The Gundam Boys: Off Duty =P

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The G-Boys: Back to School Special!

Part 4: Jealousy

Relena was not pleased that Quatre’s sisters had arrived. She was also not pleased that they had arrived right on her magnolia patches. She was even less pleased when she found out that Duo had invited them all over. Hence, her unpleasiness.

“You get out and fix those magnolia patches right now!” she had ordered. And no one could disobey princess Relena.

And so now, the poor Duo was outside raking up the dirt while his friends were sitting under their favourite tree, sipping some sodas.

“It’s such a hot day,” Wufei said, fanning himself with one of his silky ornate fans.

Duo glared over, baking in the sun. Then he began raking up the dirt with a renewed vigour. Dirt was flying all over the place. A chunk accidentally landed in Heero’s soda.

Heero, now well mended, contemplated the piece of dirt in his soda. It bobbed around hideously with the rest of his pieces of ice, looking like a fat whale among crystalline ballerinas. Then it melted. Heero’s entire drink turned a muddy brown. He took a sip.

“Ewwww…,” everyone said, a disgusted look on their face.

Heero smiled. Then he downed his entire drink in one gulp. Quatre looked a little green.

“Hey…. Can I try some?” Duo asked, coming over with a curious look on his face.

Heero shrugged, grabbed the closest drink he could find (it was Trowa’s) and put a pint of fresh-ground dirt into it. After mixing it into a mocha colour, Duo cautiously took a sip.

“Ptooooie! Awww, that tastes gross!”

Heero started laughing. He laughed so hard that he fell out of his seat. Everyone gave each other weird looks. They all wondered if Heero’s way of exacting revenge was actually worth it. Quatre still looked a little green.

Duo didn’t care. He huffed and continued digging at the dirt. He made sure that, with each scoop he dug, he aimed right for Heero.

“Ahem,” a female voice said.

Duo looked up, tired and hot. His vision was swimming as the female was standing right in front of the sun. Someone snickered.

Duo’s vision finally came into focus. What he now saw was a very pink Relena standing there with dirt chunks all over her face and dress.

Duo couldn’t help it. He quickly clamped his hands above his mouth and started shaking. When he finally couldn’t stand it anymore, he released his hands. His laugh came out loud and hard.

“I don’t find this at all funny,” Relena said, hands on her hips. She glared over at the other G-Boys, but they had zipped their mouths shut. When she looked back at Duo, big grins immediately spread back across all their faces.

“I…I’m sorry,” Duo said, not sorry at all and still guffawing. He lost his balance among the holes he dug and nearly fell over. He grabbed the first thing he could find.

Relena gasped as Duo’s grimy hand grabbed the front of her breast and pulled. They both flopped unceremoniously into Duo’s trench.

Wufei got up and started clapping. “Congratulations on the union of the God of Death and the Goddess of Peace. May you rest in peace.” He kicked a piece of dirt onto the both of them, already beginning their burial.

“You stop that right now!” Relena said, trying to get up while untangling herself from Duo. But Duo’s heavy arm was splayed across her neck like an anchor. She couldn’t get up and began kicking her dainty feet in frustration.

“Allow me,” Trowa said quietly. His face was solemn, as if he was at a REAL funeral, and flipped Duo’s arm over. He began helping Relena get out from the dirt.

“Thank you,” Relena said graciously. “Now, this is what I call a real gentleman,” she announced to no one in particular.

Heero, from his vantage point on the ground, was glaring at Trowa. Trowa blinked dully back. Relena was still holding his hand.

“Come now, Trowa. Let us leave these immature fellows and head back to the premises. I need to get cleaned up.”

Grabbing Trowa’s hand, Relena lead him in the direction of the school. Trowa looked back sadly, and Quatre quickly grabbed up Trowa’s sewing kit and handed it to him. “Make sure he never parts with this,” Quatre said to Relena, then let them on their way. Heero glared at their parting backs, then he glared at Quatre. Then he glared at Duo, and glared at Wufei for good measure. Dusting himself off, Heero got up and started walking away, heading towards the direction of Relena and Trowa.

“What’s up with him?” Duo asked, glancing at the departing Heero. Both Quatre and Wufei shrugged, completely clueless.

“You will take an eternity if you do this alone,” Wufei said, grabbing up Duo’s prongs. He baton-twirled the tool in the air, then started digging up the dirt. In 3 minutes flat, he had finished.

Duo and Quatre looked at the bed of soil and gasped. The dirt for the magnolias was dug in neat little rows, and the upturning of the soil had revealed just the right amount of moisture. When the sun shone down upon it, it honest-to-god sparkled.

“I wanna take a picture!” Duo said, already running back to his dorm room to grab his disposable camera.

“Where did you learn to do this?” Quatre asked, puzzled.

Wufei shrugged, and wiped a smudge of dirt from his face. “Anyone can do it. Duo was just making a big fuss.” Then he walked off to get cleaned up.

