China
An entourage of servants provided by the Dames mysterious supporters greeted Isabel in China. They escorted her to her new residence, an elderly man telling her all she needed to know.
“The aristocracy rules here,” he said as they rode through the city’s streets. “Therefore, in order for you to penetrate society and find what you need, you much become one of the upper classes. The residence in incredibly well furnished even for someone of your assumed station and everything is being paid for by your benefactors.
Isabel nodded. “And my identity?”
“Daughter, heir, and chief representative to the owner of a large resource-managing company. It’s influence is growing and you are here to spread good will on behalf of your parents. It’s rumored that very soon you may rival the Winners.”
“Ah, I see,” She said, thinking of the blond boy who had befriended Estelle, as they pulled up to her new residence.
“There is a rather large party tonight- an excellent opportunity to see and be seen, Madam Holcon,” he continued.
“Very well. And, Amigo- call me Dame Halcon.” She said, stepping out. ‘So we shall see’.
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Wufei managed to control his anger on the plane and the trip to his family’s ancient residence, but seeing it very nearly tipped the balance. This house had belonged to his family for hundreds of years even before the Changs had left Earth. That someone had the nerve enough to think that mere money could replace it was an insult.
“Master Chang,” the head servant bowed. “We are glad that finally your family has returned to its roots.”
“Yes, thank you. See to my bags, please?” he couldn’t help sounding short. The concentration needed to control the angry dragon inside him distracted from his people skills. (AN: Like those were good to be begin with…) He took himself inside and to the large Master Suite directed to him. His rage slowly grew as he saw all the priceless family heirlooms littering the house. He slammed the door of his suite without meaning to and took off his stiff, formal, outer clothing, his impatience making it a more difficult and trying job than usual. “I’ll kill whoever is tampering with out soil,” he said through gritted teeth. That stupid news show- it had shown him that that asshole Markiah was looking to buy large swaths of lands to extend his- ‘college’ situated here in China. “Over my dead body.” The lands traditionally belonged to the Changs. So he had come here to have a personal hand in the proceedings, unwilling to leave it in the hands of even the most trusted and loyal family servants.
His first opportunity would come that very evening. Servants came in to help him bathe and dress for the large party that night given by none other than the man representing Markiah. He was grateful for their assistance because it allowed him time to think. By the time he left, the rage was as a dragon, coiled inside him, ready to be unleashed at any time that he called on it. A mask took over his face and he rode to the mansion where the party was without so much as blinking an eyelash. Control. Everything was about control.
The hosts greeted him with false warmth.
“Ah, Master Chang!” the man said, clasping Wufei’s hand in both of his own. The man reminded him strongly of Duke Dermail- all show. “It is excellent that your family has finally returned to it’s rightful place on Earth.” ‘With the rest of us’ when unsaid.
Wufei didn’t bother to smile back. “I thank you for your kind hospitality in inviting me on such short notice, Master Xiang.”
“Not at all, not at all! How could I possibly not invite the last of the Chang clan? This is a great day indeed.” Or, in layman’s terms; I’m just waiting to finish off you and your disgustingly rich family. More glary shall come soon!
“Indeed,” Wufei nodded solemnly. ‘You lying son of a bitch, you think you can toy with my like an inexperienced child. Your family only managed to stop scrabbling in the dirt when mine left for Outer Space.’ “I won’t keep you from your other guests any longer.” They bowed and Wufei slipped into the crowd. “Mission Accepted,” he muttered to himself.
“Chang Wufei!” A hearty hand clapped him on the back. “Friend, it has been too long!”
Wufei turned and managed a weak smile. “It is good to see you again, Ramsay.” The large man before him grinned through a carefully trimmed blond beard. He was obviously of European descent, but he too had grown up on L5.
“Ah, not since 190, hm? I am so sorry to hear about Meiran,” Ramsey shook his head sadly.
‘Meiran’, an old ache returned to Wufei’s chest. Of course. The last time he had seen Ramsey, she had still been alive. “Thank you,” he said quietly, eyes downcast.
Ramsey frowned in concern. “Come, Wufei, let us move on as the living should. Actually,” he coughed surreptitiously. “There are rumored to be two great beauties here tonight, though I have only seen one. Truly the most exotic flower, indeed.”
“Exotic? Ramsey I am not looking to get married again,” Wufei shook his head. Especially not after the way love and all it’s partners had treated him.
“Do not make rash decisions before you see what is offered,” his old friend advised. “Come and see,” Ramsey lead Wufei though the general throng. Wufei spotted where they were headed immediately. A tight group of eager young men blocked his view of whomever was at the center of it. He didn’t want some game-playing jewel fit only to sit on her husband’s hand and sparkle. SHE had taught him that…
The knot shifted slightly and he could see who was causing the commotion. He nearly fell flat on his face, heart pounding wildly. “Isabel?”
She turned then and their eyes met. Shock read plainly on her exquisite face.
“Lady Halcon-“
“Madam Isabel-“
“E-Excuse me, gentlemen,” Isabel smiled sweetly at her admirers. “I’m feeling a little faint-“ she slipped out from amongst them, putting them between herself and Wufei. ‘What’s that hibrido doing here?!’
“Damn, looks like it will have to wait-“ Ramsey said, disappointed, turning to his young friend.
“I’ll talk to you later, Ramsey!” Wufei called, disappearing into the crowd. He had to find her. He had to. It must have been her- why else would she have run away? If he didn’t find her now and speak to her… he might never get another chance… He found her outside, away from the open balcony and all it’s light and noise that flooded into only a small corner of the night,
Isabel was aware of his approach. She didn’t try to move, knowing it wouldn’t deter him, but she wished she could sink into the wall of the building. ‘Why now? Why him?’
“Isabel.”
“Wufei.” They stood still for a long moment, trying to size each other up. “Why are you here?”
“I could ask you the same thing.” The silence stretched between them. “My family owns land here. I’m here to oversee a business deal.”
“I’m here on a mission. For Ms. Relena,” she replied honestly.
“That new threat?”
“Si.”
“Isa,” he began uncomfortably.
“You lost the right to call me that the moment you doubted me,” her eyes flashed with anger.
“Isabel-“
“No. I don’t want to hear it, Chang,” she put up a hand to stop him. “I’ve seen people like you before. They wander the Earth and Space like lost souls. You’re just a confused little boy who could never live up to the expectations placed upon you. So you try to feel strong by living only by the rules of right and wrong that you don’t really understand. Good bye, Wufei,” she brushed past him and to the balcony stairs.
He let her go, staying where he was in defeat. Isabel paused ever so briefly as she turned to enter the building. She could just make out his forlorn form before her eyes were flooded with all the sights and sounds of the party. ‘Adios amante.”
“Lady Isabel,” Master Xiang had managed to part her throng of admirers. “Might I be honored to speak with you?”
“Certainly,” Isa curtsied. “Excuse me,” she said to her disappointed followers and took Master Xiang’s arm.
“Lady,”
“Please, call me Dame Isabel. It is what I am called at home.”
“Very well then, Dame Isabel. I have heard that your family is planning on extended it’s influence to Asia.”
“Si, Master. We are very eager to do so, as you have one of the best networks of exporting here. We would very much like to take advantage of your ‘middle men’ here.”
“Yes, yes, this part of Asia is known for it’s great shipping companies. Why, I own one myself.”
“Do you, Master Xiang?” ‘Finally, we make progress,’ she tried to sound as though she hadn’t already known this.
“Why yes, I do.” The wizened little man chuckled. ‘Like candy from an infant’.
“Ah, that’s right I remember now,” she feigned thought. “I have heard that you only use the best men to transport goods of such quality as the ones my family deals in.”
“That is so,” he nodded. Isa was trying her best not to be repulsed by him. Everything about him was wrinkly and old and he stank of corruption. “We only use the most dedicated of men, trained in all things. Our facilities are the best civilian schools in the world and rival only mass military organizations. We train them in everything from how to think to how to fight.”
“How to- fight?” she allowed astonishment and a little fear to show in her eyes.
“Why, Dame Isabel, when you are entrusted with the livelihood of others- and ones of such quality as your family produces,” Isa smiled grimly inside. Using her own words against her. Very clever. “-you must take care not to let it come to any harm. I assure you, dear lady, that we train them only in self defense.”
‘Horse shit.’ “Ah, I would very much like to see these training grounds, Master Xiang.”
“And so you would, my dear, so you would! Perhaps tomorrow it can be arranged for you to tour our facilities?”
“I would like that very much, sir,” Isa curtsied lightly.
“Ah, and there is Master Chang!” the gnarled little man beckoned to him.
“Master Xiang,” Wufei bowed. He had just come in from outside. His eyes met Isa’s, but she looked away.
“May I present to you Dame Isabel? She is here from Spain to see if her family would like to do business with us.”
“Lady,” Wufei took her hand and bent over to kiss it, as a gentleman should.
“Master Chang and I have already met,” Isa said, her voice a little strangled. She glared at Wufei as he stood up. He returned her glare with a calm gaze.
“Ah, two young people such as yourselves would, I suppose,” Master Xiang nodded, pretending not to notice anything odd. He sighed wearily. “I am getting old and losing my grip on the doings of the younger ones. Soon it shall undo me. Master Chang, Dame Isabel and I were just discussing that she should like to tour our training facilities. Perhaps you would care to join us?”
“I would indeed,” Wufei bowed his head.
“Then it is agreed. Ah, but if you will pardon me, I must not neglect my other guests. Do enjoy the party,” the little man tottered off.
“That hibrido is still sharp as a tack,” Isabel muttered as they watched him go.
“You noticed too?” Wufei asked dryly.
Isa looked at him, she had almost managed to forget he was there. “I should compliment you, Wu-man. You look good.” She managed to keep the grudge from her voice. He did indeed look good. Formal dress suited him.
“As do you,” he nodded his head in acknowledgement. That was the understatement of the year. She was radiant. Black and pale yellow accented her hair and finely detailed features beautifully. “Pardon me, but I see an old friend.”
She watched him go, respect in her eyes. “Touché, mi amigo.”
