't let them send me away, Rashid! Please! I'll get smarter, I promise! I promise! Please don't send me back! Please don't send me back to my father! Please, Rashid! Please!"
Rashid's shock never made it through to Quatre, but Trowa's anger did.
"If you send him back, I'm leaving as well. I'll go with him!" Trowa's voice was stone cold, like Gundanium in unshielded space.
But Trowa's voice was as warm as his hand against Quatre's face when he spoke next. "Don't worry, Quatre. I'll stay with you, no matter where you go. I won't let anyone hurt you, not ever again."
Trowa's hand wasn't over his heart, but Quatre knew the words just spoken were more truth and promise than any he'd ever heard in his life, not from his father and not even from Rashid. Trowa would protect him and stay with him, no matter what.no matter what.
"Quatre, neither myself nor anyone else would ever send you away." Rashid's voice, tempered with disbelief and the absolute need to make Quatre understand. "You are one of us, Quatre, a Maguanac, and we do not abandon our own. The test you took was designed to tell Auda how much you knew, not whether or not you were smart or stupid. It is not a measuring tool to decide if I keep you or send you back, you are here, and here you will stay. Do not be afraid, your membership as a Maguanac is for life, not even death will separate you from us. No one will ever send you back to your father, Quatre, you are safe here to truly be who you are."
It was too perfect, too exact. But Quatre wanted to believe, desperately wanted to believe that he was safe, that Rashid would teach him, that he'd grow smarter, that Trowa would protect him always. It was to desperately perfect, and Quatre found he didn't dare consider the alternative.
With a weak nod and a silent sob, he crumpled against Rashid's chest, both of his hands pressing against his heart, his breathing shallow at best. He was tired, and still hurting, still frightened by the possibilities of what could happen to him. But he was weak here, nothing like before, and so he'd allow himself to depend on others until he was stronger, he had no choice in the matter.
"Trowa." Rashid's voice was calming and strong. "I am proud to hear that you would protect Quatre, both as his Teacher and as your General; it is a testament to how well Ralph is teaching you that you feel this way." Quatre didn't have to look, he felt the happiness Trowa felt at the complement Ralph received. "We would never send Quatre back though, just as we will never send you back either. The both of you are Maguanacs now and forever; and even in death it is how you will be remembered. Thank you for being willing to protect Quatre, but Trowa, let us, Ralph and the rest of us, protect you for a little while now. You deserve a little protection after all you have lived through."
It hurt Quatre's heart the pain he felt from Trowa then. But it passed quickly, that cold shield of nothingness falling where there had once been the sound of a little boy crying for mercy. It startled Quatre into raising his eyes to Trowa's.
And like him, Trowa was wrapped tightly in the arms of his Teacher, the lengthy boy resting haphazardly in Ralph's lap. But while Trowa's eyes gave nothing away as they stared back into his own, Quatre knew below the shields, Trowa was in need of this reassurance just as much as he was.
With a smile, Quatre lifted his hand out to Trowa, and wasn't at all surprised when the other boy took it. "I'm an empath." Puzzled, Trowa nodded his agreement--everyone knew now. "I know when people are lying and telling the truth, sometimes its hard for me, I don't.don't know how to read it all yet. But I know what Rashid said was true.all of it. It's scary, I'm scared all the time, but.I think, I don't have to be anymore. You don't have to be scared either, Trowa. I can tell, Ralph feels the same way as Rashid. I.I think we're safe now." The last sentence was a spoken revelation even to Quatre, and with a start he realize it was true. Turning back to Rashid, Quatre buried his head against his Teacher's neck, and slowly let the truth fall into place around him.
* * *
"It's incredible actually. I'd almost think they rigged the test or something. It's just.well, it's nearly impossible how their scores came out." Auda was pacing the room, his disbelief clearly written in every gesture he made.
"Perhaps, Auda, you could explain a bit better than that." Rashid had been waiting patiently for nearly five hours. After Quatre's episode, both he and Trowa had settled back into the test. Once the math was completed, the written part came, and Rashid was extremely grateful that Quatre had learned with the math that it was alright to fail. Still it had been horrifying to watch his youngest Recruit struggle to tell Auda that he couldn't even write his name. That while he could read--how well Rashid was about to find out--he couldn't write a single word, or even spell the things he knew how to read. Rashid hadn't thought it was possible, but as Auda had displayed letter after letter, only to discover that Quatre had no idea what the symbol stood for, Rashid had been forced into the truth of the matter.
"Quatre, what does this say?" By this time Quatre had been agitated, his failures weighing heavily on him. Rashid could tell this easily, no empathic abilities required, it was obvious by the way the boy had continued to turn to look at him, reaffirming that Rashid would not abandon him.
"Cat."
"Good, now spell 'cat'." The word had been removed from the screen, and Quatre had again glanced behind him.
Head downcast in shame, Quatre had spoken a reality Rashid had been forced to realize. "I-I can't."
"How about now, Quatre, can you spell it by looking at it?" The letters were back on the screen, and Rashid could see the determination in Quatre not to fail, ebb away as even his Recruit realized the truth.