Quatre looked back amazedly at the departing Wufei. He didn’t notice as Duo careened into him, knocking him over.

Duo was back. Holding up his disposable camera like a professional photographer, he began snapping pictures.

“Uh…maybe you should wait until AFTER we plant the flowers.”

“Are you kidding?” Duo asked. “Do you know how ugly those magnolia patches are? This is a work of art!”

Quatre shook his head and left Duo still snapping pictures. He wanted to see if his sisters were all right.

Duo sat beneath the shade of the tree alone. Grabbing up someone’s soda (one WITHOUT dirt) he relaxed and began sipping away.

Heero glared. He glared at everyone that he passed, and people cowered in fright. Marching swiftly across the lawn, he had only one target: the couple with the blond-brown hair.

As Heero walked, he ripped off his uniform (like Superman), revealing his ever-present green top with tight shorts. Ribbons trailed along behind him, but Heero ignored them, eyes only for his target. Then he tripped.

Heero fell flat on his face as Relena’s confounded ribbons twined around his ankles. He attempted to get up, when a hand reached down in front of his face.

Heero’s eyes traveled up the arm until he saw whom it was attached to.

One of Quatre’s beautiful sisters smiled down at him, large golden hoops dangling from her ears. “You’re Heero, aren’t you?”

Heero accepted her hand and she pulled him up. She was slightly taller than he was. “You are Wanda,” Heero said, remembering (Re: Quatre’s Sisters, Part 7).

“Yes, you remembered!” she said happily, clapping her hands. Everyone glanced at them as they passed, wondering who Heero’s new girlfriend was. “You helped me buy my delicates!”

Heero blushed. Scrolling through the woman’s aisle was one of the hardest missions he’d done in his life.

Wanda helped him pull the ribbons off him while Heero just stood there, not knowing what to do. She clucked. “What in the world are these dangly things? They look horrendous!”

Heero’s eyes widened. “You think so too?” he asked quietly.

“Of course! Who makes you wear these?”

Heero looked down. He clenched his fists. He should not be forgetting what he was here for.

“Ah, well. It doesn’t matter. You know what, Heero?” Wanda looked down and blushed. “I’m afraid that Quatre’s school is so big, I’ve lost my way. Do you think you can show me the way to Quatre’s room?” Her wide eyes gazed at him imploringly.

Heero considered. He was currently occupied at the moment, but a detour certainly wouldn’t hurt. “Sure,” he said.

“Thanks!” Wanda said, gripping his arm. Heero didn’t pull away.

Thus, they walked, arms linked, as Wanda started asking questions all about the school while Heero politely answered them. They didn’t notice as someone was glaring at them from far off.

Relena looked behind her, dragging along the submissive Trowa. She squinted. Who was that woman that Heero was with? Then her eyes widened in recognition.

It was that woman again! The same woman with the bathrobe! What was SHE doing here? And holding her precious Heero! The woman was practically all over him! And stupid Heero didn’t even notice.

Relena grumbled. She wasn’t even aware she was holding Trowa’s hand anymore. She simply stormed off to her dorm room, while Trowa was dragged dazedly behind, his sewing kit bumping along beside him.

Mechs was taking a walk outside, coffee in hand. It was such a beautiful day today, that he simply couldn’t stay indoors. After Heero had left, the hospital became much less busy, since his fan clubs didn’t hang around as often.

Mechs was walking towards a bench, when he did a double-take. He squinted. What was Duo doing taking pictures of the soil? Mechs, curious, walked over.

Duo didn’t even notice his approach. Mechs stood and stopped directly behind him. “Hi, Duo.”

Duo eeped! and nearly fell among the mounds. Mechs helpfully grabbed his braid, to prevent Duo from again falling into the soil. “What are you doing, sneaking up on people like that?” Duo asked, rubbing the base of his neck where the braid was attached.

“Well, you appeared occupied for the moment,” Mechs answered, gazing pointedly at the camera.

Duo looked down at the camera and held his hand behind his head, gazing sheepishly up at Mechs. “It’s a project,” he lied. “For school.”

“I see,” Mechs said, looking at the empty mounds of soil. “But don’t you think it would be more helpful if you planted some flowers there first?”

“Why does everybody keep telling me that?” Duo asked, exasperated. Duo stormed off, holding his camera above him and yelling curses to the sky.

Mechs shook his head and smiled. That Duo was one strange boy.

“Hey, doctor.”

Mechs turned around, wondering whom the pleasant the voice belonged to. He gasped.

Three of Quatre’s sisters were standing behind him. Their exoticness and sheer beauty made him nearly fall into the soil. He waved his arms around frantically for balance.

One of the sisters grabbed his stethoscope and pulled him back upright. Now Mechs stood directly in front of them, just a centimeter away. “Thank you,” he breathed.