Isabel chose a more conservative dress to tour the facilities. A high collar to her blouse and a pale blue jacket over a many layered blue skirt kept her looking respectable, if not comfortable. Plus, she could easily hide a knife or two within their folds.
She put on her mask of naive young maid as her car pulled up in front of Master Xiang’s house and she was escorted inside.
“Ah, Dame Isabel,” Master Xiang greeted her with what might be called warmth.
“Master Xiang,” she curtsied.
“Master Chang is already here, so we may begin immediately,” the little man nodded. Isa’s eyes narrowed and she glared at Wufei again. Infuriatingly, he refused the bait yet again. She had no choice but to follow the obnoxious little man however. He ordered his car to come, and it took them to the training facilities outside of the town. “Here we are,” he said as they pulled in. Wufei was first out and he helped the old man to catch his balance. “Thank you, my boy.”
Wufei said nothing, but offered his hand to Isabel as well. Grudgingly, she took it. And nearly let go in shock. It read plainly on his face as well. The fire…
“Come, let’s not dawdle,” Master Xiang called and continued to waddle ahead.
Their eyes locked for one more moment… each wary of what had passed between them. What was it? Would it happen again? Was the other to blame?
Xiang lead them throughout the buildings extensively, prattling on the entire time about this teacher or that class that was taught here. Isabel bore it with a smile plastered on her wide-eyed face. Good god this was boring…
“Here is where we teach mathematics. In this world one cannot possibly get by without a basic understanding of the fundamentals-“ the gnarled little man chattered.
Wufei interrupted him calmly. “This is most interesting, Master Xiang. Such an institute is admirable. However, I am concerned about the… physical education you put your men through. I’m told that that is what my land will be used for if it is sold to you.”
Isabel didn’t miss the flash of irritation in the small man’s eyes, though it was quickly covered by his jovial air of senile old man. She also appreciated Wufei’s cutting in now- it might just alleviate some of her boredom.
“Yes, of course you would be,” Master Xiang said cheerfully enough. “But you see, I had thought to perhaps leave that much out of the tour until much later this afternoon, as I fear Dame Isabel might not enjoy it, would you madam?” he looked at her condescendingly. “I had thought perhaps that she could spend the rest of the time with the other ladies in the building while we men continued on.”
Leave her out?! Like hell she’d be left behind! “Actually,” she said pleasantly. “I’m really rather curious. I’ve never seen men fight, let alone train,” she continued with her wide eyes.
The tightening of the small master’s shoulders was so quick, they both nearly missed it. “If that is what the lady wishes,” he said, voice a little strained.
“That’s most admirable of Lady Isabel not to shrink away from such things,” Wufei said impersonally, amusement in his eyes at her barely restrained fury that only he could see. “May we go now, Master Xiang? I am most eager to see this.”
“Right this way,” he nearly muttered and tottered ahead.
They followed him downstairs and outside and through a chain link fence. What they saw was almost beyond belief.
On a large, flat plain, were rows upon rows upon rows of men practicing martial arts. They stretched further than they could see, and the ranks never faltered in their practice. Isabel felt a pang of twisted nostalgia- hadn’t the Keep seemed just like this when she first arrived? Only something was wrong here… Wufei recognized it immediately. These men were being trained as killers, not defenders. And they were being trained to be soldiers.
“As you can see, our students are quite dedicated,” Xiang continued walking, leading them along one side of the rows of men. “We only accept 140% from them.”
“how very… disturbing…” Isabel murmured so quietly only Wufei barely picked it up. She watched the men, feeling disturbed. Was this how they had been at the Keep?
“Master Xiang,” Wufei drew the small man’s attention. “What is on the far side of that wall?” he pointed to a high wall on the very, very far end of the area that they could now thankfully see. He smelled wreckage… blood… defeat…
“Hmm? Why, nothing, my boy. It is simply a wall meant to keep prying eyes from our men so hard at work as you see here,” Xiang nodded amiably. “This is really all there is to see,” he said after a moment. “And I see that Dame Isabel has had quite enough. Shall we go?”
Xiang ordered his driver to take them both home as soon as he himself had been dropped off. “So weak and old, you know…” They sat uncomfortably in the backseat of the large car.
Wufei watched her out of the corner of his eye. She was beautiful. And not just physically- her spirit was beautiful too.
“You have a problem with something, muchacho Chino?” she glowered at him. Even her glower was beautiful.
“Nothing, senorita.”
Slide as quietly as you can, don’t let your feet move apart, keep your head up and your eyes open… Isa landed on the ground and silently thanked her teachers before dashing behind a building. The two men passed her by, completely unaware of her presence. The damn base was crawling with soldiers. She slipped away and found her way into the main office building. She needed to find their objectives. Now. She’s already been gone from Xiang’s stupid party for fifteen minutes now and if she didn’t return soon, someone would begin to look for her or find her bulky dress where she had hidden it in the garden. Remembering the dress she lengthened her stride, smiling. Pants were SO much more durable and practical.
Obviously the office was locked. A quick turn with a skeleton key made it open. She peered inside before going in and shutting the door behind her. On the desk was laptop, screensaver hard at work, albeit surrounded by stacks of papers and folders. With a groan she saw that the small room attached to this was nothing but row upon row of filing cabinets. If she didn’t find what she needed quickly she might have to actually go through each and every one. Better to start with the laptop. She sighed and got to work. A few minutes later she smiled. “Bingo.” She would be out of there in no time.
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Wufei moved around the room at his usual pace, always questing for little pieces of information. While his ears took everything in, his eyes quested for one thing that he could not seem to find. Where was Isabel? She had been here only a short while ago but now she seemed to have disappeared.
Distraction allowed him to forget his mission briefly and move to one of the large windows of this residence. Xiang was such a dastard. He gave parties at other people’s houses the batty old coot. No, not so batty. The little man was still sharp as a tack just as- he scowled at his reflection in the glass. What was wrong with him? Why could he never stop thinking about her? What could possibly be so special about her? How was she doing this to him? He was Chang Wufei, the great warrior for Justice and last of the Chang clan. Surely no mere woman could do this to him? She was pulling him away from a mission that was rather important to his future. He needed to concentrate now. He couldn’t allow himself any more of these foolish flights of fantasy and-
“Wufei!” a hand clapped him jovially, if hard, on the shoulder.
Wufei’s eyes bugged out from shock and he nearly choked on his wine. Ramsey look at him in concern as he coughed and tried to regain a normal breathing pattern.
“You alright, Wufei?”
“Fine,” he croaked. Damn the irony! Damn it to the furthest pits of hell! He had become distracted again thinking of how he could not afford to be distracted! “Damn it, Ramsey, you could have given me some warning.”
“Sorry, old pal,” the giant said. “How are you? We’ve barely gotten to talk at all since you came out here.”
“Mm, I know.” Because of her… he gazed out into the darkness beyond the glass. No! Bad Wufei! Bad thoughts! Bad!
“Are you alright, Wufei?” Ramsey was peering at him curiously. “Is something bothering you?”
Wufei managed a weak smile. “No, nothing.”
Ramsey gave him a critical look. “I don’t believe you.”
“What!?”
“I said, I don’t believe you. Stop staring at me that way. I know when you’re lying, Wufei. Does it have something to do with that girl?”
Movement in the dark. A lithe figure. Long hair. Isabel, he thought, heart pounding. “You know me too well. I’ll get back to you!” he made a dash through the crowd and into the dark. She had to be here, she just had to. He searched for her blindly. What was he doing? What could he do when he found her? She hated him, it was so obvious-
Someone cried out up ahead. “Who- who’s there?” a trembling voice asked.
Wufei stepped into the light cast by a window. He could barely see her- but that voice wasn’t Isabel’s. “I won’t hurt you.”
One patent leather Mary Jane tremulously made it’s way into the light, pulling the rest of her with it. Wufei openly stared. She was like a China doll. For a moment he thought it must be a joke, that she must be a performer of some kind. But it became very clear that this was no joke. She quivered as he looked her up and down. Her long black hair was kept back in two pigtails held by large, satiny blue ribbons that matched the pale blue ribbons adorning her large, frilly, poofy pink dress. It came barely below her knee and was met halfway up her shin by frilled white socks. Her Mary Jane’s reflected the light from the window in their patent leather depths.
And she looked to be about seventeen years old.
“Please- I’ll scream-“ she looked ready to run at any moment. Her deep black eyes reminded him of a deer, caught in the headlights of a car.
“No- here- I won’t hurt you,” he said carefully. “Just please don’t scream.” Curiosity got the better of him. “Who are you?”
“Meiran…”
“Who are you?”
“Meiran…”
Meiran… Meiran… No… No, this slight, delicate beauty could not possibly be Meiran, his proud, righteous wife. Wufei stared at her. He was being irrational, he knew it. But- no- Meiran- Memories started flooding back to him. The way she would glare at him disdainfully, the way she would pretend his words were of no important to her, the way she looked when she slept, finally quiet and equal to all other humans.
“…Xiang Meilin… please- don’t tell my grandfather that I’m out here!” black eyes brimming with tears brought him back to the prescence.
Meilin… not Meiran… Meilin… Strange… their faces were actually remarkably similar… but each face was possessed by a different soul…
She stared at him in fear, wringing hands cloaked in tiny white kid-gloves adorned with pink lace. “Please- he’ll be so angry-“
“You’re- you’re Master Xiang’s- granddaughter?” Wufei croaked.
She nodded unhappily. “He wanted me to come to the party tonight but I got scared and ran away- he’ll hate me if he finds out I’m out here!” Sudden hope filled her eyes, like a child. “You won’t tell him, will you? You can help me get back before he realizes, can’t you? Can’t you? Please?”
He stared at this girl before him. It was eery- it was Meiran standing before him, saying those things. Meiran? Beg? Never. His Meiran had never begged for anything in her life- the word was not in her vocabulary except as an insult. And while he pulled away in fear at what seemed the sudden incarnation of his dead wife- at the same time, he felt wildly attracted to find her as a weak woman before him.
“FUCK!” Isabel slammed the laptop closed as sirens and flashing red lights filled the building. “Fuck, fuck and double fuck!” she grabbed her disk and prepared to run.
