Hey-o, and welcome to my Lil' World of Weirdness!!

I state for the record that I don't own Gundam Wing, or the wonderful characters that will be gracing this story. . . I do however lay claim to Ensign Saratone *again*, and I use him here purely as a replacement for your average Nameless OZ Minion. Other Characters I lay claim to are Faye Bloom, the wizened old man, Chang Xiao Fao Lan, and the Angels.

Let's just say . . . when my writer's block breaks, it's like a dam breaking . . . [shakes head slowly and winces]

Parings: 1x2x1, 3x4x3, 5xM, 6X9, 13xUne, OdinxHelen and hints of DxR and JxG – I know, I know, nobody wants to imagine it, but I kinda think it's fairly cute . . .

Okay, that's the legal stuff out the way!!

Please ENJOY AND PLEASE R&R!!! THANK YOU!!

Also, thanks to my beloved Bluegoo for her ever wonderful betareading, I thank her for the many hours that she has put in with me on this one, be it correcting my terrible grammar and spelling, or listening to me mumbling large chunks of it down the phone to her . . . You're great, Blue!! Even if you are Commander and Chief of the Apostrophe Gestapo . . . my thanks also go out to Clow'd9, your insightful reviews are fast becoming a brilliant source of inspiration! In fact everyone who has left me a wonderful review, thank you very much, I shall continue to strive to surprise you as many chances as I can. . . but Clow'd9 gets special mention because she keeps catching my hints! I'm fairly impressed and shall try harder to hide them! [giggles] I suggest you read both Bluegoo's and Clow'd9's stories, as they are brilliant!!

Thank you to Two-Mix for the lyrics, I don't own Just Communication!!

//Thinking//

"Speaking"

*Stress/Emphasis*

Writing/Dream sequence

Telepathic thoughts

:: Lyrics ::

~*~

For The Grace Of Knights And Angels

By Doctor Megalomania


Chapter Nineteen: Travels

– Once again, a chapter that has been effected by what I was multi-tasking at the time– I'm good at that, I can type, think story, listen to music, AND watch TV [muted with subtitles] with out moving a single muscle away from my swivelly throne of evil – anyway, this chapter has been affected by sad cowboy bebop music, interspersed with Evangelion and Escaflowne music, plus I am sad to admit, Van Dame's film, The Quest and some really crappy B-move from the seventies, Blood From the Mummy's Tomb . . . hence the profoundness with comedy interspersed.

- Also This is the end of Arch Two! Argh!! It's all going so quickly!! I'm now only nine chapter's ahead of my updates!! [bows very humbly] thank you very, very, very, very, very much for your ongoing support on this one! it's definitely one of the more complex stories I've ever had to tackle! Thank you for your great comments, excellent criticisms and brilliant reviews! Please keep it all up!!

- And there are no lyrics to this one, because non of them seemed to fit, if you can think of a Gundam Wing song that does fit it, I'll be very glad to take your suggestions and incorporate it into the chapter and re-post it!

Arch Two: Magic Stirring, Training Begins

Chapter Nineteen: Travels

"Are you ready?"

Duo pulled his hood over his head, as he walked up to Heero. The perfect soldier nodded once, and sighed. Duo clamped a hand on his shoulder. It was very, very early in the morning, but the new knights of earth had decided to set off early in the day to arrive down with their families before breakfast. Heero stared at the sunrise; from the top of the mountain it was beautiful. The sun was rising from the sea it seemed, and the curve of the earth was visible. He blinked; he had been standing here for an hour.

"Are you okay?"

He blinked again and glanced over his shoulder to Duo. The knight of death's hood covered his eyes, as his cap usually did. The cloak was beautiful and intricate and even Heero had to admit he was stunned by it. Jikan was right; Death was extremely beautiful. The eighteen-year-old former pilot that stood beside him had grown a little, still a soft curve to his cheek, but his neck was long and inviting. He was pale in some lights, but the sun radiated off him. Heero snorted, Katana was rubbing off on him.

"I'm fine. You?"

Duo nodded and stepped forward, coming further into the new light as it spilled into the small crater. "I'm cool." He cleared his throat; "Wish it wasn't so damn early though." He leant his head on his hand, which continued to rest on Heero's shoulder, "Are we really up to this, Heero?"

"Yes."