“No, thank YOU,” they said. “Thanks for taking care of our little brother while we were gone. We wouldn’t know what we would do without you.”

Mechs, confused by this onslaught of flattery, blushed. “It was nothing. It is what I do,” he murmured.

“We simply MUST repay you,” the sister in the center said. “How about a lunch?”

Mechs thought. Well, he WAS feeling a little hungry. “Certainly,” he replied. “It would be my utter pleasure.”

Before he had time to think, Mechs was dragged off to the veranda, where the restaurants were located. His coffee lay forgotten on the ground.

Duo peeked out from the top of the tree branches. Ooohhhh, that Mechs. Not only had he insulted him, but now he was taking Quatre’s sisters away. Duo squinted, from his high vantage point. They were heading towards the restaurants.

Duo grumbled in jealousy. Just because the guy was tall, handsome, and a doctor did NOT mean that he was better than Duo. Duo simmered in his own ridiculous thought until someone yelled at him to come down.

Duo looked towards the ground. One of the school custodians was yelling for him to come down from the tree. Duo stuck out his tongue and ignored him.

The custodian was walking away. Good.

Duo thought. How in the world would he make Quatre’s sisters like him more? And, more importantly, without Quatre knowing?? He could think up hundreds of possibilities, but they would all require augmenting his height to at least 5’9” and chopping off a good chunk of his braid. And he didn’t want to be doing that any time soon. In fact, not at all.

Duo chewed on his braid, splitting the already split ends. He needed some kind of compromise.

Duo’s bright idea came right when the custodian came back…with Principal Khushrenada in tow.

Duo eeped! and nearly fell out of the tree. Khushrenada was wearing his regal pink cape and now it was blowing in the wind, emphasizing his god-like physique. Duo’s eyes burned red in envy. Not only was Treiz…no, Trey was 6’1”, but he didn’t look like a pansy wearing one of Relena’s ghastly uniforms. Oh, the injustice, as Wufei would say, if he even cared about such things. Which he didn’t. Thank god.

“Hello, Duo,” Khushrenada hailed him. “A pleasant day to go climbing trees, is it not?”

“Yeah, Mr. K,” Duo said, his bright idea making him completely forget his situation. “You can see everything from up here.” Right then, a tweety-bird decided to choose that moment to land on Duo’s head. Duo was soon becoming the God of Nature.

“Hum…. May I come take a look?”

Duo’s eyes widened and so did the custodian’s, as the regal Treiz…no, Trey Khushrenada himself grabbed a tree branch and started climbing the tree elegantly in his riding boots. Man, was there something the guy COULDN’T do? Besides take over the world? On that thought, Duo crossed his fingers.

Khushrenada seated himself on a tree branch opposite from Duo’s. He crossed his legs. He might as well have been sitting in a living room, sipping a cup of tea. “You are right, Duo,” Khushrenada said. “The view is absolutely excellent up here.”

“It is?” Duo asked, puzzled.

Khushrenada didn’t answer as he began surveying the students below. People below were surveying him back. One of the teachers was getting ready to call the fire department.

There was a pause in the conversation as one of Quatre’s many sisters came into view. She was only a year older than Quatre, which made her one of the younger ones. She had two pigtails in braids on her hair and looked incredibly cute. Out of all her sisters, she resembled Quatre the most in look. She wandered beneath the tree. She didn’t notice them.

“Shh…,” Khushrenada said, when Duo was about to pipe up. They watched.

Quatre’s other half appeared to be looking for something. She looked a little lost. She sighed and took a seat beneath the tree.

Now, was Duo’s chance! Duo slid down from the tree, attempting to surprise her. But he slid down too fast. His confounded Relena-boot missed a normally easy footing and he landed in a clump…right on Quatre’s sister.

Quatre’s sister screamed, as the shadow of Duo loomed over her. Right then, Treiz…no, Trey swooped down and saved her from Duo’s clumsiness. “Ow,” Trey said, as Duo’s foot accidentally nailed him in the back. “Are you all right?” he asked Quatre’s sister in complete concern.

Quatre’s sister merely shook her head and pointed at Duo. “Who’s that?” she asked, looking a little scared.

Duo tried to answer but he ended up coughing. His disposable camera fell out of his hands.

“What are you doing up in a tree holding a camera? Are you…you…you pervert!” Quatre’s sister hugged herself protectively, and Trey also turned around, suspicious.

“What ARE you doing, Duo?”

“I…I was taking pictures of Relena’s magnolia patches,” Duo cried, pointing at the patch nearby.

“But…don’t you think it would be better AFTER you planted flowers?”

“AAAAAHHHHH!!!!” Duo ran off. Everyone stared confusedly at his departing form. The tweety-bird was still following him.

“That was such a lame excuse,” Quatre’s sister said, shivering.

“Perhaps…,” Trey contemplated, putting a gloved finger to his lips. “You are Quatrina, are you not?” Trey asked, squinting.

