The Particulars of Youthful Indiscretion…
The Original Chapter one... so I'm just... gonna leave this here for now and not give myself a headache today...
DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND! And the increasing length of chapters in "By The Roadway", I figure it's time that I just go ahead and release this collection of "Young Trieze" adventures in Public Highschool… Followed by the REAL Noin X Trieze that leads into Trieze X Leia and covers that whole section of his life…
I KNOW people are pissed at me for how long Ch9 has been stalled… but don't worry this isn't distracting me from BTRw, this is helping me so I don't have to keep on figuring out how to reference stuff that doesn't quite fit into it… I figured give ya a bit of a snack to munch on while I get the second act in gear!
Think I like starting off similar to "BTRw" with an almost independent introduction, And then I put ch1 of BTRw as ch1 for this sooooo? whatever... …Symbolism is HEAVY here and things likely to be mirrored or already mirror things that will happen… love taking those brief snapshots the Gundam Wing animators love to throw in to flush things out during narration bits and elaborating on them… this is off of a brief scene that always had me screaming "ARE YOU SERIOUS? KICK HIS ASS LADY! WHAT KIND OF A MOTHER ARE YOU!" the first time I saw it… Can you remember which one that would be! ^_^ song suggestion: Blitzen Trapper – Furr (love the youtube of some 50's video of kids making an insect farm)
AC 176… Down by the Docks of the Romefeller Estate…
A five year old Trieze Godrick Khushrenada XIII was watching his father who was deeply engrossed in a conversation with two other lords. He didn't understand what they were talking about; but what he did understand was that his father, contrary to his mother's request, was not paying the slightest bit of attention to him. Leaning up against the stone wall of the waterfront garden watching the 'old men' talk, Trieze decided it was a sign his father hardly wanted his son to wither away from boredom and set off to look for more interesting experiences.
A red bird fluttered out of a bush, frightened by the child's approach – close enough Trieze felt the whoosh of wind as it just escaped his grasp when he automatically snatched out at it. He watched it fly through the bars of the gate, down low over the ground before soaring over one of the docks; then swinging down into water where it disappeared a moment before flapping up into the air and out of sight.
"Darn, it got away…" He narrowed his eyes, even this young it was clear he was taking after his father's looks down to the forked brow even if his hair was more of a honey-ginger color.
Trieze looked back once more towards where his father was still deep in debate before he opened the wrought iron gate and followed after the bird's flight. He liked the hollow clomping of his formal boots on the wooden dock; it reminded him of a horse walking on cobblestones. Sunlight shone and glittered off of the delicate frame of a spider's web and Trieze crouched down to stare at the sinister occupant waiting at the center of its wheel-like world.
A small butterfly flew right past his head and straight into the sticky netting. He gasped as a sudden feeling of panic rushed through him – such a beautiful and harmless creature was about to be slain before his very eyes! Were he to try to pluck it free, he knew his blunt fingers would destroy its wings and end its life just as surely. The spider sprung half the distance to the thrashing insect and then slowly crept in to subdue its victim.
Just as the spiders legs were caressing its elongated body and preparing to strike out with its venous fangs – the butterfly broke the webbing and burst free. It left the web a tangle of sticky tendrils that clung to the former master that now spun indignantly like a pendulum beneath the ruin of its once well laid trap. Trieze grinned and followed the courageous fluttering insect as it made its way down the dock flying in jagged circles and random dips and dashes, cutting a swathing path through the air, the ice blue eyes on its brightly colored pale yellow wings flashing away in the sunlight.
Trieze had to stop at the end of the dock and was sad to watch it too dance away into the distance. He regarded the seemingly black water before him – the vast barrier enabling an easy escape for the subjects of his interest. There were ducks swimming along its surface and in front of him he caught the silver flashes of fish swimming beneath. He knelt down and then carefully lay on his stomach so as to try and avoid dirtying his cloths excessively before removing each of his white gloves.
There was a slight current he could feel to the cool water of the wide channel as he dragged his bare hands across its glassy surface. He wondered what it would be like to be surrounded by that sensation…
Fish knew…
Birds and Ducks knew…
…Why couldn't he?
Trieze looked around to see who was watching him…
Sir Godrick Trieze Khushrenada (the 8th) was beginning to wonder why he even bothered trying to converse with any of the other members of the Romefeller social club anymore,
"What kind of a ridicules idea is THAT? Just because a person takes permanent residence in space does not change anything about the kind of human being they are! To say that just because they are Colonists they are incapable of taking a rational approach to solving their own issues, or properly allocating the distribution of resources makes no sense at all! If anything the lack of investors willing to help expand the education available to –"
"Godrick, Trieze!" Sir Godrick turned to look confused at his wife, Alicia, who was quickly walking his way; Katrina Peacecraft, Queen of the Sanc Kingdom, trailing behind her.
"Yes?"
"GODRICK! TRIEZE!" she repeated with more force.
"What is it?" his confusion had only deepened.
"GODRICK! YOUR SON TRIEZE!" Understanding dawned on the Duke as he glanced about the immediate vicinity.
"Oh! Right …where is he?" There was a distinct SPLASH from the waterfront. Sir Godrick turned to frown at the dock it had come from before spinning back to his wife, one hand pointing back towards it and his mouth already open to start forming the obvious question. "Was that…?"
