Dinner was the usual rowdy affair, once it got underway. Nephrite, the newest of the instructors at the academy, took his place next to Kunzite and smiled, shaking his head.
"You wonder that we haven't tired them out more than this, during their school day," he said conversationally. "Was it like this when you were in school?"
"I learned my arts in the field," Kunzite told him, pouring wine for both of them. "School was for the wealthy. Although I dare say I've made up for it since I was hired on here."
"I dare say," Nephrite agreed. "Well, there's that scamp Jadite. Where's your protégé – what's his name, Zoicite?"
"A bit indisposed, actually," Kunzite hid a smile as the young man Nephrite referred to managed to swipe both food and drink from his fellows, without them noticing. "I might like your help with something. Your magic is pretty good, I believe."
Nephrite looked over, interested. "It's not been tested to breaking, but so far, I'm holding my own."
"Excellent. Come see me in about an hour, and we'll talk." Kunzite rose from the table, unnoticed by the cadets at the tables below, and nodded politely to the other officers as he left the room.
"How odd," Nephrite said, sipping his wine again. His curiosity was sharp, but his own charge was misbehaving in the cutest way – he could not resist watching, and laughing along with the others. By the time the boys were done clowning and had cleaned up their messes, Nephrite drained his glass for the final time, and rose, heading up to his meeting with the youngest General in the history of the academy.
"So, you're saying it was a trap for – you, or someone, and that the boy here just ran into it?" Nephrite looked down to see Zoicite scowling at him for the comment, but just smiled to himself.
"I said it looks that way. There is always a chance that Zoicite was also a target – he does tend to annoy people at times."
"Oh yes, spoiled – everyone says so," Nephrite said, with a wink to his superior officer. Zoicite grumbled softly, still unable to rise or there would likely have been a fight on the spot. "You don't want to encourage that, Kunzite – the fact is, we are going to need the strongest we can get, not crybabies."
Kunzite looked at him, and then down at Zoicite who was mute but red-faced with anger. "Oh, I think he'll do fine. It's experience he lacks, not courage. He's a little reckless, and ends up in bad spots from time to time. But when the crunch comes, I think he'll do fine."
Nephrite looked between them and shrugged. "Fine, your call. Now, what are we going to do about this – trap business?"
"Well, I had a thought," Kunzite said, motioning him away from the bed and over to his worktable in the corner. "If we go here, and search this area magically, we should find something – traces that will lead us to whoever is behind this. I don't feel safe leaving someone like this out where they can prey on just anyone. You and I can take care of ourselves."
"You want to go tonight?"
Kunzite nodded. "Best take them off guard, if we can."
Nephrite looked at his uniform, which was gold and white, and shook his head. "Let me run and change, and I'll be right back. This would stand out like a damned torch."
"You're right, it would," Kunzite looked down at his similar attire. "You go change, and I'll change while you're gone. We can go as soon as you get back." He was already unbuttoning the jacket when Nephrite went out, shutting the door behind him.
Kunzite pulled a dark grey field uniform on, and a grey cloak over it. He glanced over, expecting Zoicite had fallen asleep, but the boy was watching him with fascination.
"Zoicite, is something wrong?" Kunzite moved closer to the boy as he fussed with his cuffs a bit.
"No – not with you, anyway. Where does that guy get off calling me spoiled?"
Kunzite tried not to smile at the angry pout. "He just hasn't known you enough to form a better opinion, that's all. Just do what you're supposed to, and ignore things like that. One day you'll be our age, and you can pick on the younger kids like he does you."
"I'm not a coward," Zoicite sulked. Kunzite paused, then went over and sat down on the bed.
"Zoicite, listen to me. He was baiting you - teasing. He doesn't really mean it. You are young, but you must learn to know when people mean what they say, and when they are just trying to get a rise out of you. Sometimes – often, in fact – you might find yourself being friends with someone like that once you know them more."
He reached over, smoothing down a ruffled spot in Zoicite's hair. "He's good with magic, and good with reading people. It makes him annoying at times, as you saw. But it also means he could teach you a great deal, if you let him. Just try to not take it to heart, okay?"
Zoicite frowned, but sighed. "I guess."
"Good lad," Kunzite told him, rising just as Nephrite came in without knocking. "All set?" he asked, strapping on his "business" sword.
"Let's go," Nephrite said with a nod. "I have an urge to be – reckless."
Kunzite raised an eyebrow at him, but said nothing, only motioned him to the far corner of the room. Raising hands palm-to-palm, they appeared to slowly shut out the rest of the room. Kunzite's voice was soft, but the loud crack of their palms meeting, coupled with ozone and silence, told Zoicite that they had gone.
"You'd better come back to me, Kunzite," the boy said into his pillow as he rolled to one side stiffly. "With him or without him. In fact, he'd better not come back without you…"