Duo shifted and rested his chin on his hand, and stared at Heero's profile, "I love that you are always so confident." Heero blinked and shifted his eye to stare at Duo sideways. He blinked again and stared at the sunrise. "It's not confidence. We haven't got a choice."

"Nimnu Kanryou, eh?" Duo snickered.

"Ryuokai." Heero corrected gently, "Kanryou means 'accomplished'. Ryuokai means 'acknowledged' or 'accepted'."

"Really?" The violet eyed boy blinked, "I didn't know that . . . so what does 'shipai' mean?"

"Failure."

"Oh," Duo shifted again, and moved to sit in the shade of the doorway. Heero waited a moment, and then went to sit beside him. The other knight glanced at him, "Baka means 'idiot' right?"

"Yes."

"Hai you mean." Duo grinned, "That means 'yes', doesn't it?" Heero nodded, and Duo stretched raising his arms behind his head, "Man, Japanese is a beautiful language." He stared at the ceiling, "I would love to learn it."

There was a moment of silence before Heero spoke, "I could teach you some." Duo blinked and whipped his head around to gawk at Heero. "Seriously?!" He grinned, as Heero nodded, "How cool!" He leant over and pressed his head against Heero's hard shoulder, "Thanks man!"

"Do itashimashite."

"Huh?"

Heero's lips stretched into a small smile, "You're welcome." Duo beamed and punched him in the arm. They sat quietly before another knight arrived half an hour later. Wufei rubbed his eyes; and sank down beside Duo to crouch, "I dislike early mornings."

"But you're like always the first one to ever arrive for anything, Wufei!" Duo blinked, as the Chinese officer yawned, "What's wrong?"

Wufei yawned again before answering, "I was talking to Konbo last night about the fact that his title is Angel of the Warriors rather than Angel of the Warrior."

"Am I missing something?" Duo blinked, "So it's the plural, not the singular. So what?"

Wufei shrugged, "It was something that was nagging at me, the confusion over my wife and me . . ." He sighed, "Apparently, in his words, no warrior can fight alone. Warriors fight with the spirit of the many, not the singular."

Duo glanced at Heero, and back at Wufei, "Batman fights alone."

Wufei frowned, "Are you comparing us to cartoon characters?" He slid to sit beside Duo, "Don't be so foolish."

"Batman fights with Robin." Heero murmured, still staring at the sunrise. Wufei smirked as Duo glanced with surprise at Heero.

"Huh?"

"Batman fights with Robin." The blue-eyed knight corrected quietly, he shifted to slouch a little further down, and lean his head against the stone doorway. Duo frowned and glanced at the ceiling, "Superman then."

"Superman has Supergirl." Heero smiled slightly, "And then he joins the Justice League."

Duo frowned deeper, "Okay then . . . The Incredible Hulk."

"He's a menace." Wufei countered, then thought for a moment, "Oh, and he has She-Hulk and Doctor Brandon's girlfriend."

"The Silver Surfer!" Duo clicked his fingers, "Ha! He is cursed to always be alone!"

"He gets that fire girl." Heero closed his eyes, and sighed as the warmth of the sun began to touch his face. He laced his fingers together, "And he gets help from the Fab Four."

Duo shuffled quickly to his feet and stared at them, as they smiled with amusement, "What do *you* guys know about comic book heroes?!"

"You keep your collection in the office, on the shelf next to Quatre's books of English classics." Wufei smiled lazily, as he leant his head back, and drew his knees up. He clasped his hands together and lay them atop of his knees. The Chinese boy shrugged, "They are good . . ." He smiled at Duo's expression, "Seriously, I like Batman best, and the Incredible Hulk."

Duo stared at him for a moment, a half suspicious smile on his mouth, before Wufei started to chuckle good naturally. "I can't believe you!" Duo laughed, and sat down again. He looked at Heero's profile again, "I guess you read the Silver Surfer and Superman right?"

"Not really, it doesn't really appeal to me that much . . ." Heero opened his eyes again, and looked at Duo, "I just listen to you. You exclaim over every little detail when you read them."

Duo smirked, "Uh huh, eh?" He wrinkled his nose, "I always thought you ignore me."

"I've never ignored you, just focused a greater amount of my attention on my laptop." Heero confessed, as Quatre, Trowa and Armbrust rounded the corner. Quatre smiled and waved, "Good morning." He glanced at each of them, "Sleep well?"

