Although I may not reply to every single review I receive, take note that I read them over and over again happily like some kid with candy. You all make me happy - yes, you all do. Thank you so, so much for all the reviews, favs, and alerts. :) Anyways, here goes.

P/S : Advanced warning provided for massive amounts of Ribbons. Oh, and the involvement of MarieAllelujah. Insert a little drama and...poof! Now you have angry, helpless Feldt.

Enjoy!

Confrontation

For Marie, the question had been casual.

"Where's Feldt?"

Marie glanced up in surprise at the trio before her. Setsuna, Tieria and Neil were crowding around the already cramped cafeteria table, their expressions serious and thoughtful.

"She was with us until the two Union officials led her away," Allelujah said, sidling closer to Marie. He placed his empty coffee can down on the table, noting silently at how their expressions shifted and darkened at the information.

Neil's jaw was set in a grim line. "Who exactly were they?"

Marie was unsure why they wanted to know, but she answered anyway. "Graham Aker and Billy Katagiri. They just appeared out of the blue. Feldt seemed surprised, like she wasn't expecting it."

Neil groaned. "Of course she wouldn't."

"I knew she was nothing but trouble," Tieria muttered from aside, a look of annoyance crossing his face.

"Shut up, Tieria." Turning back to Marie and Allelujah, Neil asked, "Do you know where they went off to?"

"No, they just took off without really saying," Allelujah replied, drumming his fingers casually on the cafeteria table. "They did mention that it wasn't going to be a public place, though. Perhaps a meeting room or somewhere...?"

The discomfort was growing throughout the trio – Marie could tell. She knew who they were, of course – Setsuna F. Seiei, Neil Dylandy – or Lockon as people normally called him – and Tieria Erde were three famous, outstanding university students. How Feldt managed to be so familiar with them was a mystery to Marie. Perhaps she was just imagining it, but they seemed to be genuinely worried over Feldt's current wellbeing. Neil was laughing uneasily, Tieria's gaze was too sharp and calculating –

Setsuna's reaction, however, startled her the most. His fists were clenched tightly, and something of a feral snarl ripped out from his throat. For someone known to be void of emotions, this much of a display from Setsuna was enough to send Marie into a spiral of panic.

What was going on?

"Is anything wrong? Did something happen to Feldt?" Marie asked anxiously, rising from her seat. Allelujah grabbed an arm, trying to calm her down.

"It does not concern you," Tieria began, only to stop when Neil placed a heavy hand on his shoulders – a dangerous do-not-make-things-worse expression clearly written on his face.

"There's nothing wrong," Neil replied patiently, trying to ease his face into what he hoped was a confident smile. "Thanks anyway. We'll see you around."

The three of them turned to leave, but Marie's sharp voice stopped them in their tracks.

"Liar."

Tieria was the first one to whirl around furiously. "What did you say?"

"I'm saying that you three are liars," Marie snapped, noting how Neil shifted around guiltily as she did. "Something is going on, isn't it?"

"Listen," Tieria hissed, but Marie cut him off.

"No, you listen. I know that Feldt has her secrets. It's hurtful to know that I can't do anything for her, and that I can only watch as she suffers." Marie shook her head sadly, but then her gold eyes shone with stubborn determination. "Well, guess what? There's only so much of it that I can stand. I want to help, and I know you three are worried as well. Why don't you tell me the truth?"

Tieria assessed the situation coolly. The soft-spoken silver-haired girl had evolved into something of a snappy piranha. Perhaps the next best step would be...

"Do you really want to help?" Setsuna asked, moving past Tieria to stand in front of Marie and Allelujah. This was the only way to avoid delays. Even if they didn't find out now, they would stumble upon the truth sooner or later.

Besides, in such a desperate situation, having an extra hand or two wouldn't hurt.

Marie nodded fiercely. Allelujah smiled from Marie's side, knowing that he loved her for her courage and loyalty. If she wanted to help Feldt, then Allelujah would support her in any way he could.

"Then," Setsuna continued, ignoring Tieria's indignant squawks of protests, "Let's go."

For Feldt, the question had been casual.