".no."
But Auda had been undeterred. "Quatre can you tell me what letter this is?"
Rashid knew it had been an 'A', Quatre had not.
A quick glance behind, one more desperate search to make sure the promise still stood.
".no."
They'd gone through every letter, and while Trowa had been able to recite the alphabet and knew the letters on sight, Quatre had not. The small blond had been able to recite a portion of the alphabet song, something Rashid assumed Quatre remembered from his childhood before the gene test. But the boy had no understanding of the symbols that represented letters, and numbers beyond one, two, and three were just as much a foreign language.
Trowa had been able to sign his name, Quatre had not. Trowa had been able to spell some small words, and some unsettling words like 'Gundanium' and 'bullet', but it all escaped Quatre.
That had been five hours ago, and now, while Quatre and Trowa waited in the Classroom, he, Ralph, and Auda had moved into another to learn the boys' placements.
"Rashid, it's like this: Trowa can't read, Quatre can't do math. Trowa can spell a little, but Quatre can't even recognize the symbols for letters or numbers. Quatre also can't write a thing. So you'd think Quatre would have barely scored on the verbal, same for Trowa, but that's not what happened!" Standing from his desk, Auda began to pace again.
"I don't think I've ever heard of anyone getting test scores this high before! Especially after what they've been through, no schooling whatsoever. But Quatre's only fifteen, a self taught reader, and he scored 196 out of 200! Those are questions ranging from kindergarten to college level fourth year! And the questions he missed were the only four that mentioned numbers--which we now know he can't read. Do you understand what that means? Quatre's smart, not just smart, he's brilliant! Genius level even! Everything he knows he's taught himself, everything. As long as I kept math and written questions off his test, I could probably hand him his college degree in any subject he wanted! Literature, science, history, it doesn't matter, he knew it all! Allah in heaven, the math questions he missed came from the fifth year level in basic! I don't know if there's anything in these subjects that I could teach him, he's smarter than I am!
"And Trowa! For a boy of seventeen, with no education--hell he couldn't even read the questions, he still scored a 102! Let me put it to you both this way, at seventeen, provided that he was in eleventh year basic, he still shouldn't have been able to top 110--as the top student in his class! I don't know how he got so smart, I have no idea, but he's right where he should be had he attended classes from day one! But that's just his verbal! I-I just can't explain his math.
"Trowa, the Trowa that by all rights should know nothing is a mathematical genius! There are 200 questions on the test, and he got every single one of them right! He didn't miss one! Besides the fact that he'd need to write a thesis paper, I could give him the college exam test today and hand him his diploma in advanced mathematics and calculus tomorrow! It's impossible really, I don't know how.there just isn't any way!"
"When I tested, Heero, Duo and Wufei five years ago, I thought I'd seen the smartest Recruits ever, what with scores almost six levels beyond where they should have been, but this, Trowa and Quatre, they're not just smart, they're brilliant! But the way it broke down, that strange connection they have together that everyone's talking about.Quatre good in the verbal, Trowa good in the math, and neither one of the them being able to write or spell, it's just.eerie."
Mouths open in shock, Rashid and Ralph both had to agree.
* * *
"So I'm not stupid?" He and Trowa had been quietly waiting in the Classroom for their fates. They'd both been so nervous, they hadn't even talked to each other.
"You would never have been stupid, Quatre. But, I'd like to know how you learned to read, and how you studied so much." Auda had come in five minutes ago, and given both Trowa and himself an explanation of their scores. Both boys had been shocked.
Quatre shrugged slightly. "The computer could read the words to me, but it took too long, so I started watching and listening. I-I just stared doing it. And.there wasn't much else to do on the satellite." He felt Rashid tighten his grip on his shoulder.
Auda nodded before turning to Trowa. "How about you, Trowa, how did you study math?"
Trowa seemed to consider not answering for a moment. His voice was dead when he spoke. "You had to know how many bullets you had left, and how many the other side did as well. Not knowing would get you killed. Math wasn't hard. I traded.things.for books. That's all."
But Quatre knew that wasn't all, he'd felt it in the word 'things' the pain, the horror, the torment. It was agony at best, and Quatre quickly pulled Rashid's hand from his should to hold against his chest for comfort.
Auda too, must have sensed it, the subject was dropped.
"Well, the both of you are surprisingly strong in the other's weakness. Since you're both new Recruits, I think it would be a good idea for the two of you to study together; you can help each other learn that way. I gave Ralph and Rashid datapads with what you'll both need for classes. You can get all your supplies on the shop computer, which will probably take a few days. In the mean time, the both of you will come to the Classroom for three hours out of everyday and attend classes with me. Actually, for the most part, you'll be attending classes with Heero, Duo, and Wufei as well, since in a lot of ways you both are at their levels. We'll talk more about that tomorrow when I see you for class. In the mean time, I've given you both a small assignment--your Teachers have them. Don't worry, it won't take too much time." And then, with a wink, they were sent home.