"As well as you can when freaky shit like this lands in your lap."

Quatre smiled as Duo shrugged again, he glanced at Trowa and Armbrust. The two had waited by his apartment for him; Armbrust had decided he wanted to pay a visit to the village. "Well then . . . if we are all ready," Quatre suggested, "Let's get moving."

The trip down was slow going, taking little over an hour.

Armbrust had an easy time of it, stopping to talk to various plants and animals, and pointing out little things to Trowa. Quatre listened to him with a little amusement; Trowa seemed a little shy about his powers. He immersed himself with Armbrust completely, but when he caught Quatre's eyes, the taller former pilot blushed and pulled back slightly. The other conversation Quatre listened to and took part in with amusement was Duo, Heero and Wufei's discussion about the comic book characters that Duo loved. The blonde smiled, and contributed his views about the Fab Four and the Silver Surfer, as those were his personal favourites. Duo seemed to be trying to find a comic book character that fought alone, but Wufei and Heero would point out various sidekicks.

"Man!" Duo huffed, as they took a rest by a small pond, "I never realised what good memories you two had between you!"

Wufei smiled slightly as he dipped his hand into the clear pool and washed his face. The sun was warming the forest, and the woodland hummed with life. Armbrust was sat on a rock and was quietly observing the group. Quatre stood and moved closer to the tiny version of Trowa. Like Jikan, the angel was now a boy of ten or so. His hair flopped over his blank green eye, and it was like looking at a miniature of his long time friend. The blank green eyes shifted, and stared at Quatre as he approached and dipped down to sit beside the angel's rock.

"May I help you, Prince of the sands?"

Quatre blinked at the formal tone, "I just wanted to see if you were okay. Do you need anything?"

"So considerate of you." The Angel of the Beasts murmured, "No, no thank you." He stared at the water, "I am fine . . . it has been a while since I last tasted the air." He frowned, "There has been much war."

Quatre blinked, "How could you tell?"

"The Earth is still in pain, the wind holds the tastes of your firepowders, your machines . . ." He frowned with distaste, "Death."

"Death?"

"Death of man, death of plants, death of animals . . . the rain cannot wash it away . . . there is still blood in the air, faint, but it's still there . . ."

Quatre nodded, "You can tell this, even after four years of peace?"

"Yes." Armbrust nodded, he glared into the pool, a little anger building in his brow. "It disgusts me, humanity has no respect for the planet that bore it life."

The blonde knight blinked at the vehemence in Armbrust's voice, "You dislike humanity so much?"

The angel glanced at Quatre, "No. I would not fight with you if there were not humans that have redeeming qualities. Trowa has such qualities, he appreciates, he respects . . . there's you, you respect, you try to heal as well . . ."

Quatre smiled slightly at this idea, "What do you mean?"

"As time does, you try to heal . . . it is your nature. Trowa is drawn to this." Armbrust tilted his head, "As beasts are to time, for time heals everything." He reached down and stroked a silvery fish as it swam around. "This child of the water knows only a few moments at any one time, but if it is harmed, it knows that time shall treat its wounds." He smiled, and pulled his hand out the water. Leaning over, Armbrust touched the leaves of a sapling growing by the boulder he sat on. "To this little one, Time is infinitely kind, Time will help it grow to be . . ." Armbrust tilted his head back, and looked up at a tall, centuries old tree, ". . . as mighty as its father." Quatre smiled as Armbrust's gentle voice continued, "Time makes the sun shine, makes the rains come, tells the insects to come and play with the pollens, brings the springs, the summers, the autumns, the winters and always keeps the circle of life continuing." He glanced at Quatre with a deep gentleness. "To natural life, there is nothing more beautiful than time . . . to flora and fauna, death holds no comparison to the sheer magnificence of time . . ."

Quatre's mouth fell open as Armbrust brought his hand close to the blonde boy's cheek, and let it hover near by.

"You make a good embodiment of time, though your mind is far older than your body, you hold Time's never ending innocence." Armbrust nodded, and stood. He turned his head and spoke to the others, "We should move on; the heat will soon become insufferable."