"Tea or coffee?"

Feldt licked her lips, unsure of how to handle the situation. "Uh…"

"I've always preferred Darjeeling, though the aroma of freshly brewed coffee can be quite a kick-start for the day. What do you think?" Ribbons asked pleasantly, the smirk on his face blatantly apparent. "Come now, don't be shy. Discussions are best made over a drink – unless you would prefer to have something…a little wilder? Alcohol, maybe?"

Alcohol with a dangerous Proctor? Not a bloody chance. She gave up. "Alright. Tea, then."

"What about us?" Graham asked dramatically, feigning hurt. "Don't we get free service from the almighty Proctor too?"

"Leave," Ribbons answered dismissively. "You two have fulfilled your purpose for today."

"But…" Graham whined, sounding more like a schoolboy than a Union official. Billy sighed – Graham could be so persistent. The two of them had been carrying out Ribbons' ideals for years – Graham, of all people, should have understood that Ribbons' temper was not to be tested by now.

"Ribbons," Billy began quietly, shutting Graham up effectively. There was something he had to let his superior know. "There are concerns that she may have made contact with the rebels."

Feldt's eyes widened. Billy and Graham were now eyeing her coldly, ignoring the way she shook with fright. The rebels would have to mean Setsuna, Tieria and Neil, wouldn't it? But…they couldn't have known. Unless…

"Then let's put those concerns to rest today, shall we?" Ribbons asked conversationally. He strode over when she didn't say anything, hovering dangerously over her. Feldt shrank away, but all Ribbons did was press a teacup in her hands. "Here you go – tea at its finest."

Feldt sniffed the tea a little and sipped, satisfied that it didn't carry any traces of bitterness. He wasn't trying to poison her, at least.

Realizing that the two government officials were still in the room, Ribbons turned to face them. Without a trace of friendliness, he snapped, "What are you still doing here? Leave, I say!"

As Graham and Billy sauntered out of the office, Ribbons poured a cup of tea for himself and seated himself on Feldt's opposite. Feldt shivered – the fear within her was growing now that she was alone with him. She had to prepare herself for what could be coming up next – but what could she do when she was trapped? Billy and Graham were enemies, but she would have felt better if they were in the same room as her.

"There, there," Ribbons said in mock comfort. "There is nothing to fear. As long as you behave as how you should, I will spare your life. Drink up – Darjeeling tastes best when served hot."

Spare my life? This man was a monster! "It was you," Feldt bit out, unable to contain the sudden anger that overwhelmed her fear. His smooth words and promises sent her over the edge – Ribbons was more than just a university Proctor, that was for sure. "You sent the assassin to kill me!"

Ribbons didn't deny it – if anything, his smirk grew larger. "That is correct."

"What is it that you want? What are your motives?" Feldt asked, expression hard and determined. "We will stop you, whatever it is!"

Feldt knew that Setsuna would stop him with Tieria and Neil by his side. It was just three of them, but did it matter? They would do it. They could. Those three weren't normal teenagers. They knew things.

She trusted Setsuna with her life. If he wanted to save the world, Feldt knew that he would.

Instead of an angry outburst, Ribbons merely threw his head up and laughed. His laughter resonated around the room, full or mirth and amusement. Feldt merely sat in her seat, unsure of what to do. Perhaps she could ready herself to run and attack him with the teacup if necessary.

"Stop me? Me, Ribbons Almark?" He continued chuckling, seeming to find the idea of being defeated ridiculous. "Quite the naïve dreamer, aren't you?"

"It isn't naïve. One can always hope."

"You merely have not seen what true power is." Ribbons stood up and walked to the window, the cup of tea still in his hands. He shut the blinds with a snap – any vestiges of sunlight that had trickled through the glass was now almost non-existent. "Feldt Grace," he intoned. "Born on 28th December, 2293 AD. You had a lonely, deprived childhood with merely machines as companions. Due to extensive exposure to the makings of mobile suits at a young age, you were highly skillful, earning the praise of experts during the era of growing technology."

Feldt narrowed her eyes, unsure of where this was going.

