Sooo. This chapter might be a little different. Be prepared. Not so much centered on FxS. More characters in this chapter, but also focuses on how Feldt feels and what happens as the story moves along...where the baddies appear.

Surrealistic, Da Cute Snowbunny, klasnic, StormyMonday, AmericanFairy, Royal Duke Armadilloer III, LovesFollower, Yuriski-1st, and GuitarWind45 - thank you for reviewing! And for those who took the time to read through the last chapter, and to all the alerts plus faves - thank you so much!

Enjoy the chapter!

Enemy's Lair

"What were you thinking, commencing Trans-Am when testing hasn't even been completed?" Tieria snapped, pointing an accusing finger at Setsuna. "Not only has the enemy seen the GN Particles, they now have a chance to analyze it! With their vast intelligence and equipment, they'll discover its potential much earlier than we do!"

Setsuna merely looked at Tieria, placing his sweat-soaked pilot suit aside. He had managed to land the mobile suit safely in the hangar after the chaotic fight, much to Feldt's relief. She had gotten off the suit with slightly unsteady feet, but at least they were alive.

Now, they had Tieria's wrath to deal with.

Lockon intervened, stepping in between Setsuna and Tieria. "Hey, Tieria, stop that. Setsuna and Feldt were in danger. There wasn't much of a choice, you know."

"Tell me then, Dylandy! The Trans-Am was supposed to be this mobile suit's greatest hidden weapon! Now that it has been seen, what do you propose we do?"

"Would you have preferred it if they were both caught by the Union? That mobile suit would have been seized and they would have been interrogated," Lockon retorted.

Tieria glared, garnet eyes conveying anger. "No matter what the consequences could have been, a good soldier would never reveal his secret techniques to the enemy!"

And that was it – the final straw. Feldt, who had been watching the argument silently on the couch, stood up abruptly and slammed a fist onto the table. Hard. The solid thwack reverberated around the room, and the raised voices faded into stunned silence.

"That's enough," Feldt said firmly. Her voice was soft, but there was a semblance of authority in it. "Tieria, you were supposed to make sure that the skies were safe for flying. Setsuna told me you had taken care of it." Tieria narrowed his eyes and tried to speak, but Feldt cut him off, "No, look, I know there were no mistakes in your calculations. The Union obviously set a trap and we walked into it, which was unfortunate – but Setsuna saved my life. He saved my life when no one else could. He managed to save himself, and this mobile suit too."

The silence that continued was deafening and Feldt strode up to Tieria, looking at him in the eye. "This wasn't anyone's fault and you know it," she said sternly. "Or, like what Lockon said, would you have preferred it if we were captured, dead even?"

For a moment, no one spoke. Feldt waited patiently for Tieria's response.

"Your disappearances or deaths would not be of any concern," he finally said, averting away from her challenging stare, "Though smoothing it out would greatly inconvenience me." With that, he exited the common area, slamming the door as he went.

Feldt sank back onto the couch, exhaling loudly before breaking into a small smile. "Staring Tieria down sure was difficult. Setsuna, are you alright?"

But all Feldt got was a glance from Setsuna before he entered his own room, locking the door with a click. That action felt too hostile to Feldt, even if it was the stoic Setsuna that she was talking about. Hadn't they overcome the initial silence already?

"Setsuna…?" She shook her head, unsure of what to do now. Should she try talking to Setsuna? Look for Tieria to shake more sense into him? Make a sandwich? Get some sleep?

"Don't worry. They both just need some time to pull themselves together."

Feldt jumped, forgetting that someone else was still in the room with her. "Lockon…"

"Call me Neil. That's my real name - Neil Dylandy. Lockon is just a common nickname for me – an alias, so to speak."

Feldt nodded, wondering why he would have such a nickname - but decided not to pursue that issue for now. "Neil. Are they angry at me? Is there anything I can do to make it right?"

Neil laughed aloud. Feldt looked so serious while asking, and that alone amused him. "No, no. It's not your fault. Tieria's always been hot-tempered. He'll calm down in a couple of hours – believe it or not, he was just worried about you two. He was supposed to make sure that there were no enemies around after all - and there's the guilt to deal with, see?"

Worried? Feldt just couldn't see how.

"It's true," Neil insisted, seeing Feldt's dumbfounded expression. "Remember what he said – that 'smoothing it out would greatly inconvenience him'? Yeah, it just means that he cares, that's all."

"It wasn't his fault," Feldt said wearily. "There's no need for guilt."

Neil looked thoughtful. "Still, for them to be able to get through Tieria and allow us to carelessly walk into their trap? The Union must have some seriously brilliant tactical forecasters..."