The others stood and began to move away, Trowa picked up his earthen coloured cloak, and fastened the green metal hooks. His clock was mostly an earthy dark green, with a lighter green trim. He glanced around and stared at Quatre. The boy was caught up in the reflections of the pool, staring as he thought. Trowa approached as quietly as he could. Quatre's cloaks were made of a fine golden material. It was more of a sandy brown, and it had a darker brown trim. If you looked closely, finely woven in a shade darker thread, the shapes of broken clockwork clogs, and hourglasses filled with sand were sewn into the cloak. Trowa was amazed by the detail, and suspected the cloak was enchanted. Never twice had he seen any of the hourglasses filled in the same way. It was as if they were acting like real hourglasses, with the sand running endlessly through them.

"Quatre."

The blonde knight blinked, and came out of his deep thoughts, ". . . Yes . . ." He blinked, "Yes, Trowa?"

"Are you feeling all right?"

Quatre smiled slightly, "I'm fine, thank you." He looked around, "I shall have to remember this place . . . it's lovely."

Trowa nodded, "We should come together, it's very peaceful." Quatre blinked and looked at him, and Trowa found himself smiling gently to his friend, "Perhaps we should have brought our instruments . . ." Quatre blushed slightly at this, "What?"

"Rashid brought my violin, and I think your mother brought her flute with her." He smiled up at Trowa brightly, "Rashid loves my music, and I heard your mother playing one time by that small waterfall." Trowa nodded again, and reached out to pull Quatre to his feet. "Good," he looked around, "I will borrow it one time from her and we will travel up here."

Quatre's eyes widened, and his blush became more pronounced. "I'll look forward to it." Trowa didn't seem to notice that he was lacing his fingers with Quatre, and the blonde knight found his chest constrict as Armbrust's words took on new meaning. He stared at Trowa, as the green eyes came back to stare at him intently. He had missed Trowa's company a lot, and now he saw that Trowa had missed him just as intensely. He felt Trowa squeeze his hand tighter, and a small smile pull at the corner of his lip, "Quatre . . ."

//Trowa . . .// Quatre closed his eyes and shuffled forward a little, daringly leaning his forehead against Trowa's shoulder. He didn't want this moment to end.

In the silence of the quiet glade, Trowa's cheeks felt a little warmer as Quatre leant forward, tiredness from the early morning obviously getting to him. He tightened his hold on his smaller friend's hand, and turned his head – briefly stopping to press a cheek against Quatre's sweet smelling hair – to tell the others to wait.

He blinked.

Wufei was paused, flicking his shoulder length hair back. The strands of sheer black were reflecting the sun slightly. Duo was pushing against Heero's shoulder, a look of annoyance frozen on his face. Heero was a little off balance, his own features captured in a rare look of amusement. His white cloak flailed out around him.

Armbrust was turned toward Trowa and Quatre, his eyes closed as if blinking, and a small round pebble – like the seed – trapped in a spin above his hand. Time had frozen. Trowa drew a breath in surprise, and then grunted slightly as Quatre collapsed against him.

The pebble floated upward slowly, gaining a little speed as time began to return to its normal flow.

"Yooooooou'rrrrrre. . . suuuchhhhh . . . aaaaa jerk, Heero!" Duo's speech protracted then snapped to normal, Wufei grasped his hair in one hand and fished in his pockets for a tie. Heero stumbled slightly and regained his balance, his face returning to a normal expression. Armbrust's eyes shot open as soon as the pebble landed back in his hand. He stared at Trowa before turning, calling to the others to stop.

Trowa – unsettled by the moment – glanced down to see Quatre drained, pale and asleep in his arms.

Quatre opened his eyes.

Not because whoever was carrying him was being particularly rough, just that the surprise and realisation that he was asleep woke him. He tried to sit up, but found he couldn't. Darkness surrounded him, as he realised he was being carried in a strange sort of hammock. "Uh . . ." He pressed his hands against the soft woven sides of the thing, "Hello?"

The strange little contraption came to a rumbling stop, and the sides pulled away from him. Quatre blinked as Duo stared down at him. "Hey . . ." Duo spoke gently, for which Quatre found himself grateful. He had a dull headache brewing, "You okay, Quatre?"

"Yes . . ." Quatre struggled to sit up again, "Can I please be let down from this . . . thing?"

Duo grinned, "Sure," He looked up, "Hey Trowa, Heero, he wants out!"