“This way!” someone called. A young soldier filled the doorway of the office. He spotted her immediately and prepared to sound the alarm, opening his mouth-
“Not today, muchacho!” Isabel slammed her fist into his jaw and her foot into his gut, not stopping to say sorry before bolting past him and down the hallway. “Shit… I HATE it when they do this,” she muttered as she ran, encountering still more soldiers. With her fists and her knife she cleared a path and kept going. As she ran, she pulled a remote control from her pocket. “I’d hoped it wouldn’t come to this yet, but,” she pressed a button.
Meilin screamed as lights and sirens started to flare from the direction of the base. She backed away a few paces and stared in horror as the base came to life. Wufei swore, finally realizing where Isabel must have disappeared off to. He made a move to go to her- but a whimper made him turn. Meilin was helpless. Completely and utterly helpless. He couldn’t just leave her here, could he?
Angry at himself, he grabbed her arm. “Come on-“
She shrieked and protested feebly, trying to pull her arm away but her efforts were pathetic. A three year old could have done better. “Where are you taking me!?” she cried hysterically.
“Somewhere safe- Don’t fight me, girl!” he snarled when she hesitated, and pulled her along.
“Wufei!” Ramsey stood at the doorway, looking confused. Inside he could hear the fearful babble of confused partygoers. “What in the devil is happening?”
“Take her- don’t let her get hurt,” Wufei threw Meilin at him. “She’s Xiang’s granddaughter.”
“Wha-!?” Ramsey looked at the trembling mass of pink frills in his arms. THIS was the second beauty rumored to be in town? He had heard of Xiang’s granddaughter- but this baby doll was her?
Wufei turned to go- “NO!” Meilin had hold of his arm. Of course NOW her grip was strong. There was terror in her eyes. “Don’t leave me! Please!” she begged.
Fuck… How many times in his young stupidity had he fantasized that just once, Meiran could have said those things to him? Looked at him that way? Depended on him. It was so tempting… A round of gunshots from the base strengthened Wufei’s waning resolve. “Meilin, let me go.”
“No!” she shook her pigtailed head, tears spilling down cheeks that he now saw had been coated with white and pink powders, enhancing the impression of a porcelain doll.
Firmly, Ramsey pried her off of Wufei. “Go, I’ll take care of her,” he nodded to Wufei.
“Thank you, Ramsey!” he called as he disappeared into the darkness.
“Noo!” Meilin sobbed, still reaching for him. “No…!”
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His ever faithful, eveready motorcycle brought him to the scene in seconds. He fit in amongst the chaos effortlessly as soldiers eager to prove themselves ran helter-skelter across the grounds. He smiled at their foolishness. Even the stupidest of OZ soldiers had been better trained than these eager young fools.
Shoutings drew his attention however. Spotlights aimed at something in amongst several buildings of the school. He didn’t hesitate.
Isabel stood defiantly in the center of their spotlight on a large blacktop with basketball hoops spaced along it’s length. She glared up at the man with a megaphone standing directly behind the spotlight, the coward. Was he afraid to let her see his face?
“You’re surrounded. Drop all your weapons and put your hands where we can see them. If you proceed amicably and give us no trouble, your punishment may be light.”
She snorted derisively, but let her knives drop to the blacktop. Damn. They’d be scratched now. Impudently, she pulled out the remote control. “Do you see this, coward? How do you know that it’s not hooked up to a chain of bombs ready to blow this place up with a single push of a button? I don’t think you’re in a position to be making deals.”
This brought hurried talk amongst the idiotic ‘leaders’. It was clear that whoever was really in charge wasn’t on the scene yet. Isa was aware of the men that surrounded her, each of their weapons aimed directly at her heart. She didn’t care. She could do this. “We’re- we’re going to call your bluff,” one called down half-heartedly.
“Really?” she looked surprised. “That’s good because it was a bluff.” Then she grinned. “What it actually does is much worse,” and she pressed another button.
Men’s screams rent the air and fire lit the sky. They all turned to stare up in fear at a rapidly descending mobile suit firing at anything and everything outside the beam of light.
Isabel grinned and spoke into the remote and her Bloodied Thorn landed beside her. “’Bout time,” she swung herself up into the cockpit, ignoring the wild shots from the frantic men around her. “I’ll see you burn in hell.”
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Wufei stared on in shock as she took her seat in the huge mobile suit that reminded him so much of the ones he used to pilot… Isabel… that- that was the same suit that had been at Sydney! He knew it! Cursing his stupidity for not seeing it before, he leapt into action, easily pushing a terrified recruit out of an MS and joining the battle.
The stupid fools were trying their best to gang up on Isabel, but they obviously didn’t know enough about piloting. Was that really a gundam she was piloting? Since when did she have a gundam!? Didn’t matter- he mission now was to help her.
Help her he did, using sheer force to shove away as many Leos as possible. He quickly opened a comm. with her.
“You idiot woman, what do you think you’re doing!?” he shouted across the line. Beneath the shout was a quivering- he was afraid for her.
Isabel frowned at him. “Wu-man? I could ask you the same thing! This is my job- get out of the way.”
“What do you mean ‘your job’?” the battle didn’t stop just because they were talking. If anything, they now both had to work harder to maintain the conversation and not get killed.
“My work here for Ms. Relena- Why the hell should I tell you, anyway?”
“Where did you get the gundam?”
“Gundame,” she corrected, irritated. Could no one get the name right straight off? “It’s mine. It’s just a mobile suit, ‘Fei, nothing special-“
“Nothing special!? Isabel, once you’ve piloted a gundam you can never go back to piloting a regular MS,” he hacked up a Leo, fingers still itching the way they always did in a battle that wasn’t with his gundam. It was true. Those suits were special. Anything less just felt- wrong.
She frowned. What was she hearing in his voice? “And how would you know?”
“I piloted one!” he shouted as one of the building behind them caught fire and started to collapse.
Isa’s mind detached itself from her body, which continued to fight. What did she know about the war and those pilots who had fought in it? That there had been five of them, certainly… Names, names, she needed to remember names… No, they had never been told their names… Madam Anthony had said that no one knew them. But characteristics, those she had… All boys… some more distinct than others… She tried to picture them in her mind. But the last she had seen those pictures had been- how long ago? During the war itself and then never again. No, her memory couldn’t be this bad… she could remember what they looked like-
With a gasp she slammed on the brakes and stopped, her ‘thorn’ having just run through a Leo. She took several deep breaths, nearly trembling. No way…
“Isabel? Isabel!” his voice came over the comm., but she ignored him.
Wufei… Heero… they both were- both were- and those other boys too- they all fit the descriptions… those MS that had shown up in Sydney… that must have been them. How blind she was! She finally responded to his cries and looked up at him. “Chang Wufei you have a lot to tell me.”
With a sickening feeling he realized what he had just told her. But it wasn’t upsetting that she knew and might give him away- it was upsetting because he didn’t know how she would react.
Battle waits for no man- or woman. A suit thrashed at Isabel and she leapt into life again, no holds barred this time and smashed most of the suits into the ground. “Are you coming or not?” she asked him over the comm. and took off.
“Hey! These pathetic suits don’t fly!” he reminded her.
“Then hop out!” she said as if it were no big deal. Wufei muttered and grumbled as he unstrapped himself, but what choice did he have? He scrambled out of the Leo and up the gundame, shocked at just how similar it was to the gundams. He swung himself into the cockpit and it promptly closed behind him. “Take a seat in the back,” she nodded to a few seats with seatbelts in the back wall of the cockpit and he didn’t argue.
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Guests milled around in the ballroom, twittering nervously. They had no clue still what could be going on, but Xiang’s men were keeping them inside, assuring them that nothing was wrong in the most uncomforting way.
Isabel and Wufei managed to slip in unnoticed. They stuck together but didn’t speak. That would come later. They didn’t have time right now. Right now they needed to pretend that they had never left and were just as clueless as everyone else.
“Wufei!” Ramsey called and waved.
“Ramsey!” Wufei managed a smile and clasp arms with him when they met halfway, Isabel trailing along, keeping a wary eye on the people around them. “What’s happened?”
“You came baaaaaaaaack!” something pink and frilly slammed into him and attached itself to Wufei’s waist. “I knew you would come back! You saved me! How can I ever thank you?” Meilin turned adoring black eyes up at Wufei.
Wufei stared down at her, aghast. Why had she fastened onto him like this? “Er, Meilin?”
“Ooh, and I know your name now, too!” she squealed happily, making no move to let go. “Ramsey told me- he’s so nice. You’re Chang Wufei! THANK YOU, Chang Wufei!” she hugged him a little tighter.
‘Oh, shit it knows my name now…’
“Rather like a limpet, eh?” Ramsey chuckled to Isabel.
She, however, was NOT amused. She coughed delicately. “’Fei, who’s this?”
Wufei quirked an eyebrow at the nickname. He’d thought that it had been a slip of the tongue before but it seemed she wanted to call him that. “Er, this is Xiang Meilin,” he said, carefully prying her off him. Those admiring black eyes never left his face however. “Master Xiang’s granddaughter.”
“Ooh, I see,” Isabel said, not a drop of niceness in it. “It’s certainly nice to meet you, Meilin.”
Meilin looked at her and blinked, like a started bird. Other people? There were other people here besides Wufei? “Oh, hello. Who are you?”
“I’m Dame Isabel,” she held a hand out to the girl, appearing friendly. Actually, she just wanted to get this limpet off of Wufei. Something inside her was festering horribly. She didn’t like to think what it was so she ignored it. Meilin looked at the hand suspiciously but did take it, and Isabel used it to help pull her away from Wufei a little, turning her around so she was no longer facing him. “So, Meilin,” she pulled the girl’s attention back to her. She kept glancing nervously at Wufei. “I love your dress, where did you get it?” The thing was hideous. It was a crime to send a girl her age out in something like that.
“My-my grandfather has them made specially for me. He says that they’re better than the fashions women wear today. He wants me to stay a little girl.”
Figured. “Really? And just how old are you, Meilin?”
“Seventeen…”
Wufei heaved a sigh of relief and winced. His ribs hurt now. Ramsey gave him a sideway look. “You alright?”