“Yeah,” Quatrina said, totally pleased. “No one ever remembers my name, maybe because I’m the littlest. I never get to do anything on my own.”

“Are you looking for something?”

“Yes. I am looking for a gold band that my brother gave to me, but now I don’t know where it is. I am hopeless.” She looked really dejected.

Trey looked at her sadly, then began helping her look for her band. As the principal, he should also be focused on the little things, and this little gold band was no exception. Trey was normally a very likeable person, but he didn’t understand why the ex-gundam pilots that Relena talked about never warmed up to him. He was just trying his best to be a good principal.

“Is this the thing you are looking for?” he asked nicely, looking like a little kid on his hands and knees. He had a leaf stuck in his golden hair.

Quatrina came over. “Yes,” she cried. Quatrina took back the golden band and gave it a hug.

“It has a rose on it,” Khushrenada noted.

“Yes, it does! Quatre knows we love roses so much, but we can never find roses in Arabia, so everything that he gives us has a rose carving on it. See?” She held up her lipstick case. Then her make-up foundation, mirror, eyeliner….

Trey gazed at these items, fascinated. How sad it must be, he thought, to never be able to see roses every day. “I like roses too.”

“You do?”

“Yes. In fact, I have my very own rose garden on the premises.” Trey looked at his watch. His next meeting wasn’t until half an hour. “Would you like to go see?”

“Would I? That would be so great! Thank you so kindly, sir!”

“Then, off we go!”

Quatre was on his way to his own room when he bumped into Heero and his older sister standing outside the door. “Why, hello, Wanda. Hello, Heero.”

Wanda gave Quatre a kiss in greeting. “Well, thank you so very much for bringing me here, Heero. Maybe we’ll have a chat again sometime.”

Heero smiled, and Wanda consequently gave Heero a kiss in parting. Just then, Relena rounded the corner dragging an obedient Trowa behind her. Relena saw the kiss, and her mouth opened in a very large ‘O’. “Hey, you stay there, you!” she yelled at Wanda.

Wanda and Quatre were about to enter their room when they heard Relena’s voice. “Who is that rude girl, Quatre?” Wanda asked. Quatre took one look at Relena, then began to drag his sister into his room on the double. He did NOT want what he THOUGHT was going to happen to happen.

Relena made the mistake of grabbing Wanda’s shoulder. Wanda spun around, all riled up. Uh, oh.

“What are you doing with MY Heero. Who do you think you ARE?”

“Well, I don’t see your name written all over him, Missus. I could befriend anyone I want!”

“Oh, really? Then what was THAT?” Then Relena leaned over and kissed Heero before he knew what was happening.

“Augh.” Wanda put her hands on her hips, disbelieving. “That was NOT the way I did it.” Then she grabbed Heero’s face and gave him a nice, long kiss. “That is the Winner family greeting.”

“Whatever.” Relena grabbed Heero’s face and kissed him back.

Wanda rolled her eyes wide. Then she kissed Heero.

Relena kissed him back.

Quatre buried his face in his hands. It could have been anyone else, but why did it have to be Wanda? Wanda was…confrontational.

This went on for several minutes until Heero yelled, “STOP!”

Relena and Wanda froze in their tracks. Heero only yelled when he was about to kill someone. Pink and red lipstick marks completely covered his face. He was glaring.

“And what kind of lipstick is that anyway?” Wanda asked, swiping her fingernail over the pink colour. “Look. It smudges.”

“Well, let’s take a look at yours!” Relena said, rubbing her finger against Heero’s cheek. “Aha!”

“I will let you know, that I use the Winner family brand with special non-stick ingredients….”

They went on and on.

Trowa shook his sewing kit, which got the attention of Heero and Quatre. “I’m hungry,” he said. “Relena hasn’t been feeding me.”

“Oh, really?” Quatre immediately came over. “What would you like to eat, dear friend?”

Heero followed after. He had to get cleaned up.

“At least mine’s not salmon pink!”

“Whatever!”

Duo purchased a bottle of hair product from the convenience store downstairs. He began whistling to himself. Things were beginning to look up already.

He barged into his and Wufei’s room. Wufei was sitting on one of his few personal possessions, a reed mat, and was meditating. The window was WIDE open, from past experience (Re: Back to School Special 3). Wufei frowned at Duo’s interruption, then looked under his own bed. Good. The Glade plug-ins were still there. He re-closed his eyes. 

“Hey, Wu-wu? I need your help.”

Wufei winced at his much hated nickname. “Yeeesss?” he drew out slowly. Must remain calm.

Duo came sneakily over and held open a grocery bag in front of Wufei. He was whispering in his ear.

Wufei looked at Duo incredulously. “You are really willing to do THAT?” He scoffed.

“C’mon, WuFEI, how often do I ask favours of you?”

Wufei thought in his head. He lost count.

