Author's Notes: About the song Yesterday, by the Beatles. The lyrics are altered for Mako because she is a girl thinking about a man. The original lyrics are not half the man I used to be, and she in place of he. I realize this, and it is only altered for the this section of the fan fic. The Beatles own the song Yesterday; I do not. I only enjoy the song.
Mako saw herself dressed entirely in black. She heard the collected sobs of the agonized souls behind her. A couple stood in front of her, the man's arms draped around the weeping woman's shoulder. She was crying into his chest, her youthful face stained with tears. She saw the man's pained and somber expression as he stared at the grave in front of him. Mako walked softly away from the couple and read the name: Lexi Rowe Candace. She felt a tear trickle down her cheek. "Oh Lexi," She whispered onto the breeze.
Yesterday all my troubles seemed so far away, now looks as if they're here to stay.
Oh I believe in yesterday.
Suddenly, I'm not the half the girl I used to be.
There's a shadow hanging over me, yesterday came suddenly.
Why he had to go I don't know, he wouldn't say. I said something wrong, I don't know, how I long for yesterday. Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play. Now I need a place to hide away. Oh, I believe in yesterday. Why he had to go I don't know, he wouldn't say. I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday. Yesterday, love was such an easy to play. Now I need to place hideaway. Oh, I believe in yesterday. The violent sunlight hit her face in the bright morning. Usagi greeted her. "Ohayo, are you ready to go?" Mako nodded as the two exited the tent together. Trowa and Quatre greeted Usagi in their different fashions. Quatre even greeted Mako. "Ohayo Quatre-san." She smiled back as he scurried off to finish breakfast.
Trowa took a more sulky approach and lingered near Usagi's side. "He took over my coffee, I don't appreciate it." Mako had to stifle her fit of giggles.
Usagi cast her a warning glance. "You can do it some other time." She patted his arm and his eyes softened a bit. "Breakfast is ready!" Quatre called out to the three of them. They all lumbered over as they served themselves.
"Where's Wufei?" Usagi asked. Trowa answered.
"He left this morning, he said it was something important. Besides, we have to tear this camp down anyway. The Oz is onto us." Usagi concurred. "We'll have to split up, we might not see each other for a while. Where did we hide that spare Gundam again?" Usagi asked.
Quatre pointed this time. "It's in the north of the forest. I'll take you and Mako if you want later Usagi." He smiled sweetly.
Trowa sipped his coffee. "I'm going in case you're ambushed. You can never be too careful."
Quatre wrinkled his nose. "I can handle it, I do pilot Sandrock."
Trowa seemed to smirk. "Whatever you say pretty boy." Quatre spit out some of his drink at this remark and began to argue as Usagi groaned. It seemed they did this often. Mako watched, and grinned. She had already picked her favorite, Quatre. Trowa was such a stiff, and far too serious. Usagi glanced back and forth between both, let out a frustrated sigh and went to go get cleaned up before they had to tear down the camp.
"Oh now you made her mad smooth move," Quatre glowered angrily.
Trowa shot him a death glare.
"Oh quit acting so immature and break it up." Mako laughed and separated them both. "Must I send you both to time out until you decide to play fair?" Mako was practically in hysterics. She heard Quatre mumble an apology under his breath and Trowa said nothing but went to his tent. "Is he always this grumpy or am I just a special case?" Mako addressed Quatre.
Quatre laughed. "He's always like that don't take it personally."
Mako smiled appreciatively. "You're sweet Quatre-san. Don't give up on Usagi-chan. She's stubborn and may act cold but she's really not. She uses that to cover up. I'd really like to see you two get together. Next time I get the chance I'm sending Trowa to Siberia."
Quatre laughed. "Are you Duo's girlfriend?"
Mako blushed crimson 'How does word spread so fast?' She thought silently to herself. "Hai, I am." She smiled in a very 'I'm head over heels' sort of way. Quatre flashed her another smile, and she felt a rush of gratitude towards him. Usagi came back feeling refreshed to see that Trowa had already left for who knows where. "Let's get you to that Gundam." Quatre rose quickly and picked up Usagi's fast paced stride. Mako kept her usual "Sunday walker" stride and was quite a bit behind the pair in front of her.