“I suppose. Good god, Ramsey, did you have to let her latch onto me as soon as I walked in?”
“’let’ isn’t the word I choose to use.” They watched Isabel talk to Meilin, drawing her slowly away from them and into a group of other young women. Meilin looked like a scared rabbit and she kept glancing back at Wufei. He quickly looked away. “So, seems you’ve found the company of both of the city’s great beauties.”
“What?”
“Isabel Halcon and Xiang Meilin are drawing men to the city in droves, all of them wanting to see them. Their beauty’s becoming a legend. And you, lucky man, seem to have the favor of them both.”
Wufei stared at him. “Have you been drinking, Ramsey?” Ramsey chuckled. Wufei spared another glance at Isabel. “No, I don’t have the favor of them both.”
Ramsey quirked an eyebrow. “Oh, don’t you?” He had seen the green monster rearing it’s head even if Wufei hadn’t.
Isabel came over to the, Meili not in tow. “I think they’re starting something.”
“Where’s Meilin?”
“See for yourself.”
“Attention! Attention!” one of Xiang’s men came to the forefront of the room, tapping on a wineglass to draw the nervous attention of their guests. Xiang stood just behind him, Meilin at his side. “There is no need to panic! Tonight, rebels attacked the School,” he waited for the shocked whispers to die down. “There were very few injuries or casualties and the rebels have escaped. We ask that you not worry yourselves- they will be caught.” It was a promise. A declaration of war. Wufei felt Isabel tense beside him and he knew he did, too.
Xiang stepped forward. “Enough of these bad things,” he smiled at them all like a simple-minded, doting grandfather. “Tonight was meant for happy things. I have a great announcement to make. My granddaughter, Meilin,” he waved and she came to stand beside him, looking nervous. She was a good foot taller than he. “Is to marry Markiah Chisholm, the king of the new nation Edin,” he said to wild applause and cheering.
“What?!” both Wufei and Isabel exclaimed, shocked and horrified.
Ramsey harrumphed. “They’re going to marry off a seventeen year old baby to a dictator?”
“She’d have been married years ago if they followed the old ways,” Wufei murmured. Isabel couldn’t help it. She glanced at him sideways, sympathy in her eyes. She knew what a big cost it had been to him to tell her of his personal life before. She put a gloved hand on his arm and he started and stared at her for a moment before they both had to turn back to the front.
A tapestry had been pulled aside to reveal a screen and Markiah’s image filled it. “I wish to thank you, Master Xiang, for doing me the great honor of allowing me to take your granddaughter in marriage.”
“It is my pleasure, your Excellency,” Xiang made a small bow.
Wufei nearly growled. Bad enough that that Markiah was right there and that he would marry Meilin- he used the title only Treize had deserved. Wufei felt it was his duty to protect the memory of his great enemy, out of respect.
Isabel and Ramsey exchanged worried glances over his head. “Fei, Fei,” se tugged at his sleeve, bringing him back to them. “Look around- all these people accept this. We have to, too or we’ll stand out. We can’t afford to look like rebels,” she hissed. Still glowering, he relaxed enough to appear as though nothing were wrong.
Markiah continued. “It is my hope that with this marriage, an alliance shall form between Master Xiang’s family and mine and that together we may continue to promote peace.” This announcement was met by cheers and salutes with wineglasses. “To peace!”
“To peace!”
“Load of shit, isn’t it?” Ramsey said as he and Isabel walked outside into the darkness late that evening after the party had finally ended. Wufei was fending of Meilin.
“Si, it is… I feel bad for that girl…” Isabel replied. “Thank you Senor Ramsey for walking me to my car,” she nodded as she saw the car that had been given her pull up.
“You’re very welcome, senorita,” he bowed with a grin. “Wufei’s too crude to be here but I’ll say goodbye for him,” he kissed her hand twice.
Isabel smiled. “Good night, Ramsey,”
“Good night, Dame Isabel,” he swept a bow as she got in and the car pulled away. He turned around and headed back towards the house, whistling. “Hey, Wufei!” he called. The Chinese boy trudged towards him. “What’s up, eh?”
“Meilin’s marrying Markiah Chisholm, the man out to take over the world, and no one sees anything wrong with it,” he muttered angrily and they fell into step.
“Out to take over the world?” Ramsey frowned. “I heard he’s a dictator in his own nation, which he overthrew, but the world?”
“He threatened Relena Peacecraft.”
“…lots of people threaten Relena Peacecraft. It’s practically a part of her job description these days. She’s the leader of a nation that’s the leader of the pacifist movement- of course she’s going to be threatened.”
“It’s no joke, Ramsey.”
“I never said it was,” Ramsey paused. “You look worried, that’s all. She’ll be alright, Wufei, I’m sure she’s not as helpless as she looks.”
“But she is. I don’t think she’s ever spent a day away from Xiang… I don’t trust him. I don’t trust him at all.”
“I take it your business deal may ‘fall through’?”
“If the land’s willed to Markiah the way I think it is, then it’s hit rock bottom.”
“Find the proof and you’re set.”
Wufei snorted. “Easy for you to say.”
Ramsey stopped then and waited for Wufei to do so as well and face him. “No, really. I’m serious. You could do it. Look at what happened tonight- somebody sure managed to get in there. And let’s face it,” he looked Wufei straight in the eye. “You’re not exactly green, Wufei.”
Wufei digested this. Isabel HAD penetrated the base… perhaps he could as well. And once he had wrapped up his business here, he could find her, sweep her off her feet, kiss her senseless until she realized that she loved him and that she was being foolish and take her back to Sank where she could be safe. Sounded like a plan to him. “You know, I just might.”
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AN: WAH! This KILLS me! There’s a middle missing here. It should include many more parties showing interaction between our characters, building some depth in there, showing the full extent of relationships- here’s what you need to know. (To RInGo: GAH! Just rip my heart out and rub salt on the still pulsing arteries why don’t you!? [do my visual rock or what?] Damnit all…)
Wufei is trying to be both socialite and business man- not an easy combo. He is also battling his growing desire for both young women in his life- Meilin, everything he never had, the exact opposite of every woman he’s ever known; Isabel, proud, strong, beautiful, a free spirit, also something he has never known as women were restricted where he comes from. Which should he choose? CAN he choose? *waggles finger* Naughty Fei! Messing with both girl’s hearts!! Even if Isa will never admit it!
Speaking of whom, Isabel is standing all this partygoing fairly well, though it is taking it’s toll. She can only smile so much, being a woman of action. Despite herself, she still holds a small flame for Wufei… Evidenced by her sometimes seething jealousy of Meilin as she insists on spending as much time with him as possible.
Ramsey, seeing Wufei’s distraction, has kindly made himself a shoulder for Isa to lean on. Of course, he would be a fool not to notice her beauty, but he is always a gentleman.
Meilin, the rival for Wufei’s affections, is oblivious to it all. She sees only her dolls and her toys and her chances to be with Wufei, whom she is smitten with. Perhaps it is only a puppy love, a crush, but she doesn’t even know what those are. She remains the most vulnerable of them all, demanding all their efforts to protect her from her grandfather’s scheming, no matter their own wishes.
Getitgotitgood? I hope so… GOMEN NESAI!!!!!! End AN.
“Phone, madam,” a maid knocked on Isabel’s bedroom door.
“Hm?” Isabel has only woken up a short while ago. After her stunt last night she was now seriously debating canceling all events to stay home and go back to sleep. She could study what was on that disk later. “Thank you, I’ll take it in here,” she went to the window seat, splashed with sunlight, and turned on the console. “Yes? Oh- hello, Master Xiang.” Great. Just what she needed.
“Dame Isabel, how nice to speak with you again!” the little man smiled. It didn’t come anywhere near his eyes. “I must confess that I have a favor to ask of you.”
“A favor?” Leave me alone you slimy little man, this was supposed to be my day off!
“I couldn’t help noticing last night that you seemed to make fast friends with my granddaughter.”
Isabel suddenly had a sinking feeling. Oh no. Please no. Not Meilin. Anything at this point besides Meilin. Anything besides Meilin and Wufei. Especially Meilin and Wufei together. “Meilin? Oh, well, we really didn’t get to talk for very long…” Maybe there was a way out of this.
“Ah, well, you see, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. You see, Meilin’s really a very lonely girl- she’s very solitary.”
Yeah, I’ll bet. You probably lock her away in her room with her stuffed animals, don’t you? “Mhmm,” she nodded to show that she was listening.
“Would you perhaps like to spend some more time with her? I’m afraid she’s a little out of touch with what young ladies do these days. Could you-?” he let the question hang there, staring at her hopefully.
“I’d love to,” she said through gritted teeth.
_________________________________
And THAT was how she became roped into becoming the princesa’s playmate. Day in and day out a car came to take her to the Xiang residence. To be with Meilin.
The pinkness was beginning to drive her crazy. Isabel had defiantly dressed in black that morning. Now she cursed her shallow stupidity. It was turning into a warm, clear spring day and ‘Grandpapa’ had suggested they spend it outside. Damn him. Dimly she wondered again if he realized that she was the one who had gone onto the base. Perhaps he was trying to keep her occupied on purpose. That slimy little-
“Isabel!” Meilin cried happily, dressed once again in what could only be described as a play dress. She’d grown very attached to Isabel in the week that she had started coming here regularly. She had started out wary of Isa’s outspokenness, but now regarded her as a die-hard best friend.
Their days consisted of tea parties, talking about Wufei, Isabel coaxing Meilin to try something new- say, a book that was NOT a fairy tale, talking about Wufei, Isabel gawking at Meilin’s huge collection of dolls, avoiding the topic of Wufei, being drawn into a conversation about Wufei, trying to distract Meilin with another tea party-
It was killing Isa. “Meilin,” she smiled back and took a seat that was surreptitiously in the shade.
“You know, I was thinking about what you said,” Meilin said, oblivious to Isabel’s discomfort. “About that story- which one- oh, Oliver Twist, yes?”
“Mhmm,” Isabel nodded, actually curious now. She had found that Meilin’s bookshelves were lined with every fairy tale imagineable, but not a single of the hard classics.