Back at the apartment, Quatre elected to sit at the table to copy the alphabet onto a datapad with a stylist--his homework for the night--while Abdule cooked.
"So how'd you do?" Rashid had gone to see Master Habsaba soon after their return.
"I think I did ok. Auda said I was going to be taking some courses for college credit in literature and history. That's good right?" He'd asked because Abdule had dropped the potato cake he was flipping.
"College credit?"
"Yeah, that's what he said. But I'm still an idiot, no matter what Rashid said. I don't know how to write, I can't spell, and I still don't understand how two vertical lines and one horizontal can mean four. I didn't get a single one right on the math part." His said the last part with his head down, completely missing Abdule's stunned expression.
"Wait. You're going to be taking college level classes? And you can't.write? Is that why you're copying the alphabet at the dinner table?" Dejectedly he nodded. "That's incredible!"
Stunned, Quatre looked up. "What?"
"Quatre, do you know how hard it is to impress Auda?! That guy's brilliant, a genius actually! If he put you into college courses, you better believe you're one smart cookie. What were your scores anyway?"
Feeling slightly more confident, Quatre answered. "I got a 196 on the verbal and.nothing on the math, I couldn't even answer the first question right."
But Abdule didn't seem to notice the shortcomings. "196 on the verbal. Oh my God! Quatre, what year did the colonies pass Article eighty-six of the Colonial Constitution?"
"139 AC."
"If you have two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, what element do you have?"
"Water."
"Who wrote, Of Mice and Men?"
"John Steinbeck."
Abdule stood stunned and staring at Quatre for a long time, long enough for Quatre to feel very worried.
"Abdule, do you want me to get one wrong?"
Suddenly his brother smiled. "No, Quatre, I don't want you to get one wrong. That's incredible, how much you know. You'll have to tell me sometime how you learned all that. But I think now, you should finish your homework, and eat, then how's about you show me how to tune that violin again, I keep forgetting."
Quatre smiled. "OK."
In the morning, Quatre was still too weak to walk to what was known as the Classroom; it didn't matter really though, because Rashid had planed to stay with him during the testing anyway.
As Rashid carried Quatre into the room that looked so much like classrooms did on the vid, Quatre was instantly set at ease about the upcoming tests. Rashid had told him it was nothing to worry about, but Quatre wanted so very badly to do well, not for himself of course, he knew he was stupid, it didn't take his father's constant reminders about that fact either. No, he knew he was stupid because he had a secret, one he hoped wouldn't be called upon today.
The man at the front of the Classroom was Auda, Quatre remembered him from yesterday, though for some reason, Auda was the last person Quatre remembered talking too before falling asleep. Rashid had asked him about that this morning, asked if Quatre remembered saying anything to Master Habsaba the night before. Quatre was greatly upset that he couldn't remember speaking with Master Habsaba, he owed the man so much for taking him away from his father and giving him to Rashid, he didn't think he'd ever be able to repay that kindness.
With a smile Auda turned from Ralph and Trowa. "Morning Quatre. Did you sleep well last night?" Quatre sensed it, a strange emotion that settled over the occupants of the room as they waited for his answer. But he didn't know these people very well, none except for Rashid and Trowa, so he simply nodded his head and looked anywhere but Auda's face. As if by magnetism, he found himself looking at Trowa.
For a moment their eyes met, and Quatre felt that strange feeling again in the pit of his stomach. Suddenly terrified that it was another food episode like in the hospital, Quatre quickly looked away and buried his head in Rashid's shoulder, willing his Teacher to make him feel better.
"Good morning, Quatre."
And then that twisting turning feeling was back full force in his stomach, and Quatre looked up to smile kindly at Trowa, before ducking back and praying for mercy, just this once. Trowa's voice was so soft, softer than even his, and the way Trowa said his name, like it was important, it just confused him more to think about it.
Quatre was too caught up in his own stomach to notice that the adults in the room all fell silent when Trowa spoke to him.
Rashid was the first to recover. "Auda, where would you like Quatre to sit?"
"Oh! Right. You can just put him in that desk to your left, the one across the aisle from Trowa's." The man's voice was flustered for a moment but he quickly fell into what Quatre assumed was his teacher mode. "Right! Ok, morning to the both of you. Today you're going to be taking what are known as Aptitude Placement Tests or APT's. Trowa, I heard Heero telling you about them yesterday at the party and he was right, they're not designed to find out who's stupid or smart, only where you are right now so I can start you on a learning tract, fancy words for how I'm going to teach you.
"First, Ralph, Rashid, I don't mind if you both stay during the testing, in fact it might be better that way, but you'll both have to stay in the back of the room."
It was fast, a flash of worry that Rashid must have seen because two large warm hands found their way to gently press against Quatre's cheeks. "You will do fine, Quatre. I will be right behind you the entire time. Do your best, that is all I ask of you." He didn't trust his voice, the idea of being even three steps away from Rashid when he couldn't even move on his own was terrifying. But Rashid had promised him that he'd be right behind him, so Quatre had faith; which was the only thing he had right now anyway.