Feldt didn't say anything.

"Well, that's not the point. Anyway, as for Setsuna…how do I put it? He's angry at himself."

"At himself? Why?" Feldt asked incredulously. Of all the reasons, this was the last thing she expected.

"Because he put you in danger."

Oh. "What, that's all?"

"That's all?" Neil repeated. "Feldt, you were the first one he has genuinely opened up to. You're special to him. For all these years that Tieria and I have known Setsuna, we have only seen his apathetic, emotionless side. You're changing him, Feldt. You're unlocking a part of him that we've never seen before." He ran a hand through shaggy brown locks, sighing. "And somehow, Setsuna realizes this too. He's probably confused over these new emotions he's facing but no matter what, he knows that he can't lose you."

Feldt leaned back against the couch and snuggled into the softness, comprehending what Neil had just said.

Setsuna had always been hard to read.

It seemed ridiculous, but Feldt wanted to make everything alright for him. She hated to see him suffer, and she wanted to dig deep within his heart and make his loneliness disappear. She wanted to hold him close and tell him that no matter what happened, everything would be alright – because behind that stoic mask of his, Setsuna was always sacrificing himself for the good of the world. He didn't deserve anymore sadness. Despite how cruelly life had treated him, Setsuna always wished for the peace and happiness of others.

She just wanted him to be happy…and…and she wanted...what was it that she wanted?

Now that she was back onto solid land, Feldt could feel the effects of the night's events creeping up on her. Not only were her thoughts in a jumble, Feldt was feeling cold, shivery, and disoriented.

Feldt knew that her parents' death involved mobile suits and an accident, but she wasn't exactly sure of the details. If they were attacked by enemies while piloting – what were their last thoughts before they died? Had they fought valiantly to escape?

She hugged her knees. Without Setsuna, she would have been dead. Even when the assassin broke into her room, Feldt knew that she had been helpless. It was this powerlessness that she hated, the hesitation that she despised. She was always relying on Setsuna, and being the damsel in distress just wasn't what she wanted.

It was going to get worse, she knew. Why couldn't she have the power to save herself as well?

"Hey, Feldt, you alright?" Neil was peering critically at her.

"I'm okay. Just a bit tired."

"Is it a headache? We have some aspirin in the drawers."

"I'm…really fine," Feldt said, rising to her feet shakily. "I'll be out to get a bit of fresh air."

Neil sighed. "Feldt, it's past midnight. You do know that if anyone wants to attack you now would be the best time, right?"

"It's just the lab. Please? It'll be a few hours at most," Feldt pleaded. She had to do something – anything – to get her mind off things.

There was a pause.

"Alright," Neil said, admitting defeat. "But I'm escorting you there. And when you're done, ring me and I'll pick you up. Don't give me that look – I'm not taking 'no' for an answer."

And so the hours passed. Night came and went, the darkness fading into bright light that shone across the campus like a torch - the rays glinting off window panes, casting shadows across bushes and shining through stained glass - revealing a kaleidoscope of colors.

Feldt never rang Neil up. She stayed in the robotics engineering lab the entire night, sometimes resting with her face buried in her arms, but otherwise worked feverishly - conducting all sorts of mechanical tests and constructing reports.

She glanced at the clock. It was almost time for classes to begin. How had time passed by so quickly? Feldt shrugged off her lab coat, walking out of the doors – only to see a few people there who looked very displeased with her.

First, there was Neil.

"You didn't ring," he said accusingly, folding his arms.

Secondly, there was Marie and Allelujah. Feldt was counting them as a single unit now. MarieandAllelujah. Marie-Allelujah.

"Feldt, I brought you breakfast. You're overworking again. What's wrong?"

"Marie's really worried," Allelujah said with a sad smile, "and I don't like seeing her like that. Are you alright?"

Thirdly, there was the person whom she didn't want to face the most – Setsuna.

"Feldt Grace," he stated, as if it was a greeting.

Feldt stifled a yawn, trying to be as casual as possible. "What do you all want?"

Neil 'tsk'-ed disapprovingly. "Isn't that obvious? An explanation, of course. You told me you'd only be at the lab for a few hours - but you didn't even answer your phone, or respond when I knocked on the lab door."

He what? Feldt glanced at her phone. The missed calls and messages shone on the screen, bright and urgent. Strange. She hadn't realized it, being so engrossed in her work. "Oh," she finally said, "I must have fallen asleep. I'm sorry."