“Please help me out? It’ll only be this one last time.”

“Whatever.”

“Fine. Then I’ll just eat squash everyday for dinner and see where THAT gets you.”

Squash. The one vegetable that causes people to break wind constantly.

“Fine, fine, I’ll do it!” Wufei harrumphed, getting up from his mat. “We’ll go in the bathroom, since I don’t want you ruining the blankets.

“Yes!” Duo cried. He was all psyched up.

“Just don’t cry when it’s over.”

It was dinnertime. Everybody gathered in the great hall for their nightly supper. The hall was practically bustling with students and teachers come back from the hot outside.

Relena was sitting at the head of a table. Trowa was sitting beside her, politely sipping soup. Relena was ecstatic at Trowa’s wonderful table manners, then she looked at Heero. He was slurping his soup like a pig again. Relena sighed and leaned her head against her hand.

Quatre, Heero and Wanda were sitting just a few tables down from Relena. Wanda giggled at Heero’s table manners, then began slurping her soup too. Quatre looked at his sister and Heero. Not wanting to be left out, he began slurping too. Mmm…the soup actually tasted more delicious this way!

Relena glared at all three of them, then put her hand on Trowa’s and began chatting with him. Trowa wasn’t much of a conversationalist, but she could always pretend. Besides, she had to get Heero jealous.

Heero looked over at Relena carelessly holding Trowa’s hand. Relena was gazing into Trowa’s eyes, intent on something he just said, then she laughed. Trowa looked confused.

Heero’s hand that held his spoon shook.

“Uh, are you all right?” both Quatre and Wanda asked.

Heero was still glaring at their table. “I’m fine,” he answered tightly.

“He’s not fine,” Quatre mouthed to his sister. Wanda, immediately understanding, casually laughed. Their glasses tinkled at the twinkle-bell sound. “Oh, Heero,” she said, just loud enough for Relena to hear. “Won’t you take me out to look at the stars tonight?” Apparently, she had the same fetish for stars and the moon as Quatre.

Heero looked up. “Sure,” he said, and wiped his mouth. Wanda smiled wide and winked at Quatre. Quatre hoped his sister knew what she was doing. He certainly didn’t.

Khushrenada looked at all his students enjoying dinner. Sitting at the teacher’s table, he smiled at everyone that passed, then allowed a slightly bigger smile for Quatrina. Quatrina tugged on one of her older sister’s sleeve and started talking about and looking back at Trey. A real rose adorned her hair.

“Wow, really?” Quatrina’s older sisters said. “Maybe we could all get one.” They looked significantly at Trey. Trey smiled politely back at them, having no idea what they just said.

Mechs was more than full. He had eaten three portions of lunch that day, not including his own. Quatre’s sisters had only taken tiny nibbles of their lunch, then announced that they were full. They seemed to enjoy watching Mechs eat, though. Mechs found it all very confusing, but didn’t want to appear mean, so he did as they requested. He would have to measure his waistline when he got back to his room. He skipped out on soup.

Everyone was chatting really loudly until the hall doors slowly opened. Everyone looked up, wondering who was late.

A young man walked in, hair pure white. He was wearing a long black cape that enshrouded his entire person. Fine features and arching eyebrows was what people saw when they looked upon his tan face, offset beautifully by his long, straight white hair. Some of the girls sitting at the tables sighed and fell over.

Behind the young man entered Wufei. Wufei looked at everyone confusedly and cowered away. He did NOT like being the center of attention. He spotted Quatre sitting at a table and waving at him. He stalked over.

“Who…who is that?” Quatre asked as soon as Wufei sat down. Wufei didn’t answer. He was too hungry. He spent the next minute scarfing any entrees that were left on the table.

The beautiful person, oddly enough, sat down at their table. He started chatting excitedly to Wufei. Wufei merely nodded, still eating. The young man turned on the rest of them. “Hey guys, it’s me.”

“Duo?” Heero asked cautiously. He frowned.

“Yeah, it’s me,” Duo replied, stroking his beautiful white hair. He had taken the braid out, and now it lay in flowing cascades down his back. Quatre stared at him, speechless.

Heero asked the question for all of them. “What happened to your hair?”

“Wu-wu bleached it for me!”

Everyone stared at Wufei, still sipping on soup. Wufei wiped his mouth. “He wanted to look more like Mechs.”

Everyone then stared at Mechs. Mechs, having the odd feeling that someone was looking at him, turned around. He gasped when he saw Duo, then wondered if he had any distant relations deciding to visit. He couldn’t recall any relatives with long, white hair other than himself.

“But, why?” Wanda asked. “Don’t you like the way you looked?”

“Of course!” Duo said, getting annoyed. His friends’ negative reactions were beginning to get on his nerves. “How do I look?” he asked Quatre. Quatre MUST have something nice to say.