"Ok, second, have either one of you had any type of formal schooling? By that I mean have either one of you had either a classroom experience or maybe private tutors?" The first part of the question was directed at Trowa, the second at himself, there was no mistaking it. He knew that most children born into the type of wealth he had been should have received private tutoring in all forms of subjects. But his father hadn't believed in wasting the money until he was sure Quatre could be cured, and when the reprogrammer had finally given up, there wasn't a point.
Eyes downcast in shame, Quatre didn't dare look up at Auda. It wasn't that he was prideful, after the life he'd been forced to lead pride wasn't an issue, but it meant that he was stupid, it meant that his secret might come out, and he refused to let Rashid see it unless there was no other alternative.
There was a lengthy pause, and in desperation, Quatre hazarded a look in Trowa's direction--and then froze. Trowa's head was down too.
Auda cleared his throat. "There's nothing wrong with not having a formal education. I only had three years of it before my family put me into reprogramming--"
Instantly, Quatre's head shot up to stare at the man before him. Eyes wide with fear, and.not hope, hope would be cruel.but a kinship with someone, someone who understood what he'd been through. Quatre didn't see Trowa's head come up as well, his eyes going immediately to Quatre.
Auda gave a sad smile. "Yeah, that's right Quatre. I was in reprogramming for almost a year. It's not something I generally talk about, and I'm sure you understand why, but if you ever need someone to talk to about what happened, well, that's what I'm here for."
If it was anything like what he'd been through, Quatre understood it wasn't something anyone would want to talk about. But the offer had been spoken kindly, and Quatre found himself trusting the man to his word--Auda would make himself available should Quatre need someone to talk with. It was kind of him and something about that hurt.
He nodded mutely.
"Right, well, like I was saying, no harm in no education, that's one of the reasons you're here after all. Here's how this works. Before the both of you is a computer monitor. When the testing begins, the monitor with display the questions. Just touch the box on the screen that has the answer to the question. Each question will have five answers, A-D are actually answers to choose from while E is 'I don't know'. Don't be afraid to choose E, missing one answer doesn't mean anything.
"There are two hundred questions on the first part of the test, which is the verbal component. This will test your skills in verbal communication, along with science, history, and a few other odds and ends. We'll move on after you're both finished. The questions get harder as you go, but don't worry about that. Try to answer each question as well as you can, points are given for the closest answer as well as the correct one. Do either of you have any questions?"
It seemed pretty straightforward to him, but he glanced at Trowa to see if he'd missed some obvious question. But Trowa was staring at the screen, and Quatre quickly turned back to his own monitor.
"Ok, you may begin as soon as the first question appears on your screen." With that Auda sat down and the screen before Quatre jumped to life, displaying in vivid color the first question.
What color is displayed in the box below?
Red
Yellow
Green
Blue
I Don't Know
The color was Yellow, Quatre touched the second box.
What shape is displayed below?
Circle
Triangle
Square
Rectangle
I Don't Know
It was a circle, Quatre touched the first box.
Which of the following objects is larger?
Cat
Tree
Ant
Mountain
I Don't Know
What a silly question, Quatre pushed the forth box.
What sound does--
"Trowa, do you want me to repeat the instructions?" Auda's voice cut through the silence, and Quatre quickly turned his attention to his friend.
Trowa sat with his hands in his lap, his eyes looking at Auda with cool indifference. With a shake of his head Trowa spoke. "No. I understood the directions."
There should have been a moment of confusion, a few more questions directed at Trowa to discover the problem. But it seemed Auda was used to this kind of response--no other questions needed except for one.
"Trowa, do you know how to read?"
Trowa's voice held no shame.
"No."
Instinctively, Quatre knew there should be tension, but it wasn't there. Nothing, but Quatre felt it, he sensed it because it was so much like how he himself felt, that need to be better than he was, not for himself, but for his Teacher--Trowa to Ralph.
Quatre's words cut through Auda's voice. "I could read you the questions if you want me to, Trowa."
Large emerald eyes dropped into ocean depths, and Quatre wondered at the quickening of his heart. But nothing could deny the shift, the way Trowa's eyes moved from that indifferent look of ice to that gaze of warmth. A small smile appeared on Trowa's lips, and Quatre found himself answering it in kind.
"Thank you, Quatre."
"You don't have to thank me; I know you'd do the same for me."
There was a startled look then, as if Trowa hadn't considered that. Then, with another warm smile Trowa very softly nodded his head.
"Yes, yes I would."
Auda cleared his throat and broke the spell. "That's very kind of you, Quatre, but we'll just have you both take the test with the computer reading the words. I'm going to restart the test, the words will still be on the screen, so Quatre, if you want to move ahead that's fine. Otherwise, the computer will read through each question, and Trowa, if you need it to repeat the question, just hit the button that flashes at the bottom of the screen. Ok, let's take the test!"
An hour and a half later, Quatre answer the last question prompted by the computerized voice before folding his hands neatly in his lap. Taking a deep breath, he turned to glance behind him--he hadn't looked at Rashid once throughout the entire test. His Teacher smiled back at him kindly, and Quatre felt his confidence boost before hearing the beep of the test's completion and turned to look at Trowa.