“Well look!” she handed something to Isabel. It was an ancient, dust covered book, the spine clearly reading ‘By Charles Dickens’. “You see! I asked someone to buy it for me. And I was wondering if maybe you wanted to read it together?” her eyes shone.
How could she refuse. Much as she had to keep reminding herself that Meilin was only two years younger than she, Isabel still had a mother’s instincts. She smiled genuinely. “I think that’s a wonderful idea. But first… let’s go shopping…”
_________________________________
Nearly a week later, Isabel found a reprieve. She had finally convinced master Xiang to allow her to invite some others to join them for an afternoon, turning his own slimy arguments back on him. Served him right the hibrido…
They sat outside again, another half dozen young women about. Meilin had become the center of attention- describing the book she and Isabel had been reading. It made Isa smile. None of the young ladies here had ever though to give ‘scholarly’ pastimes a try… but now they were enthralled by Meilin’s excited story-telling. A smile still on her lips, she moved quietly in the back ground, helping the servants to set out tea for them all.
It suddenly occurred to her right now she felt almost happy. Certainly it was warmer than she might had liked in this long skirt and long sleeved blouse, even though she had cheated on the number of petticoats… She turned her face up the sun, shielding her eyes with her closed hand. ‘Mama… I know how you felt now… I see why you always enjoyed it…’ She could almost pretend that she WAS a mother… perhaps Meilin’s mother… hosting a playdate at their large house… such silly old games… something was missing from it…
Was domestication good for her? Perish the thought!
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Wufei felt increasingly irritable as he entered the Xiang mansion, following a butler. Damnit all… He had to meet with Xiang’s lawyers… why couldn’t they come to him for once, damnit? His patience was growing thin now… They were messing with him, trying to get him to give in and sell sooner, rather than later, and they deflected all hi questions about the base, which meant that there was no way in hell that things there were good. He needed some way to sneak in there and find the information to expose them… but how?
On top of all their backhandedness, they made him wait. He nearly growled aloud as he paced the room he had been shown to. Bastards… The dignity… the injustice… never liked the Xiang clan anyway… bastards…
He found himself staring out the window. Were those- people? Yes, they were courtesans- was that Meilin? He instinctively moved back from the window a little. She didn’t seem bothered at all by the fact that she technically engaged… She would still latch onto him adoringly if she saw him. He could feel himself growing hot under the collar. DAMN IT! He didn’t need to be thinking about her right now! He mentally scolded his body for trying to betray him like this. That’s what it was. A war between mind and body. And heart.
He nearly collapsed when he saw the figure moving amongst the servants, though she was obviously in charge. She practically glowed. Her long skirt swished about her like a bell as she moved, deftly arranging cups and napkins. Her hair had been pulled back in a formal net at the base of her neck, leaving it exposed to the warm rays of the sun. Suddenly he had the urge to go out there- to be near her-to hold her-
“Master Chang, they’re ready now.”
“Thank you.”
“-you see the summer leads to many complications but we are quite certain that are capable of overcoming any hindrances that may occur and may we-“
“Yes, yes, but for the last time- what will my land be used for?” Wufei was somehow able to keep a tight rein on his temper, though his foot continued to tap irritatedly.
“Thank you for coming, Ramsey,” Isabel said as the car let them off in front of the facility’s main building. “I don’t think I could have stood another day of Meilin by myself.”
“Hey, no problem,” he shrugged genially. “What’re friends for?” he smiled, receiving one in return.
“Oh, Isabel! Master Ramsey!” Meilin skipped down the steps happily. “You have to see this, it’s amazing!”
“Hello, Meilin,” Isabel smiled. She had found that Meilin was actually rather sweet, if so ignorant that it could become annoying. “I see you’re wearing the clothes we bought.”
Meilin paused to beam at them happily. She wore a nice, simple navy skirt that came to about knee length without flying out and without being too formfitting. Her shirt was in the traditional Chinese style, buttoning to a high color, and was long sleeved, in a charming white that brought out her eyes. She had left her hair mostly down today, only a little pulled back in a half pony tail. She finally looked truly happy. “Oh yes, thank you, Isa! Even my grandfather said they were pretty!” she said, missing the glance sent between Isa and Ramsey. He had? “Now come inside, quickly! There’s a marvelous movie that they have here- it shows you things from all over the world! America and Africa and Europe and mountains and oceans and- oh, come see!” she said eagerly, pulling them inside.
Master Xiang read the documents over one last time. “Is this true?” he demanded of the man who had brought them in.
“Uh- I assume so, sir,” he nodded and half bowed, obviously terrified.
“Go, then. Get me Xhou.”
“Yes, sir,” he bowed out hastily.
Xiang went to the window of his office, staring across the fields at the training facility in the distance. Xhou was the head trainer there. Really, he was a military genius. The phone beeped. “Xhou, I have some bad news. We’ve been found out.”
“Operation Kamikaze?”
“You have your orders.”
“Yes, sir.”
In one fell swoop he would destroy the base and everything connected to it. He would severe all ties to Markiah- it was simply too risky now. All ties. Which meant that if Meilin were gotten rid of in all this, it was simply too bad.
_________________________________
Isabel couldn’t help feeling uneasy. After the movie, which had made her feel very homesick for her friends, they had been invited on a tour of the facilities, something they couldn’t decline. But something told her that something was very, very wrong. She ignored her companions in favor of keeping a proper watch on their surroundings.
Ramsey said something with a rakish grin, making Meilin blush and laugh. “What do you think, Isa? Isa?” he frowned in concern. Even Meilin looked alarmed at the way Isa had spaced out.
“Something…” Isabel murmured, walking over to a desk. A cup of coffee sat there. The liquid wasn’t still. As she watched, it started to shake in it’s confine violently. “Get down!”
Screams filled the office as mobile dolls could be seen surrounding the base. One nearly vaporized the building next to them, making everyone around it panic.
Meilin’s shrieks weren’t helping Isa think. “Ramsey, keep her quiet! We need to think of a way out of here as safely and quickly as possible!”
“Aye, aye,” he nodded, grabbing Meilin. “Calm down, girl!”
“We’re going to die!” she wailed, true terror in her doe-like eyes. “Those suits- grandfather’s trained them- they’re insuperable!”
Isabel didn’t stop to wonder how such a frightened rabbit would know a word like insuperable at a time like this. “The stairs- come on!” the three of them took off. With luck, they just might make it.
_________________________________
Wufei had been pacing his chambers all day. He had ignored the phone calls from Ramsey and Master Xiang asking him to join them today, but he just couldn’t.
This- this THING with Meilin was beginning to get to him. REALLY get to him. Why the hell WAS he so attracted to her? Sure, she was beautiful, sure she was sweet. But she lacked that drive and that fire and that passion that was what he was sure he really wanted.
Didn’t he?
There was something about the way she looked at him, eyes saucer wide and pleading. Somehow that helplessness did crazy things to him. Made him want to protect her to- He had to be brutally honest with himself. To make physical love to her. The thought both excited and repelled him. He didn’t REALLY want that, did he?
And then there was Isabel. Isabel with her smiles, Isabel with her sarcasm, Isabel with her teasing. Each day here suddenly seemed more bearable for only having seen her face once. Even if it was only to sneer at him and make some snide remark about how she hated him. It hadn’t started that way.
It had started with a kiss. A deep, passionate kiss, that had made his senses reel. And it hadn’t been a joke, of that he was sure. But ever since that kiss, he had burned for more, selfish as it may seem. She made him feel complete. They anticipated each other’s movements even when they didn’t want to. Surely there was meant to be something more there?
If only she would love him back.
A noise outside brought him out of his reverie. He went to the window and swore. THAT was why he should have gone to the base today. It was being destroyed!
“Why do the damn stairs have to be so damn far away?” Ramsey muttered as they ran down the hallways, trying to find them.
“Because this building was designed by morons whose only goal is to take over the world,” Isabel snapped as they left the hallway to enter a large, open area.
The three froze, staring out the window into the cold, heartless light of a mobile doll’s ‘head’. It started to glow and Ramsey and Isabel together pushed Meilin back, shielding her with their own bodies.
The beam saber slashed through the supports of the building like butter and floor buckled under them. Meilin’s screams blended with the screeching cries of bending metal and the floor swayed and distorted in every direction.
Seeking a better hold on the swaying supports, Isabel pulled away from them, taking hold of the stairwell. She knew she had made a mistake when with a sickening wrench it pulled away from the rest of the building.
“Isabel!” Ramsey and Meilin watched in horror as she just managed to stay upright.
“Ramsey get the princesa out of here!” she snapped, holding onto the railing for all she was worth. The drop made her dizzy so she looked away quickly.
“Isa-“ he protested, uncertain.
“GO!” she ordered. With a determined look on his face, he nodded and grabbed Meilin, pulling her deeper into the building to find another set of stairs and safety. Isabel closed her eyes briefly, wondering if the God her mother had believed in so fervently would help her now. Her heart had one more wish however. A plea for help. ‘Wufei…’
The chaos of it all… it had taken him too long to get here. Wufei dodged the large MS. He could taste it in the air now- they had lost. This was their last ditch attempt to erase all evidence of their crimes here. But that still left his friends in danger.
He searched through the crowds of people streaming from the buildings, too panicked to see straight. He grabbed one by the arm. “Xiang Meilin- Ramsey de Moreton- Isabel Halcon- have you seen them!?”
“What are you waiting for, run!” the woman screamed, yanking her arm free and dashing off.
Wufei swore and let her go. Which building? Which building?! If he only knew which one… “Ramsey!” he caught sight of the large man.
“Wufei!” Ramsey cried in relief. Hanging onto his arm, terrified, was Meilin.
“Where’s Isabel?” he demanded, finally making his way to them.
“Wufei!” Meilin sobbed, but she stayed attached to Ramsey.
“Inside, on a part of the building that’s falling away,” Ramsey pointed.
Wufei’s heart nearly stopped beating. She was on THAT!? That swinging disaster held on by a mere thread of steel? “Get Meilin out of here,” he said with new determination.
“Wufei, be careful!” Ramsey called after him fruitlessly, the ‘princesa’ still sobbing on his arm. “Come on,” he said, pulling her along.