Neil didn't seem too forgiving just yet, but Marie had intervened. "Here, Feldt, breakfast. Do you want to come to the cafeteria with Allelujah and I? You know, just a meal before class?"

Feldt nodded. "Sure," she said, wanting to do anything – anything as all – to escape from being alone with Setsuna.

She walked away with Marie and Allelujah, feeling Setsuna's burning stare from behind. Neil merely watched the scene unfolding, a thoughtful look on his face.

Feldt ate slowly, chewing carefully before swallowing. She vaguely realized that Marie had taken the effort to make sure Feldt had her favourite food, but she was too caught up in her thoughts to appreciate it.

Marie and Allelujah were eating normally, but they would glance at Feldt from time to time, as if they were worried that she would pass out all of a sudden. There were instances where Marie seemed like she would want to bring up something, but then she would shake her head and decide against it. She knew Feldt, and forcing her to dredge up secrets wouldn't do any good – but perhaps she could still try and make some casual conversation…?

Marie smiled at Feldt just then. "What were you working on, Feldt? Was it a new project?"

"Yeah," Feldt answered, not really paying attention. "Just…a simple assignment."

In truth, Feldt had mentally noted down everything she had seen on the mobile suit yesterday night and had done the inputting into the database, doing complex calculations as she went. If they were correct, and Feldt knew they most likely were, the mobile suit could function at a much higher capacity, exceeding the best mobile suit that was ever invented in the Union - or even in the world.

It would be the machine of a decade – a century, even. If these GN Particles fell into the wrong hands, it was true that a weapon of mass destruction would be invented, throwing the world into chaos. There was always a possibility of tyranny, and many others would fight just to get their hands on this mysterious, powerful energy source. The stakes were too great - the Union would definitely pounce onto it and use it as an opportunity to subdue the other major states.

"Feldt…?"

"Hm?"

"You previously mentioned that there was a new transfer student who would be using your room soon, right?"

Uh-oh. Feldt had forgotten all about that. How was she supposed to tell Marie that she had to room somewhere else (at Setsuna's headquarters, to be exact) because that there were baddies out to get her – and that there was actually no such student coming?

"I'm…actually unsure of the details…"

"That's alright," Marie said, unfazed by Feldt's reluctance. "I'm sure we can ask Ms. Mannequin about that."

"And I'll go with you," Allelujah supplied helpfully.

That wasn't right. They weren't supposed to be this enthusiastic! Feldt stood up, waving her hands frantically. "W-wait! I mean, there's no rush, right? In fact, I'm not sure whether there's even an exchange student coming or not!"

"But you told me that one would be coming the other day," Marie said, cocking her head to look at Feldt questioningly. "That's why you moved out in the first place, wasn't it?"

"Y-yes! I mean, no. Uh…" Feldt looked around desperately, regretting that she hadn't come up with a better lie. "Look, I'd tell you more, but class is about to start for me. Thanks for the breakfast, Marie!"

And that was when Feldt saw them.

She had already pushed her chair away, preparing to leave - but they came silent and unannounced, their sudden presence catching her off-guard.

They were the two Union officials who had given her an important task to complete – building a Flag machine that surpassed all boundaries.

"Good morning, Feldt."

Billy Katagiri and Graham Aker stood side by side, smiling down at Feldt. Billy's long brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail as usual, and he had a long dark overcoat around him. Graham was in the official Union uniform, buttons shiny and polished. Although they were both smiling pleasantly, the aura of two important officials clung onto them, heavy and commanding.

What were they doing here? If they wanted to see her, they would have arranged a special appointment with her beforehand. To show up just like that – what were they thinking?

"G-good morning…" Feldt said, fidgeting nervously.

"It's good to see you," Billy said. When Feldt merely nodded, he asked, "And? How's the little task we gave you coming along?"

Feldt tried to speak, but no words would come. She had paused, frozen, torn between the idea of staying or sprinting away like a lunatic.

Meanwhile, Allelujah and Marie watched the exchange curiously at the table, unsure of what was happening but were very much aware of Feldt's anxiety.

Graham placed a hand on Feldt's shoulder, laughing when she jumped and hastily swatted his hand away. "Relax," he said, moving away. "Why don't you come with us for a little while? We do understand that this is something you just can't speak about in public."

Go away, Feldt wanted to scream. Just go away and leave me alone. Instead, she forced herself to turn to Marie and say, "I'm going on ahead, Marie."

Marie's eyebrows shot up while Allelujah tensed at her side. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. See you later then." With that, Feldt walked away with Billy and Graham, trying to prepare herself for what she was sure would be a full-scale interrogation - one that wouldn't be so pleasant.