Quatre watched as Trowa closed his eyes, drew in a deep breath, nodded to himself, and then turned to look back at Ralph. Then, as if they were caught in the same groove, he turned to look at Quatre and offered a weak smile. Quatre returned the gesture just as Auda stood up.
"Ok, while the two of you take the last part of the test, the computer will grade this one. This is the mathematics portion of the APT. Don't be intimidated by it, it's just math. Do your best and remember that points get awarded for close answers as well as correct ones. You may both begin as soon as the questions appear."
It was as if his heart had stopped dead in his chest. Quatre felt the cold fear travel down his back as the sweats of terror trickled down his back. Not this. Not his secret. Oh please Allah, be merciful, not this, not in front of Rashid.
The first question appeared, and Quatre heard the mechanical voice of the computer as if through layers of cotton and the ringing in his ears.
"1+1=?
1
2
4
11
I Don't Know"
The shaking started somewhere during the computer's dialogue, somewhere between the first box and the last. His mind fumbled through everything he'd ever read, trying to determine the answer. Oh God, this couldn't happen, he couldn't be found out so soon! Please, not in front of Rashid.not in front of Trowa.
Quatre pushed the repeat button at the bottom of the screen.
"1+1=?
1
2
4
11
I Don't Know"
Ok, it's just like reading. That.first mark.the straight vertical line, that must be a one. Ok, now the cross shape, that must be the plus part. The computer said one twice, and there are only two symbols that are identical, so the straight line has to be the one. Next is the two horizontal lines, the computer said equals. Alright, plus means together, equals means total. So it must be one together with one totals.
With shaking fingers and his heart beating wildly, Quatre selected the second to the last box.
He breathed out a sigh of relief when the question disappeared, only to panic again when it was replaced by another.
"2+3=?"
2
5
6
23
I Don't Know"
Ok, ok, Quatre, you can do this, it's just like teaching yourself to read. Ok, the first symbol is two, then there's the plus again, that must be the three, and finally the equals again. Two together with three totals.
Quatre selected the second to the bottom answer again.
Then, just as before, the question disappeared only to be replaced by another, and Quatre felt his heart struggle not to explode in his chest.
"5-2=?
3
1
4
25
I Don't Know"
Oh God, this wasn't like the others! Where was the cross? The together symbol?! He couldn't do this! Rashid would find out just how stupid he really was! NO! What if Rashid didn't want a stupid Recruit?! What if Rashid didn't want to take the time to helping someone as stupid as he was?! What if Maguanacs had to at least pass the math part of the test before they were allowed to stay?! What if he didn't pass and they made him leave, go back to his father?! NO! That can't happen!
He didn't know he was sobbing, didn't know he'd made a sound until he sense the presence of someone close by him. Startled at Auda's sudden appearance by him, Quatre recoiled, drawing his hands to his chest to defend himself. The silent tears still tracking down his cheeks.
"Quatre, it's alright. Math can be hard for a lot of people. All you have to do is your best. If you don't know--"
If he didn't know.NO! He had to know the answers--all of them! He wouldn't be sent away, he couldn't be! He'd die if they sent him back!
The panic and desperation seeped into his eyes, but Quatre didn't care. With a desperate lunge, he slammed his finger onto the computer monitor, not caring what it hit.
There are only five answers, only five, and none of them said that the answer wasn't there. Then there's the 'I Don't Know' that's not an answer, only an admission of incompetence. There are only four potential answers, only four, by luck alone a person should get one out of four right! He would pass the test, he would stay, they couldn't make him go, he wouldn't! He'd die if they sent him back.
Auda glanced at the screen before standing and going back to his desk. It was when Auda moved that Quatre saw Trowa's face. The boy was quiet, but his face was written in understanding and pain. Understanding of what was happening, pain because he knew what it was like to disappoint his Teacher. Quatre turned away from the sight.
Then Auda was back, in his hand six bright yellow hexagon flat blocks. Carefully, he laid each one down on top of Quatre's desk until they formed two columns and three rows. When Quatre looked up at him, Auda smiled.
"Quatre, how many blocks are here? Can you tell me that?"
Silently, Quatre turned back to the blocks and counted the way his sisters had taught him a long time ago, back when they still cared.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
"S-six?" A question, his voice's admission that he might not be right.
"Very good, six. Now, how many are there?" Auda shifted four from the desk and back into his hand.
Quatre counted.
One.
Two.
"Two?"
"Good. Now, if I add two to those two that you already have, like this. How many do you have now?"
Again, he counted silently, each number in his head, assigning it to a block.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
This time with more confidence. "Four."
"Good job. Now, if I do this, how many do you have?" With one sweep, Auda removed all the blocks from the desk.
Quatre blinked. "I don't have.any."
"That's right, what number represents none?"
Represents none? Quatre looked up, confusion in his eyes.