Quatre simply stared at him with mouth opened wide. “I think you look very beautiful,” he said. He was still staring.

Duo smiled. “I knew I could count on you.” He patted Quatre jovially on the shoulder.

Quatre merely looked at the spot on his shoulder that Duo had touched. He looked back at Duo, then he smiled. Duo shivered.

“I think you look like a j-rocker named Hyde,” Heero said.

Since no one else at the table was Japanese, they had no idea what Heero just said. Relena was looking at Duo from a table far off. Her heart melted. Heero? What Heero?

When the main course came, everyone concentrated on eating.

“I like your cape,” Wanda said, slicing up her steak. “Where did you get it from?”

Duo laughed and everyone looked over at their table. The beautiful young man had a generous smile! “This?” he said, grabbing at the cape. “I stole this off a hairdresser so that I wouldn’t get bleach all over my clothes!”

“He was so much in a hurry to get to dinner that he forgot he was wearing it,” Wufei added helpfully. Indeed, some parts of his cloak were bleached, but on Duo…it just looked fashionable.

After dinner, more than half the girls in the hall had one thing on their mind: take that white-haired young man out tonight! Everyone clawed to get to their table. But one person made it first.

“Would you like to go out and look at the stars with me tonight?” Quatre asked Duo, holding out his hand. Quatre’s eyes looked a little misty.

“Uh…. Quatre, do you even know who you’re talking to?” Duo asked, getting freaked out.

Quatre tilted his head. “Of course. You are my woody-haired creature.”

“What?!” Duo shrieked.

Quatre thought the woody-haired creature felt insulted by something he said, so he quickly tried to patch things up. “Of course, your new sun-golden look looks absolutely stunning on you.” Quatre looked down and blushed.

Duo’s mouth gaped open wide. So did all the girls’ that arrived just in time to hear. They gave Duo a significant look, then began inching away. Why did all the beautiful ones have to be gay? One of them cried.

“Do you have a hair elastic?” he asked someone nearby. “Do YOU have a hair elastic? Does anyone have a hair elastic?!”

The hall was mostly empty. All of the students had left, and Heero and Wanda, and Relena and Trowa had gone their separate ways.

Duo gazed disbelievingly at his friend. Quatre gazed happily back.

“Come on, I’ll show you the garden!” Quatre said, grabbing Duo’s arm. “Of course, it’s not much, since all the magnolias are gone, but you can still see the work that my friends Duo and Wufei made….” Quatre continued blabbing on and on and dragged Duo helplessly with him. Their voices faded away in the distance as they went out through the veranda.

Quatre’s sisters were left. As a group, they approached Trey, who was sitting at a table, having a chat with Mechs.

“Excuse me,” they said, all smiling. They looked up. Mechs was beginning to panic. He was full already! Full!

“We heard that you had a lovely rose garden out back and we were wondering…if you can take us to go see it?”

Trey smiled. “Well, it appears a nice night to go out on a stroll. What say you, Mechs?”

Mechs tried to shake his head but the same three sisters clung onto his arms. “Of course!” they answered for him. “The more the merrier!”

“Ladies first,” Trey said cordially and got up, leading the way. Quatrina, up front, began talking to him, finishing the conversation that they had started earlier.

“So, you like candies too?”

“I absolutely adore candies….”

Heero and Wanda, and Trowa and Relena, were out walking, arm in arm. It was dark out, and many other couples were taking late-night strolls.

Relena stopped in her tracks. “Why are you following us?” she asked Wanda and Heero, some distance off.

“We’re not following you,” Wanda said. “YOU’re the one that’s following US.”

“Oh, really,” Relena said. She made a high pitched ‘hmpf’ and stalked indignantly off, dragging Trowa with her. Wanda similarly made the same expression and started walking Heero off in the other direction. Heero glared back at Trowa. Trowa stared back expressionless. They both headed into the garden maze, entering from opposite directions.

Quatre and Duo were walking, arm in arm (hahaha!). Of course, Duo tried desperately to shrug Quatre off but Quatre’s grip, surprisingly, was like a vice. Who knew the little guy had it in him?

They stood on a balcony, looking up at the sky above. Actually, only Quatre was. Duo was looking below, trying to find an escape route. The ground was one floor below.

Quatre sighed, and held Duo’s arm tighter. Duo eeped!

“I think your hair matches the colour of the stars tonight,” Quatre said, gazing at Duo’s hair wondrously.

“Really?”

“No. In fact, it is even prettier.”

Duo blushed. Man, this Quatre was good! If Duo was a girl…no, wait, he didn’t want to go there.

“I’m getting cold. Let’s go in,” Duo said brusquely, turning around.

“You are cold?” Quatre asked. “Why didn’t you say so?” Then Quatre entered beneath the cape so that they were both sharing one. Quatre slid his arm around Duo’s waist and hugged him, trying to keep him warm. Anyone looking would have seen a monster with two heads.