"Mako-chan we don't have all day you know!" Usagi called irritably over her shoulder. Mako stuck out her tongue.
"Yes mother!" Mako replied with dripping sarcasm. They finally came upon a clearing blocked by towering pines, some wild brush, and what looked suspiciously like poison Ivy. "Let's go around," Quatre addressed them all. Mako glanced up at the Gundam before her. It was a fine-shined black, with streaks of blue in the metal. It was similar to Onyx, but nothing could replace her fallen Gundam.
"Go ahead and give it a try Mako-chan." Usagi pushed her still unsure friend forward. Mako managed to climb into the cockpit. She tried out the controls, just doing the basics for now. Usagi and she could do a spur later on.
"How's it handle?" Usagi called up to her. "
It handles pretty well, it has a harder system than Onyx though." Mako replied honestly to Usagi's inquiry.
"You can try it out more later, right now we just need to be sure you'll be able to transport in it."
Mako nodded. "Hai, I can handle that." Usagi watched Mako carefully while Quatre looked on, fairly impressed with the now nineteen year old's skills.
"We have to leave in about fifteen minutes, so be ready. I need to go get my Gundam." With those words, Quatre and Usagi left the secluded bit of forest and Mako used the still foreign controls. She wondered where Duo was but, she knew she shouldn't worry. Duo's nickname was the "Great Destroyer" after all, and any man that kept explosives stored in his hair ought to be able to take care of himself fairly well. Still, she couldn't help but feel venerable. She knew she was young, and inexperienced in many fields of life. She heard a rumbling in the distance and saw two large Gundams. The smaller one was Usagi Tsukino's and the larger one called Sandrock piloted by the easy-going Quatre Winner. Mako found herself seized upon a peculiar thought, was Quatre the only one the Gundam pilots to have a middle name? She shook this random thought from her mind as Usagi called to her.
"Mako-chan are you alive over there?" Usagi called out.
Mako nodded. "Hai, gomen-ne. I'm ready now." She followed the pair in front of her, trying to keep her mind empty, but it was no use. Duo's long braid, haunting eyes, and roughish smile kept floating around her head like an overused Beatle's song.
"Mako-chan keep your focus here and now, this is no time to get distracted," Usagi reminded her friend gently.
"You're right, if I get distracted I'll be target practice for Oz." They finally landed at a base. Mako exited her cockpit and addressed Quatre.
"Quatre-san, where are we?" She stared at the base surroundings.
"It's the Lake Victoria Base, which at the current time is uninhabited to my knowledge." He replied to her. Mako felt goose bumps rise on her forearms. Something about his place gave her the chills. They walked around the base, which at the moment was covered in a fine dusting of snow, and Mako observed the absence of security. She felt security was far too lax for a military base.
"Nani? No security, that strikes me as ominous." Mako told her companions.
"You're far more clever than I would have given you credit for," An almost bored voice said behind Mako. Mako nearly jumped out of her skin, and even let out an uncharacteristic shriek. Quatre and Usagi turned quickly to see the source of Mako's distress. "Trowa-kun you shouldn't sneak up on people like that, you probably nearly gave Mako a heart attack." Usagi gently scolded Trowa. Mako gave Usagi a glare and had to channel the urge to give Trowa a fierce slap for being such a bakemono.
"I didn't think a pilot would have such thin nerves." Trowa replied simply. Mako's hand was now twitching as if it was possessed. She managed to abate her anger and they came inside the cold base that housed beds.
"Is it safe to stay here overnight?" Mako asked the general audience, a tinge of worry and concern dotting her voice.
"It should be. Oz thinks this is an abandoned base after all," Quatre replied reasonably. Usagi smiled kindly at him, and Mako once again felt herself almost overcome by an uncalled for fit of giggles. Mako decided to investigate the mess hall, seeing as she'd picked at her breakfast earlier in the morning. Makoto Kino had never been that much of a morning person, she considered noon early in the day. She found out they actually had the rations to make herself one thing, army stew. She sighed; at least she could get herself some caffeine because they had a vending machine.