"Your parents Ruido Resonance and Marlene Vlady were killed in a mobile suit conflict. A small funeral was held, with only close friends and relatives attending. Their deaths were not publicized for fear of the public's reaction."

"So?" Feldt asked wearily. She knew these already.

"Details of the battle were unknown," Ribbons continued, the golden gleam present yet again in sly fuchsia eyes. "However, it is known that their sole daughter threw herself into the world of mobile suit technology after their deaths in order to move on in life. Quite the touching story, isn't it? I'm sure they would be proud, knowing that their daughter tried so very hard..."

"Narrating my life-history won't do you any good," Feldt said, attempting to stem any feelings of hurt and unease at the bottom of her stomach. Those were memories that she had so desperately wanted to forget, secrets she never really wanted to share. "Cut the chase and tell me what you want."

Ribbons set his teacup down with a soft clink. The high-collared suit he wore with ruffles at the side made him look like an elegant aristocrat in the nineteenth century – a charming, cunning, and dangerous one.

"I know about your acquaintance with Setsuna F. Seiei. That includes Neil Dylandy, Tieria Erde, even Marie Parfacy – your closest friend, with her sweetheart Allelujah." The grin on his face was cruel, and his next sentence nearly made Feldt's heart stop. "If you do not cooperate with me, I will kill them – just like how I killed your parents."

"What? Are you serious?"

"I find it hardly appropriate to joke at a time like this," Tieria said drily to Marie, who looked shell-shocked at the stunning revelation that had been just revealed to her.

The five of them were sprinting past the campus lawns, ignoring the curious looks other students were sending them. It was a beautiful day, Marie noted. Such bright sunlight was perfect for a day-out – but there was no time to relax. Heading to Feldt was the topmost priority.

"I never knew she kept such a large secret…"

"It's not your fault," Allelujah said gently, his eyes kind and understanding. "She never told you anything."

"I know, but at the moment she could be seriously hurt. We don't even know where she is..."

Neil cracked a rare smile just then, knowing that Marie would be surprised at a few things next. "We'll just have to find out, won't we?"

"...Find out?" Marie furrowed a brow. "That's impossible."

"Uh-huh. Just watch Tieria perform the impossible then."

Tieria ignored the banter behind him, whipping out a device out of his pocket instead. It was time to put his knowledge to use. Although that pink-haired girl wasn't important to him, allowing the enemy to have her was unacceptable. She knew far too much by now. Besides, Tieria didn't want to see Setsuna go into a rampage. If anything happened to her, he knew exactly just what Setsuna would do.

"The first thing that should be done now would be to check which direction they have gone off to," he muttered. "Tieria Erde. Requesting access."

"Voice recognition complete. Welcome back, Tieria Erde."

Marie and Allelujah jumped upon hearing the device's monotone, shocked that it could even respond – much less interpret the sequences in an individual's voice.

Neil smiled a little. Tieria Erde was the unrivaled genius in hacking and information manipulation. After all, he had made it so that all three of them would be living in Dorm Seven – with him, Tieria, as the dorm leader. How else was it that they could sneak around and even make use of the hidden basement below as a second personal living space?

Tieria scanned through copious amounts of information and photos, garnet eyes skimming through each one swiftly. "The last surveillance camera at point 36D caught their images. They headed into the direction of the forests a little past half an hour ago."

Marie raised an eyebrow. The forests? There was just nothing there. It was just acres and acres of green, with a lake somewhere further ahead. Why would they head over to such a peculiar location?

"There's nothing beyond that place," Allelujah said, voicing out her thoughts perfectly.

Setsuna, who had been silent the entire time, spoke up. "There is."

Marie and Allelujah stared, unblinking. However, Neil and Tieria weren't so surprised. They had always known about what lay hidden within those depths.

"The only place that lies beyond that area," Setsuna continued, "is the Proctor's office. If we hurry, we may still be able to make it on time."

Feldt wasn't sure she had heard quite right.

Ribbons was still wearing that smug, satisfied smile – Feldt wanted to wipe it off his face. She shook – not in fear, but in anger.

"You…killed my parents?"

