Disclaimer: We don't own GW. If it's not cannon or basic grapevine, it's ours.

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Chapter 1

Cold Breeze

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Duo shook his braid. "Stupid humidity," he muttered.

"It was your choice to come to this town," Heero said.

Duo glared at the somber boy, then shrugged. "What can I say? They have great ice cream."

"It's a Dairy Queen," Trowa said.

"So?" Duo turned and spread his hands before him, being careful not to drop his ice cream. "Actually, you have to admit, it's nice in its own big town sort of way."

"Why did you bring us here?" Quatre asked.

"Because I have connections to this place."

High Street was busy with both cars and pedestrians. The Gundam pilots had positioned themselves safely on the steps of a church, out of the way of the crowd. And they were all holding chocolate-dipped vanilla cones, courtesy of Duo. Well, actually, by his recommendation; he'd made them all pay for themselves.

Duo sucked on the ice cream through a break in the soft chocolate shell, his eyes going past the brick buildings to the blue sky. He smiled. Father Maxwell would be pleased. He'd never had the chance to bring Duo here himself, but the kind elder had often wished he could as he told stories of his hometown to the boy.

Duo broke from his thoughts as something passed by.

He turned; a tall woman walked below them, her black hair flowing down to her knees. But there was something…else. He started after the woman. "Duo?" Quatre called. He didn't bother to respond.

The woman's pace quickened, her long stride carrying her past the other people on the sidewalk. "Hey, you. Wait." Duo struggled between a pair of thickly-muscled guys. "Hey!"

The woman rounded the corner, and Duo glimpsed a violet eye looking straight at him. He ran after her. He skidded around the corner; the woman had vanished.

Duo stared at the sea of blond, red, brown, even green and blue hair. There were some people with black hair, but none sporting it as long as that woman had. No one was even wearing a similar outfit of black jeans and dark purple t-shirt under the searing summer sun. Duo frowned. He looked at the closest store front; a "Closed for Lunch" sign hung on the door. Duo sighed, and he raised his cone to eat. The ice cream was gone.

Duo turned; the vanilla and chocolate lay in a spreading puddle on the sidewalk. His shoulders slumped. "Bummer."

Takai released the spirit's hand. The elderly woman turned to her with a smile, then stepped onto the waiting, shallow boat. The boatman pushed off the bank and started punting across the river, and Takai sat down on the grass.

"How did your mission go?"

Takai glanced at her sister. "Fine." Takai looked at the spirit, which now looked to be in her mid-thirties. "Her body was so tired, but her spirit wasn't completely ready. She really didn't want to leave."

Kameko sat down next to Takai and gathered the hem of her long, white dress around her ankles. Her white phoenix trilled, and she stroked its feathers. "But she's happy. This is one for happiness, as well as joy," she said quietly.

Takai was quiet for a minute. "Something odd happened today. A mortal saw me."

"Who?"

"Duo Maxwell."

Kameko frowned as she rubbed her phoenix's head. "Who—Oh, the Gundam fighter."

Takai nodded. "I was in mortal form to help sister Akifa prepare. I certainly didn't expect the Gundam pilots to be there, but they were. After I passed, Duo started following me. I disguised myself and became part of the crowd, but still..." Takai ran a hand through her bangs. "I don't understand why. If it hadn't been the lunch hour, it would have been harder to get away, but it shouldn't have even happened."

"The spiritually attuned have been able to see us when we're in mortal form, but otherwise..." Kameko held up a lock of hair in her free hand, studying the pearl-hued strands intensely. "Has he ever seen you on the battlefield?" she asked.

"You know I don't show myself to living soldiers during combat."

"Hm."

Takai stood, tossing her ponytail over her shoulder. "Not that it matters."

"It's odd, though, and there has to be a reason," Kameko said.

"Don't worry yourself about it. We'll take care of it." Takai tucked her fingers into her pockets and started away.

"What if it happens to me, as well?"

Takai bowed her head in response and smiled to herself. 'No, Kameko. We both know that, though you are the elder, I will protect you. As will our Lord and our God.' She looked at Kameko. "People don't tend to be as afraid of you." She walked off.

"What was that about?"

Duo shrugged in response to Quatre's question and started eating his new ice cream. "I just had a feeling."

"What sort of feeling?" Heero asked.

"Ah, forget it."

"About that black-haired woman?" Quatre asked.

Duo laughed; he hadn't exactly been subtle about it. He nodded.

"Because...I felt something, too. I don't know what, but I felt cold. And warm at the same time. I don't understand it."

"Well, that's not what I was thinking, but yeah, I definitely didn't understand it." Duo stared through the cement sidewalk, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"What did it feel like?" Quatre asked.

"Like...there was something familiar about her. A strong feeling—no, intense, concentrated."

"Perhaps you should drink less coffee," Heero said.

"I didn't imagine it, Heero."

"He didn't say you did," Quatre soothed.

"He sure meant it." Duo cocked a grin at Heero. Now that the war was over, life would be boring if he couldn't tease his friends and get it back.

"Do you think it's important to figure this out?" Trowa asked quietly.

Duo shrugged. "I just know I want to. It was weird." He looked up at the sky. 'But it felt like I knew her.'