Quatre jostled a little as Heero and Trowa lowered him, and parted the sides of the strangle hammock contraption. It wasn't really more than two sturdy sticks, and Duo's voluminous cloak slung over them, tied on with some twine. Quatre sat up slowly, and yawned. Tiredness rolled through him. "What happened?"

"You stopped time, my little prince." Armbrust remarked with a little amusement in his tone. "I'm impressed, I didn't think that you five would progress so quickly." He nodded and patted Quatre's hand, "You paused time for a moment, you flexed your abilities . . ."

There was a flash of gold magic, and the group looked up to see Jikan standing nearby. The small angel smiled, and tilted his head. "It is incredibly interesting."

"YAH!!" Duo jumped and pointed at the angel, "You've never done that before!!"

The others nodded their heads in agreement as the angels looked at each other. Jikan smiled and made a inconsequential gesture, "It is merely the pausing of time . . ." He made a motion with his hand, "You know now that we are capable of using magic, so it really shouldn't be some much of a shock that we use it."

"Well, no . . ." Duo frowned, and scratched his head, "But it's still freaky as hell when you suddenly appear out of nowhere . . ." He glanced up the mountainside, "How'd you do that anyway?"

"I paused time so I could catch up with you."

"Really?"

Jikan smiled indulgently.

Quatre pushed himself to his feet and looked around. "So what do you mean I flexed my abilities? I stopped time? How?" He frowned, "Why?"

"Well, it could have been a particular moment of stress for you . . ." Jikan stepped forward, and took Quatre's hand. He smiled and talked on conversationally, as he began to lead Quatre down the mountain path again, "Or it could have been a fluke . . . such things happen, but the main point is that you successfully managed to pause time and. . ."

Wufei punched the back of Duo's shoulder as the boy watched the angel continue to describe what might have happened. He blinked, and pulled up his hood, Wufei shrugged and Heero started after them. Trowa glanced down at his own angel, who glanced up at him. The two shook their heads and began to walk after the rest of the group.

"Lunch!!"

The gateway's bell tolled loudly, as Sister Helen called out. She smiled as Odin rang it enthusiastically. "If they can't hear me, they'll hear that!" She chuckled, and held her hands up to her mouth, "Come on, everyone!! Lunch!!"

Noin lifted her head as the call went out. She stretched lazily and looked over at the other futon. Zechs was laid back, slowly fanning himself. He smiled at her, "What are we having?"

"Only one way to find out."

He took her hand as she held it in front of his face, and used it to pull her down. Noin was forced slowly to her knees, and flushed as Zechs held her hand to his lips. "Noin . . ." He murmured, he sighed contentedly. "I could get used to this."

"Mmm. . . I know." Noin whispered back, she leant over him, to replace her hand with her lips.

"Lunch!!"

In the orchard, Quatrine looked up from her book, careful not to make her huge straw summer hat fall off, and glanced up at the swaging bangled foot, "Faye?"

The slow flute music stopped, and the foot came to a stop. "Yes, Quatrine?" Faye looked down from her seat. The sturdy branch proved to be a most comfortable perch, and Faye adored it. She spent a long time in it, while Quatrine sat below reading. The blonde woman smiled and pulled out her watch, "I think we're being called for lunch."

"That bell is certainly ringing up a good treat!" Faye stretched and slipped easily from the tree, landing gracefully beside her best friend. She helped the more delicate woman up, "Quatrine . . ."

"Hmm?"

"I've been meaning to ask you about something . . ." Faye paused, and frowned slightly. "I've got a hunch . . . it's about Trowa, and Quatre."

Quatrine flushed slightly, "I know Quatre isn't exactly subtle, but I hope that Trowa doesn't take any offe—"

"Wait, wait." Faye shook her head, "Wait . . . Quatre has. . .?" Quatrine nodded, a sly smile built over Faye's features, "Does Quatre know that Trowa has. . .?" A similar devious smile spread over Quatrine's face. "Oh?" Faye linked her arm with her best friend, "Oh, I think we should have a little chat."

"Oh, indeed. . ." Quatrine chuckled, "A nice little chat. . ."

"Lunch!!"