And then, something profound seemed to dawn in Auda. Lifting his hand he picked up the pen like stylist used to convert strange lines into things the computer recognized as letters. With a quick circular movement, Auda drew an oval on the screen.
"OK, Quatre, what number is that?"
Number?! It must be a trick, Auda was trying to trick him! Anger welled up in Quatre; he was doing everything in his power to keep from being thrown out of the Maguanacs and this man he didn't even know was trying to trick him!
Quatre's eyes were cold when they turned to Auda. "It's an oval."
Auda paused, but the light didn't leave his eyes. "That's right, Quatre, it is an oval, but it represents a number. What number does it represent? I'll give you a hint, it's the same number that represents how many blocks are on your desk."
But there weren't any blocks on his desk! What was going on!?
Suddenly, Auda reached for the stylist again, this time drawing a vertical line. "How about this number Quatre, do you know what number this represents?"
The vertical line, it was the same from the first question.
"One?"
"How about this number?"
From the second question.
"Two?"
"And this number?"
"Three?"
"How about this number, Quatre?"
Two vertical lines, the one on the left half the length of the one on the right, then a horizontal line that touched the bottom of the short vertical line and crossed the long one. He'd seen it before, but had no idea what it was.
This was it. Auda was going to tell Rashid he was un-teachable, that nothing would ever make Quatre smart, that it was a waste of time to try. Rashid would send him back then, what was the point keeping around an idiotic boy who couldn't even do math or walk, who was sick, carrying some strange disease, and was a damaged empath. No, this couldn't happen!
"Quatre's it's ok not to know the--"
"NO!" With a violent push, Quatre tried to stand, to get away from the man before him, the one that had exposed him for the worthless boy his father had always claimed him to be. But his strength was far from returned, and with a dramatic shift, he crashed onto the dark blue carpeting.
"Quatre!" Funny, through all the people calling his name he only heard Trowa's voice. Thin and yet battle worn fingers went to his arm and upper back, stabilizing him. A brush of coarse hair as the tip of a set of bangs brushed against his cheek. Trowa had pushed Auda out of the way, Trowa was the one supporting him.
Through his sobs, the words fell as Quatre felt the others closing in on him.
".so-sorry.so sor-rry. St-stupid, stupid.s-sorry."
"You are not stupid, Quatre!" That was Rashid's voice, and instinctively, Quatre eased away from Trowa until Rashid caught him up into his arms and deposited him into the giant's wide lap. One large hand stroked his hair, while the other lifted Quatre's hand and held it against Rashid's chest, over his heart. "You are not stupid, Quatre. None of this is your fault. Your father should have taught you these things, should have told you again and again how smart and caring you are. But the past cannot be undo, and so you will have to learn now, but that does not make you stupid! Untaught, perhaps, but not stupid. You are bright and energetic about learning, I have seen that in the way you look at the world around you. This is only temporary, Quatre, you will see, you are not stupid, but extremely smart."
His hand against Rashid's heart told him that his Teacher spoke the truth, at least the truth he knew. But the others might still make him leave, they might send him away as a lost cause. He had to know, had to find out.
In his desperation, Quatre's question came out as a plea for sanctuary. "Please don't let them send me away, Rashid! Please! I'll get smarter, I promise! I promise! Please don't send me back! Please don't send me back to my father! Please, Rashid! Please!"
Rashid's shock never made it through to Quatre, but Trowa's anger did.
"If you send him back, I'm leaving as well. I'll go with him!" Trowa's voice was stone cold, like Gundanium in unshielded space.
But Trowa's voice was as warm as his hand against Quatre's face when he spoke next. "Don't worry, Quatre. I'll stay with you, no matter where you go. I won't let anyone hurt you, not ever again."
Trowa's hand wasn't over his heart, but Quatre knew the words just spoken were more truth and promise than any he'd ever heard in his life, not from his father and not even from Rashid. Trowa would protect him and stay with him, no matter what.no matter what.
"Quatre, neither myself nor anyone else would ever send you away." Rashid's voice, tempered with disbelief and the absolute need to make Quatre understand. "You are one of us, Quatre, a Maguanac, and we do not abandon our own. The test you took was designed to tell Auda how much you knew, not whether or not you were smart or stupid. It is not a measuring tool to decide if I keep you or send you back, you are here, and here you will stay. Do not be afraid, your membership as a Maguanac is for life, not even death will separate you from us. No one will ever send you back to your father, Quatre, you are safe here to truly be who you are."
It was too perfect, too exact. But Quatre wanted to believe, desperately wanted to believe that he was safe, that Rashid would teach him, that he'd grow smarter, that Trowa would protect him always. It was to desperately perfect, and Quatre found he didn't dare consider the alternative.
With a weak nod and a silent sob, he crumpled against Rashid's chest, both of his hands pressing against his heart, his breathing shallow at best. He was tired, and still hurting, still frightened by the possibilities of what could happen to him. But he was weak here, nothing like before, and so he'd allow himself to depend on others until he was stronger, he had no choice in the matter.