"I believe you heard me fine just earlier on," Ribbons said. He enjoyed aggravating her – the anger was practically radiating off her figure, enshrouding her in a cloak of dark resentment. Were those tears he saw in emerald eyes? My, my.

Feldt clenched her fists tightly, feeling rage well up within her. A fine red haze clouded her vision – Feldt wanted to nothing more than to do something with the fury that was threatening to unleash itself. How dare he, she seethed. How dare he!

Nothing prepared herself for what she did next. Instinctively, Feldt leaped off the couch with a primitive war cry and aimed for Ribbons, teacup in hand. If she smashed his head with it, perhaps it would knock him out.

Wrong.

She should have known that he was stronger. Despite his small frame, Ribbons Almark was not one to be messed with. Calmly, he moved aside, watching as Feldt's teacup smashed into the glass case behind him. Without giving her time to react, Ribbons grabbed and shoved her into the shattered remains. Feldt gasped and squeezed her eyes shut, pulling her arms up to protect herself. More glass splintered – Feldt could only thank the fact that they broke into tiny pieces and not into large, sharp slabs.

That didn't mean she was unharmed. Feldt coughed, struggling to pull herself up. That wet stickiness that flowed from the side of her temple was most likely blood. To think that she had stitches on her arm not too long ago – perhaps she was just destined for a lifetime of injuries. Feldt laughed weakly, amazed at how her mind worked in times like these.

Ribbons towered over her, looking twice as intimidating from that angle. "You should have stayed put like a good girl."

In contrast to his cool, patronizing voice earlier on, Ribbons now sounded flat, almost machine-like. Any traces of mockery were gone from his eyes – and although it seemed impossible, Feldt swore that he looked more dangerous than before. She tried backing away, but the effort was futile. Her palm met more brittle glass, which only worsened the pain.

At this rate, she may not be able to get out alive.

"You…killed my parents," Feldt gasped. "Y-you planned to kill them from the very beginning."

Ribbons laughed maniacally. "I did. Of course I did. Mind you, they sounded pathetic at the very last stages of their lives. Their suits was smoking, did you know? They were choking. Coughing. Begging for mercy. Begging for someone, anyone, to take care of their poor, lovely daughter."

"You…you won't get to my friends. I won't…let you…kill anymore people I love..."

"You? What can you do?" Ribbons strode over to her, pulling Feldt up by a lock of pink hair. A pained expression crossed her face, which only served to motivate him more. "You are a mere pawn in my plans, Feldt Grace. The same goes to your lovely little friends. Pawns should act like pawns. I decide on how to dispose of them when they have lost their purpose."

"Why…why? Why do you do this? What…what exactly…" Feldt gave another shaky cough, mentally cursing the fact that her words weren't coming out right. Damn it, she had to know. She had to understand why.

Even if she were to die now, she wanted to die knowing the truth.

A loud crash suddenly resounded from the front, grabbing Feldt's attention. It didn't seem too far away – and it was probably just her hallucination, but she swore she heard someone calling her name.

Was that…Setsuna?

No, Setsuna, don't come. Feldt struggled at the grey dots that were dancing into her vision and hoped that somehow, in some miraculous way, Setsuna would be able to hear her pleas. This man is dangerous. He'll kill you. He'll kill me. He'll kill everyone.

Just like how he killed my parents.

"Ah," Ribbons murmured, releasing his hold on Feldt. The amused, lazy tone was back in his voice. "Looks like we have guests."

[Insert scream of frustration] Pardon the lack of SetsunaxFeldt interactions here. They'll come soon. Movin' across the storyline first.

I nearly died writing this chapter, I swear. It was the toughest one yet. How did a simple love story turn out into a mesh of complexities...? Up until today, I have no idea. Anyway, Ribbons is such a pain in the ass. It's difficult to write about him. And oh, my deepest apologies if Feldt was slightly off the OOC chart. To me, if she could be pissed at Soma in the anime, she would be ferocious if this situation with Ribbons ever occurred. And, sorry for any mistakes. I'm just about to go and sleep now.

Still, let me know what you think about the chapter. Give a poor, tired fanfic writer a review...? :)

- Anne