Her grip on the rail was sliding. A short, strangled scream escaped her lips as her sandaled foot slid. ‘So this is the end’, she thought grimly, struggling to pull herself to a slightly better position. ‘I’m going to fall.’
“Isabel!”
“Fei?” astonished eyes turned towards the shout. “Fei, you idiot!” she yelled at his scrambling form. The moron was climbing up to get her! “You stupid fool it’s too dangerous up here! You have to protect Meilin! Stop being such an idiot!”
“Meilin’s safe,” he said firmly. “You’re not. Don’t fight me, Isa.”
“Fei, I’m going to fall, look the rail’s not firm enough- there’s nothing we can do about it.” Only five feet of air separated them now. But below that five feet were three hundred feet and a fall to the hard ground below.
“No,” he said with new determination, finally stabilizing himself on the opposite tower. “I won’t let you fall!”
The harsh wind made the building shake and sway and Isa screamed as she slipped again. “There’s nothing you can do! If I fall, I fall! Don’t let yourself fall as well!”
“No, there is always something that can be done,” he said angrily. He found a new position, a new handhold and closed the gap between them, grasping her arm firmly. “I’ve let one woman fall, I won’t let another go right through my fingers! You women- you run off into battles you don’t know how to fight!” his shouts trembled a little- with, grief?
Her first reaction was to take offense- but, no- this anger- this rage wasn’t directed at her, and she bit back a sharp response, her heart going out to him instead. She had only a short time left, she knew. But she had to do this. She had to help Wufei find his own peace. She wouldn’t allow herself to become one more burden on his laden shoulders. “Let me go, Fei,” she said quietly.
“Never.”
“Fei, whatever demons are haunting you, let them go! And let me go, too! What happens, happens! Whatever happened to you in the past, accept it and let it go! There’s nothing you can do about it! And there’s nothing you can do now without risking your own foolish life even more, now let me go and save yourself!” she tried to yank her arm away.
He had been shocked at her words. How did she know? No, she didn’t know. She was one hell of a guesser though. Meiran… He had lost her to a battle. A battle he should have been fighting, not her. But she had been the fighter, not he, he who hid behind his scholarly delusions and ended up arriving too late. He had promised to protect her, too. The wind picked up again and made everything sway wildly, making them both ill.
“You idiot, save yourself!”
“On three you’re going to jump, do you understand me?” he stared deep into her black eyes. She nodded feebly. She hid it well, but she was terrified. “Just hold onto my hand and jump towards me, alright? Everything will be ok.” He watched the small, creaking sways of the building. They got louder and harsher every time. As the wind picked up again, he timed his count to the time when it would swing closest to him. “One, Two, Three!”
“One, Two, Three!” he yanked her back onto the more stable half of the building.
Isa screamed, feeling herself suspended in midair for a moment. Then strong, warm arms were around her and she collapsed into them, choking on a sob. He- he had saved her. She looked up again as the worst crashing noises yet came from behind her. Her kick had dislodged the flooring exactly where she had been. His grip on her waist tightened and she buried her face in his shoulder, not wanting to watch it fall. That could have been her. Would have been her. But for him. He had saved her.
Wufei turned his gaze away from the falling debris. What he held in his arms now wasn’t debris. He knew now that she was the most precious thing in the world to him. No way in hell would he ever let her go.
“Hey,” he whispered pulling back a little to look her in the eye. “It’s ok. I’m here.”
“I know,” she buried her face in the collar of his jacket again. “Thank you…”
A nearby explosion reminded them that this wasn’t the time to be whispering sweet nothings. “Can you walk?”
“I’ll live. Let’s go!”
Wufei lead them back the way he had come. Destruction was now everywhere and MS were still parading around outside. All the people now had either gotten off the base or were essentially dead. Wufei stopped them at the door. It was nothing but bare earth from here to the gate. “We’ll never make it.”
“You’re forgetting,” Isabel held up the tiny remote.
“Master Xiang! Master Xiang!” a subordinate raced into the room.
“What is it, you fool?”
“Someone’s- someone’s rescued Ms. Xiang!”
“Meilin!? But that’s impossible! The girl couldn’t find her way out of a paper bag, never mind the base!”
“Well, sir,” he said uncomfortably. “She has.”
Xiang turned on a monitor and swore. There indeed was his granddaughter, now surrounded by well-meaning fools. He had hoped that she would be lost in the ‘attack’, releasing him from his deal with Markiah. He had no choice now. “Get someone down there to help her, damnit!” New activity at the base made him pale. “We’re leaving, tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
“You heard me! Get on with it!”
“Y-yes, sir!”
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“Adios, muchachos!” Isabel pulled one final stunt in the Thorn, sending them skyrocketing into the air. “You alright, Fei?”
“Fine,” he looked a bit queasy. Damn woman drivers. “Where are you taking this crazy thing?”
“Back home, of course,” she said as though it were obvious, piloting easily.
“And where would that be?” he snorted skeptically, the knot of worry in his gut making him impatient.
She rolled her eyes at him. “Where do you think, amante?” the words were out of her mouth before she could think them through. Old habits die hard. She quickly shut up and looked away, hoping to god he hadn’t seen…
“I was hoping,” he said quietly, making her turn to look at him. “that we could stop at my place. I need to make a call. Or does that not fit into your plans, lover?”
She made a small squeak of outraged shock, turning away, then realized it was only fair. “Whatever you say…” she murmured.
“You WERE the one who told me to ask Heero,” he smirked. She glanced back at him, amusement and respect in her eyes, despite herself, then she turned her attention back to flying. You were the one…
_________________________________
Isabel continued to mutter angrily in her mind, arms crossed firmly over her chest as she followed Chang Wufei upstairs. Of COURSE his big stupid house had a big stupid hangar in it… of COURSE it was filled to the brim with old MS. Of COURSE it was big enough to house the Thorn. Stupid man. She watched him go as he strode away from her, going to straight to an office. She followed slowly, telling herself it wasn’t tentatively, and settled to wandering a large, comfortable, if lavish room that was the last before he closed a door behind him. Fine, if he didn’t want her to follow.
She stood in the center, looking around, trying to get a feel for the place. It was kind of hard with so much to look at. The wealth around her was astounding. Every chair and table was covered in rich, deep, soft, inviting fabrics. But the intricacies of the embroidered designs on them was too beautiful to sit on. The carpets, too, were their own works of art. Vases painted to tell stories held flowers on dark cherry wood tables and small porcelain figurines smiled and glared at her from what seemed every surface. Even the books on the mahogany shelves looked as though they were expensive. Most, if not all of it, had to be antique.
Not wanting to intrude, but unable to stop herself, she knelt beside a large urn, tracing a finger along the delicate outlines of a bird in flight. It was all so beautiful and rang with the glory of ancient times. She followed the lines around all that she could easily see of it, following the story of the bird’s travels. A small table stood next to it and a little figure of a dragon caught her eye. Carefully, she picked him up, appreciating every detail. He seemed made of gold and gemstones, the lacquer was so beautiful. Every detail was exquisite, right down to the pointy tips of his claws and the fire in his eyes.
“That was made by my last ancestor to live in this house,” Wufei came to sit beside her on the floor.
“It’s beautiful,” she said, blushing slightly and hastily putting it back. Silly girl. What right did she have to touch these things? “Did you make your call?”
“I did. Help should come by dawn,” he nodded.
Silence stretched between them. There was a lot of silence in this house, because of its emptiness, but it was a meditative silence. As though the house were waiting for things to begin to happen around it again. Isa pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. She suddenly felt shy and a little afraid. She fiddled with the button on her jacket. “Fei…”
“Why did you kiss me?”
The question startled her and she looked up at last. His eyes were unreadable, and they begged the question. “W-What?”
“Maybe I should have asked why you punched me, first.”
It dawned on her. The first time they had ever met. Her cheeks colored with sudden embarrassment and shame. Now that she thought about it, she couldn’t remember why she had socked him. ‘Socked’… listen to her… Really, she couldn’t think of any reason to hurt this proud dragon beside her. “Why did you save me?” Fight fire with fire.
“Well, that one’s easy,” he looked at her calmly. Simultaneously she melted and wanted to hit him again to make her stomach stop jumping.
“So answer it,” she dared.
He did so with a kiss, leaning in closely and tilting her chin up with one hand. She didn’t fight back, though she froze momentarily, startled, then relaxed and enjoyed it. It was very different kiss to the one she had given him. He broke it, “Satisfied?”
“My turn again. Why did you kiss me?”
“’Because you needed it’.” He threw her answers back in her face, making her stare at him in shock. With a wicked grin he added, “And because you are muy hermoso.”
“I’ll kill that boy…” she muttered darkly, making him laugh. “Been studying, have you?”
“A little,” he admitted. The mood had lightened considerably. “And I’m sure that that’s not what you wanted to know.” She looked at him quizzically. He just kept surprising her today. “You want to know if I kissed you because I want to do it again.”
She made a small noise of mock disgust and crossed her arms over her chest, trying very hard to glare at him, but it wasn’t working and they both knew it. “Is that an invitation?”
“I could use another clichéd line, but I think I’ll be nice and let it hang there.”
“You call that nice?”
He shrugged, eyes never leaving hers.
Since when did she need an invitation? She stared back, amazed at just how much his seemingly blank eyes held. There was a whole world in their dark depths. She could feel her heart begin to pick up pace in her chest again, throbbing against her ribs. She could feel her eyelids slowly drooping as they seemed magnetically drawn together…
She quickly stood, head reeling with the spinning emotions. “Wufei-“ she bit her lip.
He stayed on the floor and wouldn’t look at her, his cheeks aflame with shame. “No- no, I’m sorry, Isa… I shouldn’t have asked you to come here…”
She knelt down, balancing neatly on her high heels, a feat in the skirt as well. She reached out one cool finger to tip his chin up and look into those eyes again. “Sh, amore, no me ire’…” she whispered. Her heart was thundering again. Maybe it was stupid, maybe it was foolhardy, maybe it was even fatal, but gently, she tilted his chin up a little more to kiss him softly.