"Trowa." Rashid's voice was calming and strong. "I am proud to hear that you would protect Quatre, both as his Teacher and as your General; it is a testament to how well Ralph is teaching you that you feel this way." Quatre didn't have to look, he felt the happiness Trowa felt at the complement Ralph received. "We would never send Quatre back though, just as we will never send you back either. The both of you are Maguanacs now and forever; and even in death it is how you will be remembered. Thank you for being willing to protect Quatre, but Trowa, let us, Ralph and the rest of us, protect you for a little while now. You deserve a little protection after all you have lived through."
It hurt Quatre's heart the pain he felt from Trowa then. But it passed quickly, that cold shield of nothingness falling where there had once been the sound of a little boy crying for mercy. It startled Quatre into raising his eyes to Trowa's.
And like him, Trowa was wrapped tightly in the arms of his Teacher, the lengthy boy resting haphazardly in Ralph's lap. But while Trowa's eyes gave nothing away as they stared back into his own, Quatre knew below the shields, Trowa was in need of this reassurance just as much as he was.
With a smile, Quatre lifted his hand out to Trowa, and wasn't at all surprised when the other boy took it. "I'm an empath." Puzzled, Trowa nodded his agreement--everyone knew now. "I know when people are lying and telling the truth, sometimes its hard for me, I don't.don't know how to read it all yet. But I know what Rashid said was true.all of it. It's scary, I'm scared all the time, but.I think, I don't have to be anymore. You don't have to be scared either, Trowa. I can tell, Ralph feels the same way as Rashid. I.I think we're safe now." The last sentence was a spoken revelation even to Quatre, and with a start he realize it was true. Turning back to Rashid, Quatre buried his head against his Teacher's neck, and slowly let the truth fall into place around him.
* * *
"It's incredible actually. I'd almost think they rigged the test or something. It's just.well, it's nearly impossible how their scores came out." Auda was pacing the room, his disbelief clearly written in every gesture he made.
"Perhaps, Auda, you could explain a bit better than that." Rashid had been waiting patiently for nearly five hours. After Quatre's episode, both he and Trowa had settled back into the test. Once the math was completed, the written part came, and Rashid was extremely grateful that Quatre had learned with the math that it was alright to fail. Still it had been horrifying to watch his youngest Recruit struggle to tell Auda that he couldn't even write his name. That while he could read--how well Rashid was about to find out--he couldn't write a single word, or even spell the things he knew how to read. Rashid hadn't thought it was possible, but as Auda had displayed letter after letter, only to discover that Quatre had no idea what the symbol stood for, Rashid had been forced into the truth of the matter.
"Quatre, what does this say?" By this time Quatre had been agitated, his failures weighing heavily on him. Rashid could tell this easily, no empathic abilities required, it was obvious by the way the boy had continued to turn to look at him, reaffirming that Rashid would not abandon him.
"Cat."
"Good, now spell 'cat'." The word had been removed from the screen, and Quatre had again glanced behind him.
Head downcast in shame, Quatre had spoken a reality Rashid had been forced to realize. "I-I can't."
"How about now, Quatre, can you spell it by looking at it?" The letters were back on the screen, and Rashid could see the determination in Quatre not to fail, ebb away as even his Recruit realized the truth.
".no."
But Auda had been undeterred. "Quatre can you tell me what letter this is?"
Rashid knew it had been an 'A', Quatre had not.
A quick glance behind, one more desperate search to make sure the promise still stood.
".no."
They'd gone through every letter, and while Trowa had been able to recite the alphabet and knew the letters on sight, Quatre had not. The small blond had been able to recite a portion of the alphabet song, something Rashid assumed Quatre remembered from his childhood before the gene test. But the boy had no understanding of the symbols that represented letters, and numbers beyond one, two, and three were just as much a foreign language.
Trowa had been able to sign his name, Quatre had not. Trowa had been able to spell some small words, and some unsettling words like 'Gundanium' and 'bullet', but it all escaped Quatre.
That had been five hours ago, and now, while Quatre and Trowa waited in the Classroom, he, Ralph, and Auda had moved into another to learn the boys' placements.
"Rashid, it's like this: Trowa can't read, Quatre can't do math. Trowa can spell a little, but Quatre can't even recognize the symbols for letters or numbers. Quatre also can't write a thing. So you'd think Quatre would have barely scored on the verbal, same for Trowa, but that's not what happened!" Standing from his desk, Auda began to pace again.
"I don't think I've ever heard of anyone getting test scores this high before! Especially after what they've been through, no schooling whatsoever. But Quatre's only fifteen, a self taught reader, and he scored 196 out of 200! Those are questions ranging from kindergarten to college level fourth year! And the questions he missed were the only four that mentioned numbers--which we now know he can't read. Do you understand what that means? Quatre's smart, not just smart, he's brilliant! Genius level even! Everything he knows he's taught himself, everything. As long as I kept math and written questions off his test, I could probably hand him his college degree in any subject he wanted! Literature, science, history, it doesn't matter, he knew it all! Allah in heaven, the math questions he missed came from the fifth year level in basic! I don't know if there's anything in these subjects that I could teach him, he's smarter than I am!