“Get offa me, creep!” Duo yelled, backing away. Unfortunately, Quatre was beneath the cape, too, so wherever Duo went, Quatre ultimately went. Quatre was dragged about, confused.

Finally ripping off the cape, Duo turned around and ran indoors. “Wuuuuufeiiiiii!!! HELP!!!”

Wufei was in the library, sitting warm on a couch and reading a book. He thought he heard Duo call his name. Must be the wind. He shrugged and sipped on his mug of hot cocoa. This horror novel was giving him the creeps!

Quatre’s sisters all lined up in front of Trey’s rose garden and gasped. So many roses! And they were all real!

“May…may I have one?” one of them asked.

Trey shrugged. “It certainly wouldn’t hurt,” he said mildly.

After plucking one beautiful rose from the patch, all Quatre’s sisters gathered round to see. Under the moonlight, the water droplets on the rose petals made the flower all sparkling.

“Wow! Can I have one too?”

“Me too!”

“Me three!”

Before Trey knew it, 20+ flowers from his beautiful rose patch were gone. Trey looked at all the empty stubs and sighed.

“Let’s go for dessert!” they said.

Mechs shook his head, no, no…but no one could refuse 20+ hungry ladies. They all left for the ice cream parlour in one big group, all of the ladies having beautiful roses in their hair.

Relena and Trowa were wandering through the garden maze, hand in hand. Relena looked up at the sky. She wondered what Heero and Wanda were doing right about now. She sighed.

“Trowa…” Relena asked. “Do you know what it’s like to be in love?”

Trowa looked at her for a minute, then slowly nodded yes. Trowa held up his sewing kit.

Relena looked at the sewing kit, exasperated. “No, Trowa, I mean, in love with a ‘person’.”

At that, Trowa shook his head solemnly.

“No way…” Relena buggered. “There must be SOMEONE in the world that you like. You can tell me.”

Trowa concentrated really hard. He finally nodded, once.

“Really? Who is it? Who’s the lucky lady?” Relena was the absolute gossip queen.

Trowa had a far-off look on her face. “She already has a boyfriend.”

“Oh, really? That’s too bad. I….” Trowa was staring at her. Relena gasped.

Just then, a raccoon came out from the bushes. Panicking on seeing people, it ran around them…then bit Relena on the foot.

“YOW!” By far, that was the loudest cry of the night.

Trowa helped Relena hobble to a nearby garden bench. He seated her down, then bent down and opened up his sewing kit.

Relena looked at all those rows of spools and thread. “What do you think you’re doing?” Relena asked, getting scared.

“I’m going to repair your foot,” he said calmly. Relena watched as Trowa laid a needle on the bench. Then a spool of thread.

“Um…is that really necessary?” Relena asked, biting on her finger.

Trowa didn’t answer as he continued digging.

Without waiting any further, Relena got up and ran. “HEERO!” she screamed. She didn’t care if her foot was bleeding. She absolutely could NOT stand stitches!

Trowa finally dug out what he was looking for and looked up. Where was Relena?

Trowa looked down at the band-aid in his hand and sighed. Maybe some other time.

Heero heard his name called out in the night. The voice was unmistakable. He had heard it about a hundred thousand times before.

Relena.

Wanda, walking by his side, tried to catch up with him. “Where are you going?”

Heero didn’t answer. He listened for her voice again. There.

Looking a tall hedge up and down, Heero kicked hard. The entire natural wall tumbled down.

Behind the wall was framed Relena, tears in her eyes. “Heero!” she said.

Heero ran up to her. The first thing he noticed was the blood on her foot. “Did he do this to you?” he asked curtly.

Relena didn’t answer. “Heero, I’m scared,” she said.

“Are you all right?” Wanda asked. “Here, I’ll take you back to your room, if you’ll show me the way.”

Relena nodded gratefully, and the two girls hobbled off.

Heero looked around into the night. He had a score to settle that was long overdue.

Duo looked back and forth, back and forth. Where could he hide? Somewhere where Quatre would least expect him to be. Duo thought. The library! He ran in that direction, long white hair floating behind.

Trey, Mechs, and Quatre’s sisters were at the ice cream parlour. The people working the night shift quickly got to their places.

“What would you like to order?” Trey asked, looking down at Quatrina.

“Um…do you think they have one with jellybeans on them? They’re my fave.”

“Really? I always special order one with jellybeans, each time I come here.”

“Really? Let’s both get one!” They sat at the bar stools, getting really excited.

Mechs approached him. “Uh, sir, I think there is something I should tell you before…”

“Mechs! Come sit here!” Quatre’s older sisters were all sitting at a table, menus in hand.

“Go on,” Trey said. “You don’t want to keep our guests waiting.”

Mechs looked back helplessly, then joined the group of women. “What would YOU like to order?” they asked him.

Mechs shook his head. “I’m just fine…for now.”