Her actions surprised him, and he nearly tumbled backward at the shock- then a new shock coursed through him and desperately he clung to her. This fire, this passion, this heated desire-
Her head was a mess- it was a windstorm of emotion. But her cheeks, her lips, her body- they were on fire, fanned by the gales of her passion. Passion that she hadn’t been aware that she’d had, especially not for him. But now it was unleashed and she found herself kissing him hungrily for more, just as he was kissing her. She tumbled back, unable to retain her balance on the unstable high heels but her lips never left his, as his arms were so close around her waist that she merely sat on the floor, clinging to him.
He pulled her onto his lap, giving her a single, long, lingering kiss. He pulled away to look deeply into her eyes. “Isa…”
“Fei…”
_________________________________
People swarmed in an area a good distance away from the smoking base, taking over one of the practice fields. A group had gathered around a small, central figure and she looked up as a man approached them and saluted.
“Ms Xiang? I’ve been told to bring you home immediately.”
Meilin looked at him, and then up at Ramsey, who had been standing as body guard and never left her side. He nodded grimly. She turned to the man. “Thank you,” she stood, wrapping the blanket the kind people here had given her closer around her shoulders and followed, Ramsey in her wake.
_________________________________
(AN: Alright, hentais. You may now imagine whatever the hell you want. I WOULD lemonize this except I’d have to up the rating too much to do so and thus I have put it off. I may in the future, but I’m not promising anything. If someone would like to, just let me know.
Duo: What she’s not telling you is that actually she’s just too shy to write one-
Lady: I am not! I have the perfect idea for a lemon later on and I am GOING to write it.
Duo: *Smirks* Yeah, right. Then why don’t you lemonize this?
Lady: …because it’s too much citrus.
Duo: You like citrus.
Lady: Yes, I do. So keep an eye for a Citrus Bar to hopefully open on my bio… hopefully…
Duo: Procrastina~ation! OW! *Lady thwaps him*)
_________________________________
It was the small hours of the morning, dawn just beginning to paint the sky a paler blue before Wufei awoke. He looked around him at the now familiar surroundings of his bedroom. Something however was unfamiliar, yet infinitely more welcome. Tangled in his arms was the most beautiful creature he had ever known, her silken black hair spread across the pillows like ink. He bent his head and buried his face in the small of her neck, pulling her closer. She was angelic in sleep.
Isabel murmured softly, barely stirring, and turned to snuggle into his bare chest. She drifted in and out of the layers of sleep, a smile coming to her lips as it registered that she was safe and warm, wrapped in a loving embrace. Her eyes flashed open. Whose embrace?! Whose?! She sat up quickly, but Wufei had drifted back into a light doze. She stared down at him, utterly flabbergasted, her heart pounding. No. No, it wasn’t possible. She hadn’t- hadn’t slept with him, had she?! Flashes of the night before ripped through her mind and she stared ahead, a hand going to her mouth. Why, WHY had she let her foolish body lead her?
‘Poque usted lo ama,” a voice in her head whispered as she stared at his sleeping form. Everything about him was beautiful. The curve of his shoulder, the smooth muscles of his back, the way his hair spilled around his perfect, sleeping face. She found herself reaching out to push back a stray lock of black of silk and she pulled her hand back quickly, biting her bottom lip. ‘No,’ she thought. ‘Because you love him,’ it insisted.
He stirred then, realizing she was no longer in his arms. Her apprehensions forgotten, she leaned in and ran a hand through his hair, kissing him softly on the lips. “Wake up, amante…”
He surfaced quickly and looked up into her smiling face. He smiled back. “It’s really true this time.”
“Don’t be cheeky,” she said, still smiling, pulling out of his line of vision to sit on the edge of the big bed. Her back to him, she picked up the small clock on the bedside table. “Nearly five a.m. Isn’t your friend supposed to be here by dawn?” she glanced back to look at him.
Wufei sat up on his hands, watching her. His eyes traveled from the soft, slightly wavy tendrils of black hair that covered her shoulders to her bare spine and bottom, half covered by the plush of the mattress. “Hm?” he murmured.
“I said, your friend will be here soon,” she wouldn’t meet his gaze. Before he could ask her what was wrong, she turned away again and stood. “I’m going to shower… I won’t take long,” she said, gathering up her clothes from the night before.
He watched her, a little confused and more than a little hurt. “It’s the door to your left, next to the lamp.” She nodded and disappeared, eyes still downcast. Glancing at the clock, he saw the he didn’t have time to ponder it now. He stretched and went to his wardrobe, taking out what he would need for the day and headed down the hall to take his own shower.
_________________________________
Isa let the water warm hot, steaming up the mirror and tiles closest. It was a huge room, made of exquisite tiles, marble, and gold spigots. She stepped into the hot stream and let it cascade down her shoulders and back, her hair safely in a tight bun close to her head. Her breath caught in a sob and before she knew it she was crying. She leaned back against the cool tiles of the wall and slid to the floor, her tears mixing with the shower water.
“What have I done?” she whispered hoarsely. “What have I done…?”
The sun was just beginning to rise as Wufei received a call on the comm.. He looked up from his coffee and book, sitting in a chair in a private sitting room, and reached over to switch it on and turn it towards him. His face lit into a smile. “I’ll be right there.”
Isabel tiptoed down the stairs carefully, peering around the corner. She had never spent the night at ANYONE’s house before and wasn’t sure what the protocol was. She couldn’t help it, she felt nervous. And her nerves were making her feel ill, which wasn’t helping her state of mind. On top of it, she had to admit that she felt a little sore. ‘But that’s normal, right?’ Her melancholy was pushed away when she saw that he was also not here. ‘What the hell?! Did he run out on me or something!? That jerk-‘
“Dame Isabel?” a maid was looking up at her. “Master Wufei said to meet him in the hanger when you were ready.”
“Thank you,” Isabel nodded kindly to her and she shuffled off. She still raged inside. She muttered to herself as she retraced her steps of last night to the hanger. The system recognized her immediately and let her in, and she headed down the stairs two at a time, slowing as their spiral became visible to the entire hanger. There was movement everywhere, though none of it showing any reason to panic. The most seemed to be focused on- “Hey! HEY! What do you think you’re doing to my suit!?” she ran forward to shout up at the men working on the Thorn.
“You the pilot?” one guy tipped his hat at her. “I salute you, miss, you’ve got one fine machine here.”
“I know that,” she snapped. “What are you doing to it!?”
“Repairing it!” he went back to work.
Isa didn’t have time to protest further. She turned swiftly, hearing her name called, and she primly walked over to Wufei, though she still wouldn’t look him in the eye. “What’s going on here?”
“Isa,” he said, looking at her curiously. “I asked them to work on the Thorn. Don’t worry, they know how, it’s in good hands. This,” he indicated a tall woman with honey-blond hair wrapped in two twisted pigtails walking towards them. “Is Sally Po, an old friend of mine and my partner in the Preventers.”
“I take it you’re Dame Isabel?” Sally smiled warmly and offered her hand.
Isa took it weakly, her already confused mind reeling. “Yes…”
“Sally’s going to help us fight Markiah,” Wufei informed her.
“I’m going to do all I can,” she affirmed. “The first thing we need to do though is look at this mobile suit situation. With my men’s fifteen Taurus’s, how many do we have?”
“Another twenty Leos from me and the gundame,” Wufei told her.
“What are you planning to do?” Isa pulled out her dazed state. They were talking about her suit as though they already had it’s aid. ‘Don’t they?’ That wasn’t the point.
“Xiang’s forces are mobilizing, we don’t know what for,” Sally said. “We do know that it can’t be good and that we’re going to need to be ready on a moment’s notice.”
“What happened to Meilin and Ramsey?” Isa looked sharply at Wufei.
“I don’t know, I haven’t heard anything from them,” he shook his head.
“Then that’s our first mission. We can’t let the princesa get herself into any more trouble. I don’t want to end up bargaining for her life,” Isabel said firmly. “How are the repairs on the Thorn coming?”
“As good as can be expected, but it won’t be ready for several more hours,” a technician standing to the side informed her.
“Good,” Isa nodded. “I don’t need it now anyway.” She started to walk back towards the stairs.
“Wait! Isa! Where are you going?” Wufei called after her.
She turned halfway, just enough to look at them. “I’m going to find them.” She grimaced. “But first I’m going home to change.”
_________________________________
In under an hour, the sun was up and Isabel was ready in camel slacks and a silk tank, her white jacket blowing in the wind as she headed up the stairs to the Xiang front doors. Her eyes glittered dangerously behind her sunglasses. The sound of a car pulling up made her turn, and she instantly lost her composure.
“Fei!” she hissed.
“You didn’t think I could really let you go in there alone, did you?” he said, looking at her critically. Why was she acting this way? Had it anything to do with…?
“Hmph. Fine. Come if you must. But don’t get in my way,” she turned huffily and continued on her way, not waiting for him to catch up. Mmm he looked so good… khakis and a dark shirt, under a long trench coat. Nice… he had such a sense of style- NO! She couldn’t think this way! Not before a mission and not ever! They were reluctantly let in and let to an antechamber.
“Wait here, someone will be with you shortly,” the man nodded.
“It had better be VERY shortly,” Wufei told him, but received no further comment as the door closed.
Isa whirled, staring at the door. That soft click was undeniable. “The bastard- he locked us in!” she raced to the door.
“Predictable,” Wufei rolled his eyes. He ignored Isa’s examination of the lock and went to the window instead. “Do you know which room is Meilin’s?”
“Second story, the three windows over the balcony facing the back garden. Are you seriously going to climb up there?!” she hissed as he opened the window.
“Why not? How else are we going to get anything done?” he leaned out and stared up at the side of the building. Stupid fools. It was covered in moldings and fancy accents, all of which looked tacky and all of which would help him. “I’ll come back for you,” he looked pointedly down at her shoes, practically yet still with a heel for appearances sake.
“Be careful,” she blurted, before she had time to rethink them.
He smiled at her, warmly. She could feel her insides melt. “I promise.” He swung himself onto the window ledge and started to climb.
Master Xiang stuffed papers into a briefcase furiously. Others he threw onto the fireplace, built supposedly to ward off the early morning chill. A man entered and he looked up and snapped, “What is it?”