"And Trowa! For a boy of seventeen, with no education--hell he couldn't even read the questions, he still scored a 102! Let me put it to you both this way, at seventeen, provided that he was in eleventh year basic, he still shouldn't have been able to top 110--as the top student in his class! I don't know how he got so smart, I have no idea, but he's right where he should be had he attended classes from day one! But that's just his verbal! I-I just can't explain his math.
"Trowa, the Trowa that by all rights should know nothing is a mathematical genius! There are 200 questions on the test, and he got every single one of them right! He didn't miss one! Besides the fact that he'd need to write a thesis paper, I could give him the college exam test today and hand him his diploma in advanced mathematics and calculus tomorrow! It's impossible really, I don't know how.there just isn't any way!"
"When I tested, Heero, Duo and Wufei five years ago, I thought I'd seen the smartest Recruits ever, what with scores almost six levels beyond where they should have been, but this, Trowa and Quatre, they're not just smart, they're brilliant! But the way it broke down, that strange connection they have together that everyone's talking about.Quatre good in the verbal, Trowa good in the math, and neither one of the them being able to write or spell, it's just.eerie."
Mouths open in shock, Rashid and Ralph both had to agree.
* * *
"So I'm not stupid?" He and Trowa had been quietly waiting in the Classroom for their fates. They'd both been so nervous, they hadn't even talked to each other.
"You would never have been stupid, Quatre. But, I'd like to know how you learned to read, and how you studied so much." Auda had come in five minutes ago, and given both Trowa and himself an explanation of their scores. Both boys had been shocked.
Quatre shrugged slightly. "The computer could read the words to me, but it took too long, so I started watching and listening. I-I just stared doing it. And.there wasn't much else to do on the satellite." He felt Rashid tighten his grip on his shoulder.
Auda nodded before turning to Trowa. "How about you, Trowa, how did you study math?"
Trowa seemed to consider not answering for a moment. His voice was dead when he spoke. "You had to know how many bullets you had left, and how many the other side did as well. Not knowing would get you killed. Math wasn't hard. I traded.things.for books. That's all."
But Quatre knew that wasn't all, he'd felt it in the word 'things' the pain, the horror, the torment. It was agony at best, and Quatre quickly pulled Rashid's hand from his should to hold against his chest for comfort.
Auda too, must have sensed it, the subject was dropped.
"Well, the both of you are surprisingly strong in the other's weakness. Since you're both new Recruits, I think it would be a good idea for the two of you to study together; you can help each other learn that way. I gave Ralph and Rashid datapads with what you'll both need for classes. You can get all your supplies on the shop computer, which will probably take a few days. In the mean time, the both of you will come to the Classroom for three hours out of everyday and attend classes with me. Actually, for the most part, you'll be attending classes with Heero, Duo, and Wufei as well, since in a lot of ways you both are at their levels. We'll talk more about that tomorrow when I see you for class. In the mean time, I've given you both a small assignment--your Teachers have them. Don't worry, it won't take too much time." And then, with a wink, they were sent home.
Back at the apartment, Quatre elected to sit at the table to copy the alphabet onto a datapad with a stylist--his homework for the night--while Abdule cooked.
"So how'd you do?" Rashid had gone to see Master Habsaba soon after their return.
"I think I did ok. Auda said I was going to be taking some courses for college credit in literature and history. That's good right?" He'd asked because Abdule had dropped the potato cake he was flipping.
"College credit?"
"Yeah, that's what he said. But I'm still an idiot, no matter what Rashid said. I don't know how to write, I can't spell, and I still don't understand how two vertical lines and one horizontal can mean four. I didn't get a single one right on the math part." His said the last part with his head down, completely missing Abdule's stunned expression.
"Wait. You're going to be taking college level classes? And you can't.write? Is that why you're copying the alphabet at the dinner table?" Dejectedly he nodded. "That's incredible!"
Stunned, Quatre looked up. "What?"
"Quatre, do you know how hard it is to impress Auda?! That guy's brilliant, a genius actually! If he put you into college courses, you better believe you're one smart cookie. What were your scores anyway?"
Feeling slightly more confident, Quatre answered. "I got a 196 on the verbal and.nothing on the math, I couldn't even answer the first question right."
But Abdule didn't seem to notice the shortcomings. "196 on the verbal. Oh my God! Quatre, what year did the colonies pass Article eighty-six of the Colonial Constitution?"
"139 AC."
"If you have two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, what element do you have?"
"Water."
"Who wrote, Of Mice and Men?"
"John Steinbeck."
Abdule stood stunned and staring at Quatre for a long time, long enough for Quatre to feel very worried.
"Abdule, do you want me to get one wrong?"
Suddenly his brother smiled. "No, Quatre, I don't want you to get one wrong. That's incredible, how much you know. You'll have to tell me sometime how you learned all that. But I think now, you should finish your homework, and eat, then how's about you show me how to tune that violin again, I keep forgetting."
Quatre smiled. "OK."