"Come on little cows! Good little cows!" Auda stroked the ears of one of their bovine gently, "You're a beauty, and you grace us . . . please return to your huts and sleep, regain your strength for later, feed while we indulge in our food."

"Auda . . ." Ahmed laughed as he carried a chicken and ushered the rest to their hutches, "Auda, you're talking to the cows again."

"My friend, Auda talks to anything and anyone . . ." Abdul called out as he lead the two horses to their stables, "He'll talk to you, he'll talk to me, he'll talk to the sun, the moon and the stars, for my friends Auda is the great talker!"

Rashid shook his head as his men continued to tease each other, "If you want to eat lunch, you'll get those animals to their holdings!" He smiled to lighten the admonishment, he stood and stretched. "Come along!"

"Lunch!!"

Helen laughed as Odin made the bell toll another time, and then let go. He walked over to her and slipped an arm around her waist, "See? That how you call for lunch."

"And how!"

Helen spun to find Duo and his friends, and – she blinked - two small children as they walked through the gate. Their various glowing ripples of magic faded as they walked through without a second thought. "Duo!" Helen clapped and ran to her adopted son. She jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Oh! I missed you!!"

Duo squeezed her back hard, "I missed you too, mom." He let her go, and glanced at Odin. He'd seen the too familiar touch, and wasn't quite sure what it meant. Odin paid no heed, as he moved to grab his son. "Heero! My boy, how's the training?"

"Fine, thank you." He tipped his head, "Did I hear the bell for lunch?"

"You did indeed!" Odin clapped his shoulder hard, "You finally have an appetite? That's excellent!"

Helen smiled down at the two children; she knelt down and placed her hands on her knees. Duo smiled as he recognised the gesture, the same welcome that he'd got when he first went to Maxwell church. "Well, hi . . ." Helen began shyly, she reached out a hand, "My name is Helen, Helen Maxwell."

Jikan and Armbrust glanced at each other, Armbrust continued to stroke his white hawk, and Jikan glanced back at her with a radiant smile. "Helen Helen Maxwell, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Duo snorted, as Helen blinked in surprise. "No, guys . . ." Duo knelt beside her, "She's just Helen Maxwell." Jikan blinked slowly, and Duo shrugged, "Sometimes people say the first name twice, to make sure you get it." He grinned and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "This is my mom."

"Mom?" Armbrust inquired. "What is a mom?"

"A mother," Quatre corrected, "'Mom' is American slang." He stood beside Jikan and smiled, "Miss Maxwell, this is my Angel, Jikan. She is the Angel of time."

"She?" Helen raised her eyebrows, "This is terribly confusing . . ." She stood, "Come along, we'll talk about it over some food."

Master Fao stared at the two angels.

"I expected you to be . . ." He tilted his head, "Somewhat taller."

Armbrust shook his head as Helen offered him some salad, and Jikan chuckled lightly. "Never expect anything, if you wish not to be disappointed." He leant forward and picked up an apple. He stared at it for a moment, and smiled. "I'm glad that you are taking such good care of our gardens." He looked up again, giving the apple to Armbrust, "I trust the spells over the ground are working well and that you have sufficient enough food?"

"You've taken good care of us over the last two months." Helen smiled as she offered Armbrust a plate of sandwiches, Armbrust glanced over the plate, and picked up a small ham sandwich, he looked up at her, and nodded, "Thank you."

"Good." Helen smiled widely, "Jikan, what would you like to eat?"

"Mmm." Jikan hummed as he closed his disturbing eyes, "It all looks quite appetising . . . however, we do not eat like this. We gain sustenance from our elements, and from existence."

Helen blinked as Meirin leant forward, "What does that mean?"

She blinked as Wufei touched her arm, "Trust me, we've tried to get a straight answer from them about this, there is none . . ." He sighed as he watched Armbrust take the sandwich apart, and called his hawk over to eat. As soon as the meat was gone, the hawk turned to a dove, and fed on the bread. Jikan smiled as he watched this, and looked around. Everyone was here; as this was the first time any of the angels had been to visit the small village. Jikan smiled at the various degrees of curiosity the humans displayed. He stood, and walked over to an open window, "Would it be all right if Armbrust and I stay the night with you?"

"Of course," Master Fao tapped his stick against the floor, "We will have beds made up for you."

"Don't concern yourself with our comfort." Armbrust murmured quietly, "We will take care of ourselves."