“Chang and Halcon are in the house, sir,” the man saluted.
“What!? Curse it to the ancestors! Who let them in!? No, don’t answer that… damn it all… now we have those two to contend with as well as Ramsey. Speed up the process- I want the entire entourage out of here within the hour, do you hear!?” the little man paced.
“Y-yes, sir!” the man snapped to attention and left swiftly.
Xiang’s communicator buzzed, an all-too familiar face appearing on the screen. “Ah, Mr. Chisholm, how nice to see your honored face again,” he simpered.
“Cut the crap, Xiang,” Markiah snapped. “I heard about what’s happened to you. I’m disappointed.”
‘HE’S disappointed!? He doesn’t have the BRAINS to be disappointed,’ Xiang thought bitterly. But like a true master, he never let his emotions show. “Ah, yes it is a pity-“
“No more excuses, Xiang,” Markiah interrupted him. “Get your ass up here immediately.”
“I had just given orders to do so, sir,” Xiang bowed, disgusted that he should have to play up to this fool.
“Excellent,” he sniffed. “I will see you tomorrow then. Don’t fail me.” The image winked out.
“Worthless front man… Lunatic,” Xiang muttered to himself. “Try to play ME down as an inferior, will you?” he pressed a button on the communicator. “Get the train ready. We leave NOW.”
_________________________________
Ramsey stood back a distance as maids fluttered around a sniffling Meilin. He had an eye to all exits and entries and wasn’t about to let anything happen to his charge. Something tapped at a window, and he looked over sharply to see a hand signal he hadn’t used since his boyhood.
“Ladies,” he went to the flock of women. “I think Ms Xiang would like to rest, now. You’ve done more than enough,” he smiled at them all winningly. They giggled and tittered, whispering words like ‘He’s handsome!’ and obeyed, leaving the room.
Meilin looked at him quizzically with her big doe eyes. “What are you doing, Ramsey?”
“Getting us out of here,” he said, going to the window and throwing it open. He reached out an arm and helped Wufei climb in. “Good to see you, buddy.”
Wufei nodded. “Isabel’s still downstairs. They locked us into an antechamber, trying to keep us out. What’s been happening here?”
“They’re upset about something,” Ramsey told him. “Meilin says some of her stuff and her suitcases are missing. I think they’re going to move their operations.”
“Figures,” Wufei nodded moments before a weeping leach attached itself to his arm.
“Oh, Wufei!” Meilin wailed. “I was so scared without you here!”
“Sh, Lin!” Ramsey scolded, pulling her off him. “We don’t want anyone to hear us, remember?”
She sniffled but looked up at him trustingly. He, Wufei, and Isabel were the people who were taking care of her. She trusted them all.
“We need to find out where they’re going, then,” Wufei said, recovering well.
Ramsey nodded. “I-“
A knock at the door. “Ms Meilin? Open the door, sweetheart, it’s time.”
Meilin turned wide, frightened eyes on both of them. She didn’t know what was going on, but she had a good idea that if she let her grandfather do what he wanted, she would be taken away from her three new ‘friends’. Her eyes widened when she saw Wufei disappearing over the sill again. “What’s he doing!?”
“Sh, he’s going back to get Isabel,” Ramsey shushed her. “Go open the door.”
Clinging to the moldings, Wufei kept himself close to the building. Ramsey has left the window open on purpose and he could hear every word.
“Come along, honey, it’s time to go…”
“Go where?”
“Why, to meet your future husband, of course!”
“B-But I don’t want to! I want to stay here!”
“Now, Ms Meilin, you know that’s not possible…”
“But I don’t want to go! Ramsey, tell her!”
“Ms Meilin, there is no choice in the matter! We’re leaving immediately, now come along!”
“No! No, I don’t want to! Ramsey!”
“Here, now, there’s no reason to drag her!”
“Get away,” there was the sound of Meilin’s shriek and the door being slammed.
Ramsey appeared at the window, looking upset. “They took her.”
Wufei nodded. “Just follow my lead,” he began to carefully pick his way down the side of the building, able to hear the goings on through half open windows. Ramsey cautiously followed, and Wufei stopped at the room he had left Isabel in.
“Isa? Isa- Isa!?” the room was empty. “What in the hell!? If she ran off on her own, I’ll kill her!”
Hearing noises at the front, Ramsey dropped the four feet to the ground and peered around the corner of the house. “I think they got to her, first.” He said.
“I don’t want to goooo!”
“Unhand me, you dirty hibrido! I can walk on my own!”
“Isa, tell them I don’t want to go!”
“Sh, princesa, I can’t do anything while you’re whining! Look, you overgrown ape-“
“Get in the car.”
“No…” Meilin wailed as she and Isa were shoved inside the car. Isa glared at the man from the back seat, a wall between them and the driver. Meilin continued to cry and Isa put an arm around her, letting the girl cry into her shoulder.
“Sh, muchacha… We’ll find a way out of this,” Isa murmured soothingly as the car started and pulled away. She looked back at the house mournfully. ‘Fei…’ “We’ll get out of this… somehow…”
Wufei flicked on the communicator at his wrist and spoke into it. “Sally, they’re taken Meilin and Isabel, we don’t know where. License plate AF4439C.”
“Aye, aye, cap’n,” she nodded, typing something into a computer. “It seems to be headed for a private train station. If you can get yourselves a car, you can probably make it in time. It’s departure time isn’t static, they want out ASAP.”
“Thanks, Sally,” Wufei nodded and turned off the communicator. “Got any bright ideas?”
Ramsey was eyeing the trucks on the practice field being used to load up mobile suits. “I might.”
Isabel glared at the men as they poked at her with their guns, herding the two girls along the platform and towards a train. “I can WALK, damnit.” She strode ahead a few paces and was instantly blocked by another. “What do you want, forward or back?” she snapped. “Make up your minds.”
“Just keep going,” the man sneered and stepped out of her way.
Meilin continued to sniffle and Isa fell back to walk at her side. It was just the two of them, now. The door of the car opened and Isa stared. “A BOXCAR!? A BOXCAR!? You expect us to travel all the way to god-only-knows-where in a BOXCAR?!”
“Get in,” one of them poked her.
“This is ridiculous!” Isa protested, pulling Meilin in after her. “You can’t be serious!” They merely grinned and let the door close. Meilin sank to the ground, beginning to cry again, but Isabel went immediately to the door on the opposite side. It wasn’t locked- victory! “Meilin, help me move it,” she called.
“Wh-what? Isabel, it’s no use,” the girl shook her head, pigtails swinging. “Whatever they want to do to us, they can and will. We’re trapped.”
“Damnit, girl, this is what I’m talking about!” Isabel snapped, fury in her eyes. “All you do is sit there and feel sorry for yourself! Let me tell you, if you want something fixed, you have to get up and do it yourself! Otherwise you’re just a doormat for others to walk all over. Now get off your ass and help me!” Meilin stared at her and scurried to her feet.
Even together, the door was heavy and rusted, dirt caught in the sliding tracks and they strained against it. They made slow headway, only a few inches at a time, but they only needed a few to slip out. Their only enemy was time, and Isa listened to the train starting up with apprehension. Suddenly they both turned at the sound of gunshots and loud yelling. Something crashed onto the platform, splintering the double doors and the guns and people were closer.
“What in the hell-!?” Isa wondered.
A flushed face accented by yellow hair appeared in the gap they had made. Ramsey panted. “Quickly, get it open a little more- Wufei’s holding them back for the time being.
“Ramsey!” Meilin cried with delight.
Isa had to admit, she felt like doing the same thing. “Quickly, Meilin, help me push again-“ with Ramsey’s help they got the door open enough more than enough. The gunshots became sickeningly closer and Wufei dashed up, his face strained.
“They’re coming- we need to get out of here-“
The train lurched into movement, making both girls sway on their feet. “I don’t think we can!” Isabel cried, peering out the doorway. The men immediately started to shoot at them. “Get in!” She cried, grabbing one of each of their hands and pulling them up.
“Ramsey, Wufei!” Meilin cried, running to both of them and throwing her arms around them.
“It’s not over yet!” Isabel snapped, gunshots ringing off the mental frame of the door, bouncing inside dangerously. The boys pushed Meilin away and the three of them managed to close it. Isabel leaned against the door, breathing hard. “What took you so long?”
“This got in our way,” Wufei answered dryly.
“…Um, anybody stop to think where this thing is headed?” Ramsey asked.
The communicator on Wufei’s wrist beeped, as if on cue, and they all crowded around to see Sally’s image appear. “Wufei, did you make it?”
“Mission Failed. Meilin, Isa, Ramsey and I are on the train and it’s moving to fast now to get off,” he answered.
“Damn. Hang on,” she turned to a laptop on the desk next to her, typing furiously. “Alright, I think I know where you’re headed now. Either Edin- or Sank.”
“Edin or Sank!?” they all stared at the watch in disbelief.
“But that’ll take a day and half to reach!” Isa cried.
“And we’re stuck in a boxcar with nothing soft to sit on,” Ramsey peered around unhappily.
“I’m sorry, guys, I can’t do anything to help you,” Sally said sadly. “Our troops will take too long to mobilize and by then you’ll be halfway to Greece. Our only hope is for you to tough it out until you get there.”
“Thanks, Sally,” Wufei said grimly. “Take care of yourself.”
“I should say the same to you!” she softened. “Be careful, all of you. I’ll keep in touch.” It switched off.
Isa groaned and leaned against the fall, sliding to the ground, not caring for the moment what it would do to her pale white coat. “I can’t believe this…”
Ramsey moved to look at the piles of crates and other unknown artifacts. “Well, let’s have a look at what we can find to make this more bearable, hm? Look, Meilin, there’s a teddy bear here…”
“Oh, goody, let me see!” she raced to him.
Wufei, too, leaned his head against the dirty wall of the boxcar. “It’s going to be a loooooooooong train ride.”
![full_moon[1]](http://thewordofgit.com/ladylye/files/2011/10/full_moon1-100x100.jpg)
![Duo2[1]](http://thewordofgit.com/ladylye/files/2011/10/Duo21-100x100.jpg)