"GO GET HIM!" Alicia was beyond hysterical from his complete calm. However her husband was hardly hesitant when he imminently leapt into action, literally, with a standing back flip clearing the four foot high wall and twisting mid-air to hit the ground running towards the dock where his only heir noisily floundered – but was hardly crying out for help.
Sir Godrick slid down on his knees at the end of the dock and smoothly hoisted his dripping son from the water in one motion.
"What exactly are you trying to accomplish, boy?" Godrick was still holding a slightly sputtering Trieze at eye level over the water by the back of his formal jacket and giving him a stern glare.
"I wanted… to swim?" Trieze knew he was hardly going to be in as much trouble as his father who'd been charged with his supervision, but was still surprised when a warm smile spread across the old soldier's face.
"I see, is that it? Well, then… start kicking…" Godrick lowered the boy back into the water. "Make sure your pushing down on the water with your hands, don't pull yourself under…" Trieze tried to keep this in mind as he found himself struggling once more to keep his mouth and nose from flooding with the chilly water. "It's alright to take a good gasp with your mouth, but it helps to let your breath out slowly through your nose…"
Alicia, whom had breathed a sigh of relief when she had seen her son safely extracted, had spent a moment in utter shock when Godrick had put the boy BACK into the water. She had thrown decorum aside with her elegant heeled sandals and sprinted out to the dock to attempt to rescue the situation.
"GODRICK! What are you thinking! Don't drown our only son IN PUBLIC!" It didn't help that her husband was casually reclining on the dock as his son continued to fight to find the right rhythm that would keep him comfortably afloat.
"I'd hardly call it drowning, look dear! He's already getting the hang of it…" Trieze was able to finally propel himself up and grab onto the edge of the dock to catch his breath; a huge grin on his face, this had proved more fun then he thought it would!
Alicia crumpled to the deck with her face buried in her hands shaking her head.
"I swear you will never have chance to conceive again, if you don't stop acting insane right this instant."
That threat certainly made its point, as before it was finished being iterated, Trieze was back on the dock in front of his mother. Alicia could only sigh helplessly at the sheepish grins mirrored between her husband and young son before sending them off to see that Trieze got dried off.
Katrina Peacecraft came down to join her friend as the two boys disappeared through the garden.
"Well… that was certainly exciting…" Alicia rolled her eyes and extended one hand towards the wine glass Katrina was holding,
"May I see that a moment?"
"Why of course…" Katrina relinquished it to her and couldn't help but giggle when Alicia mimicked one of her husband's gestures of exasperation tipping her head back and allowing the entire contains of the glass to slide down her throat.
"Thank you… I could do with a few more as well… What was I THINKING marrying that… lunatic! There is no other word for him!" The two noble women sat on the nearest wooden bench.
"If I recall the story my husband told me, you were thinking you were in love with him… were you wrong?" Alicia took a deep breath as she looked to the still spectacular stand-in ring on her finger – her real wedding ring, an ancient heirloom from when the Khushrenada's were known as the Khuβhrénir, was always kept safe in a vault in the inner sanctum of the family castle only to be worn to events of the utmost importance.
"Oh no… I was not wrong at all. The issue lies more in whether the things we love can really fulfill the duties society places upon us. In the case of my husband, it would be of no issue if it were not for the fear I have that our son will grow up confused. Godrick's sense of 'free will' hardly sets an appropriate example for him to follow." Katrina laughed,
"I'll admit any well-bred mother worries that her children will bring disgrace to their family due to their own lack of guidance… but just think of what is going on in the world today: will it be so bad for your Trieze to learn how to think for himself as your husband does? As much trouble as it brings… it is what brought about our own friendship. It is a pity that so many other nobles seem to be swaying to your brother-in-law's theories." Alicia swallowed hard.
"Let's not talk about him. He has been on Godrick's mind too much of late…"
AC 195… Trieze at the Romefeller shooting range whilst Zechs is giving him a report about the Gundam situation…
Trieze had just loaded another five rounds into the bolt-action Mosin Nagant, German style with the steel parts mounted on a solid piece of wood; when he caught a flash of red disappear into the bush behind the set of targets that were slowly shifting through their paces. His eyes lit up as he brought the rifle to his shoulder… he was listening to Zechs, but he was entirely focused down range – it had been 19 years and that bird wasn't going to get away from him THIS time. He steadied his breaths as his father had taught him and waited…
The report of the bullet being fired echoed across the grounds as a puff of feathers appeared where the bird had been flying a moment before.
"Shoot 'em down, Zechs."
Trieze had a wide grin across his face despite the fact that his short "vacation" would be ending in another day with his Uncle's return from touring his world-wide "investment portfolio"…
((SO now, start wondering about that crazy "religious" speech of his that Relena got upset at... now tack -Rick onto the end of "God"... hmm, far more interesting now isn't it?
Chapter 2 is gonna pick up in approximately AC 188… starting with why, OH WHY, Trieze ended up having to be sent to Public High School for Junior and Senior year… which is Milliardo's Freshmen and Sophomore years… and yeah… all that… I SWARE I'M PUTTING THE GUNDAM WING DVD IN NOW OK! OK! OK! MUST FINISH 'BY THE ROADWAY'!))