"Although your offer is very kind." Jikan turned and smiled, chuckling quietly, "You can be so brutal, Armbrust."

The Angel of the Beasts declined to answer, and continued to stroke the dove as it ate.

The sky was so clear, the stars shone with almost blinding power.

Jikan tipped her head back and smiled. She felt her taken form fall away, and her wings stretch. It's been a long time since I last saw you let your guard down . . .

She turned at the voice as Armbrust came out of the animals' barn. He wiped his hands on his tunic, and pulled his falconer's glove back on. It's been a long time since we were awake to take in this beautiful earth. She replied quietly, she smiled and pulled herself onto one of the nearby gates. It was fairly weak and only put up as a temporary holding device, but it didn't matter much when you body weighed almost nothing. Jikan's long white-blonde hair was loose and spooled all around her, as she hovered in the air. Parts of it were looped elaborately, almost like a crown upon her head. Gossamer thin chains of gold, with tiny amber stars were laced lazily around the angel's head. The air beneath her rippled with gold magic, spreading in powerful golden circles. Her wings, the delicate wings of a dragonfly, were almost invisible, were it not for the arch of a yellow glow every time they shifted and the light hit them. Her sand rock brown cloaks, and golden skirts floated demurely around her. She smiled as she allowed one foot to dangle from her position, and become the focus of the ripples, almost as if she was dipping her foot in magic.

Armbrust smiled. Time was magnificent.

He reached up with long, furry pale green fingers to touch her hand. Shifting easily from his taken form, Armbrust changed from a small human child to a tall willowy humanoid. Deep green eyes slanted slightly, becoming more like an animal's than a human. His face – like hers - lengthened, and lost all pretences of humanity. His hair grew from the brown of the human, Trowa, to a deep evergreen. It spilled down his body eagerly. His fringe parted, and fell either side of his face until it stopped growing to just above the ground. Band of gold secured themselves around the ends. The rest of his hair was gathered at the nape of his neck, a gold band securing that as well, before it fell in a long, loose ponytail to his feet. He closed his eyes as Jikan reached, blindly, out to touch his long, elfin ears as they grew to be as long as a rabbit's. Her long, flaxen fingers – bare of the short fur that covered his body entirely – were cold as they played with the jade metal cuffs on his ear.

Shuffling closer and his own elaborate dark green dragonfly wings shivering in response to the huge amount of power she held, Armbrust tipped his head up as Jikan leant over and kissed the crown of his head.

Should we tell them? Armbrust opened his eyes and looked up at her. She leant back into her sitting position and tilted her head.

Tell them what?

That perhaps . . . He sighed and fluttered his wings, so he could float at the same height as her. A slight breeze gusted around him as he used his magic, making strands of his dark green hair flow around him liquidly. The same breeze had no effect on Jikan, and she merely tilted her head as he continued their mental conversation. That perhaps their attraction to each other is merely that of Time's allure to Earth's elements?

She chuckled, her voice echoing in his mind as if it was breaching time. Perhaps it is that, like we are to each other . . . She reached out, and slid a long pale yellow finger along his cheek. Do you hate me, beast? Do you hate me because you cannot resist me?

Never.

Well then . . . She chuckled again, Do not worry so much . . . even with the attraction of the forces, our knights will over come that and soon see the truth of their feelings . . . be it mere friendship, or something deeper.

Armbrust stared at her, How can you be so unconcerned all the time?

Because I know that given time, everything will sort itself out.

He dipped his head in agreement. A long ear twitched to the side, and Armbrust turned his head to stare at a clump of forest nearer the coast. I smell death . . . He cocked his head and listened as the wind brought him tales, The animals of the water warn of forces walking the sea's floor . . . He frowned, The trees whisper of hidden foes watching . . . their scouts are here already . . . He looked up at Jikan, The darkness sends its first strike against our knights.

She nodded sombrely, and floated down to the ground. She began to change into her taken form as soon as her golden foot touched the earth. "There will be a strike in the dawn. There will be blood and the earth shall be tainted . . ." Now a human child again, Jikan paced quickly toward the Third House, "They are not ready yet, I will not allow this to set them back yet."

"You become too involved."