Students were staring openly at the three of them, not even bothering to hide their curiosity. They were all taking different university courses and had their priorities on different things, but all of them knew who these two officials were. Graham Aker wasn't exactly one that blended into the background – he stood out, a beacon of nationalistic hope for the people while Billy Katagiri was known for his outstanding mobile suit designs. They were important people, people that served the nation and brought results about.

It was no wonder that the two of them parading with Feldt right in the middle drew curious and skeptical stares. Whispers floated across the hall, their words flitting across Feldt's ears like buzzing insects.

"That's Aker and Katagiri, isn't it? What are they doing here?"

"Why is she with them?"

"What, didn't you know? Apparently they want her to do something for them!"

"Seriously? That pink fluff-ball is good enough for the country to be needing her help? I thought she only knew how to shelve books in the library!"

Feldt listened to the whispers, balling her fingers into fists. Don't listen to them, she told herself fiercely. Don't. Just don't even let any comments get into you. If they do, you lose.

"Where are we going?" Feldt asked. They had been walking for more than ten minutes already, making their way into a remote part of the campus grounds that people rarely went to. There were vines and greenery – messy, wild, tangled, unkempt. Just beyond that would be a large forest, one that led to the university's lake.

"Just a little – ah, here we are."

The Proctor's official headquarters? Feldt blinked, confused. What was an important place like this doing in such an inconspicuous area…?

Unlike high schools where the head was called a 'principal', the major head of the university was called the Proctor. He was the one who made all the major decisions, passed on judgements, and was the main head of the university in general. He rarely appeared in the public – Feldt didn't even know his name, or his appearances. She was certain that the other students weren't too aware about the Proctor's existence either – their lives revolved around courses, lecturers, friends, relationships - anything beyond that wasn't considered a part of themselves.

Of course, Neil, Setsuna, Tieria and herself were quite different than students like that. Not that it mattered. Back to the question – why were they at the Proctor's official headquarters anyway?

"Let's go through the procedures as usual, shall we, Graham?"

"Katagiri, we are officially part of the Proctor's team. We could be counted as one-man armies – why should we even bother with something as trivial as security?" Still, Graham carefully knelt until he was at eye-level with a little machine on the door.

A retina scanner? Feldt wondered. Why was something important like that doing in the university? She shook her head, mentally berating herself for being so stupid. It was the Proctor's headquarters, and the Proctor was an important man after all. No stranger should be allowed to be waltzing in there.

But what did Graham mean by his words? Part of the Proctor's team? One-man armies?

The door whizzed open, and there were yet again five or six more security procedures to go through. Feldt lost count after a while. She felt cold, woozy, and uncomfortable in general.

And suddenly, it was over. They were in an office with nineteenth-century furnishings – a chandelier hung from the ceiling, its warm lights glowing ; paintings sent Feldt's mind spinning with their vivid hues ; books shelved neatly on a tall oak shelf towered, sending shadows on the thick carpet ; while a crystal grand piano stood nearby, glinting under the light.

It was all very regal, but it seemed too unreal to Feldt. It was as if she had arrived at a place of great importance in a different era.

"Welcome," a soft voice spoke.

Her eyes widened, and Feldt could feel the sudden fear gripping at her heart. It was rushing throughout her body – the anxiety, the adrenaline – squeezing, tightening its hold on her.

The man in front of her was young, very young. His hair was a pale green, paler than the shrubs or vines she saw outside. What stood out, however, were his eyes. His eyes were fuchsia, but when Feldt watched closely, they glowed liquid-like into striking gold.

This man was dangerous.

While Setsuna was dark and stoic, he never had the aura of a cold-blooded, cruel killer. This Proctor – whoever he was – held an aura of a snake. The sly cunningness, the dark intent of pouncing and killing – Feldt just knew. She could feel it.

Trouble.

She was in deep trouble.

"My name is Ribbons Almark, and I am the Proctor," he said, smirking and giving her a mock-bow. "Why don't you have a seat, Feldt Grace?"

Setsuna, she thought. Her hands were trembling, and fear was taking over.

Setsuna….

Dum dum dum. Ribbons Almark has appeared. How will Setsuna and the rest be able to get Feldt safely out of the enemy's embrace? Stay tuned to find out! So. What do you think about the story and the other character interactions so far?

Q : "Why isn't Alle doing ANYTHING and why isn't he with Tieria and Lockon yet?"
A : "Calmmmmm down. Marie and Alle will be helping out a lot in the next chapter!"

Yes, stay tuned. AND OH. PLEASE REVIEW. :) Thanks for reading!

- Anne