Jikan paused and turned; Armbrust shook his head, and returned to his taken form again. "Our role is to train, and teach them to fight themselves. We are not apart of this, or of them . . . our role is merely to show them how to fight on their own." He shook his head, jade green eyes flashing, "You become too involved, Time."

"And you are too brutal, Beast." Jikan spoke quietly, the angel looked up and closed his light blue eyes, "Smell the air, Beast, can you smell the change now?"

"I small death. I smell their machines, their waste, their hatred of this beautiful existence. It is a smell that has never changed, humanity fight, humanity have tainted the earth with blood and hate for all eternity."

"But there is something different."

"Every war is the last war." Armbrust growled, "Every disarmament is the next step to everlasting peace! But always there will be arguments over land that is not theirs! Humans have not, cannot, *will* not *change*!!"

"If you give us the chance . . ." The two angels looked up to find Trowa standing nearby, he frowned and stepped out of the shadows. "Your voices carried, I came to see what the problem is . . ." He folded his arms and stared at the two small angels. "Are you not willing to help us?"

"There is no argument over our roles." Armbrust mimicked Trowa's posture and glared up at him, "We will train you to your best capability."

"Then why are you arguing?"

Jikan and Armbrust exchanged a look, before Armbrust sighed and stepped behind Jikan. The smaller angel sighed, and looked up with worried eyes. "You understand that we cannot protect you unless you are commanding our magic . . . until you are ready to fight, you can not ask us to step in as shields to protect you . . . however . . ." Jikan glanced behind himself, Armbrust brooded still, "We are able to warn you of dangers."

"What dangers?" Trowa tensed, and knelt down to look the angel in the eye. Jikan stepped aside and stared at Armbrust. The green eyes angel growled quietly, until Jikan placed a hand on his elbow. "Beast, please . . . this is too cruel, and I cannot talk to your knight like this."

Armbrust sighed, and stared at Trowa. "This is something I have yet to teach you. All around you, the trees, the winds, the elements whisper . . . they talk, but humans have never learnt to listen." He motioned around him, "Listen now, Trowa."

The tall former pilot closed his eyes, and listened. He could hear the confusing murmurs, they over lapped, and weren't loud enough for him to hear anything completely. "I can hear them, but . . ."

"You are not trained enough yet to figure them out." Armbrust placed a hand on his shoulder, "The trees are complaining . . . there are foes using them to hide in . . . the grasses wail . . . evil is touching them, burning them . . ." Trowa frowned, as he heard angry hisses, and near silent shrieks of pain. He opened his eyes slightly as he heard a repeating gleeful chortle. "What is that?"

"The flies . . . they smell butchery in the air . . ." Armbrust's voice held no compassion, no distaste, merely acceptance. "They rejoice because soon they will lay their eggs in fresh meat, their offspring will be well fed."

Trowa's stomach rolled at the thought. "Who is coming?"

"First scouts, and then a small army." The three turned to find Faye Bloom standing behind them, tears streaming down her face. She was scared, very scared. Behind her, everyone slowly came out. Those who had been dead with similar looks of horror and dread on their faces. Each in their nightclothes, not bothering to pull on warm clothing. Duo was bleary eyed as he pulled his cloak over his adopted mother's shoulders. Heero glanced at Odin. The older man looked around the dark woods that surrounded their encampment warily, and with dread. He wiped at his eyes, and grimaced. "Everywhere . . ." he muttered, "Everywhere."

Meirin staggered forward, her hands clenching uselessly by her sides, "Wufei . . ." she cried out as if she'd suddenly lost him. He was by her side and pulled her close to him. Her breath came in short as she pressed her face against him. "Wufei. They are staring at us."

Quatrine gave a small cry, and collapsed by her son. "They want us dead . . . they're so angry . . ." She cried out as Quatre tried to pull her up, "They want us all dead!"

Quatre glanced at his angel, "Can't you do something, make them go away?!"

Jikan shook his head sadly, "I cannot."

"Cannot, or will not?" Trowa countered. Jikan's head snapped up, and a flash of pain crossed his features. The angel pulled his hands in front of himself, and stared evenly at the group as he corrected himself.

"I will not."

Arch Two: Magic Stirring, Training Begins

End.

«If I can, but ensure thy safety.

This I shall do, 'til last breath's strife»

To Be Continued . . .

Arch Three:

Darkness, Light, Chaos, Balance