“No way, you MUST eat.” They began looking at the jumbo specials. They each decided to get one.

“Uh…I think I will be using the restroom for a moment,” Mechs said. He ran.

“Is the doctor okay?” Quatrina asked.

“Oh, he should be just fine. Mechs LOVES eating ice cream.”

Heero sniffed the air. Yes, the blood was coming from this direction.

Heero wandered through the maze, knocking down walls of hedges as he went. The last wall he knocked down revealed his prize.

Trowa was sitting by himself on a bench. The path of blood led right up to him. Caught, Heero thought.

Heero approached steadily and swiftly. Trowa didn’t even look up.

Right when Heero was about to strike, something caught his eye. “What…what are you doing?”

Trowa looked up from sewing a kerchief and said, “I am making something for somebody that I like.”

“Really? May I see?”

Trowa patted on the bench beside him and Heero took a seat, completely forgetting about the malice that he had felt before.

Trowa handed Heero a pair of needle and thread. Then a piece of cloth. Heero held up the alien items, wondering what he should do with them.

“Like this,” Trowa said, moving the needle through the cloth. Trowa was almost done.

It was a flower. In the corner were the initials R.P.

“Who’s that?” Heero asked suspiciously. He only knew one person with the initials of R.P. and she was…

“Ms. Peacock. The librarian.”

Heero stared at Trowa, eyes wide. Trowa smiled.

“Why don’t you try making something for Relena?”

Heero looked back and forth from Trowa to the needle in his hands. “Do you think it will make Relena like me more?”

Trowa nodded and smiled till his eyes crinkled at the sides. “She already does.”

Duo the j-rocker ran like he never ran before. He ran through the dark, empty hallways, finally reaching the library, where he stopped to huff and puff. Then he entered.

The library was empty, of course. Why would students be in here at such an ungodly hour? Completely discounting himself, Duo tiptoed among the shelves.

Duo had never been in here before. He wandered among the quiet ways, looking here and there.

Interesting, Duo thought, taking down a book. It was entitled, “The Life and Times of Zechs Marquise Peacecraft, The Lightning Baron”. They already made a biography about him! Duo harrumphed. Why not make one for “Duo Maxwell, God of Death”? He was sure it would be a lot more interesting.

Curiously flipping through to see if they would have any mention of Pechs the lifeguard or Mechs the doctor (you never knew), Duo was so absorbed that he didn’t know someone else was there until that someone sneezed.

Duo whirled around. “Hi!” Quatre said.

“Aaaaauuughhh!!” Duo dropped the book and ran.

Wufei, sitting all cozy by the fireplace, looked up. Was that someone he just heard screaming? Wufei looked down at his book. Impossible. Just because he was reading a horror tale did not mean that these things could manifest into real life. Nevertheless, Wufei sat a little deeper among the cushions.

Something white darted out of the corner of his eye. Wufei whipped his head around, but he could see nothing. He must be imagining things. Wufei looked back down at the tale. This story was very nerve-racking!

Taking another sip of his hot chocolate, Wufei continued calmly for a little while. He felt someone tap him on the shoulder. He turned around.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”

“Shhh,” Duo whispered, frantically trying to shut Wufei’s mouth. But Wufei wouldn’t stop screaming. He just kept pointing at Duo and screaming his head off.

Duo began freaking out. Was there something behind him?

Wufei finally stopped screaming long enough and said, “You…what are you doing here?” Wufei was panting.

“Well, what are YOU doing here?” Not this argument again.

“I…I thought you were a ghost.”

Duo would have started laughing if he wasn’t in such a big hurry. “Look, do you have anywhere that I can hide? Like, now?”

Wufei looked around, then pointed beneath the coffee table. Duo immediately dove under, nearly spilling Wufei’s hot chocolate. Wufei threw Duo a couple of pillows, and Duo surrounded himself like a barrier. He was completely closed in. A little piece of Duo’s white hair was sticking out. Wufei helpfully shoved it in.

Just then, Quatre came by. Finding Wufei, he gratefully came over.

“Hello, Wufei. Have you seen someone with long, white hair about?”

Wufei frowned, putting his feet on the coffee table. “I…can’t say that I have.”

“Oh?” Quatre began scratching his blond locks. “I swear I saw it come by here just a moment ago. Mind if I take a look?”

“Go ahead,” Wufei said, still upset that he had been frightened so.

Quatre wandered among the couches searching for his now sunny-haired creature. Wufei continued reading, secretly glad that someone was there.

Finally giving up, Quatre plopped himself down on a couch and blew his bangs. “Hmm…. Perhaps it will be back.” He waited.

“Hey…Wu-wu…. Is he gone yet?” Wufei heard a muffled voice ask him.

Wufei actually looked around to try to identify the voice before he remembered where it came from. “No,” Wufei murmured, giving the cushion a kick. He glanced up at Quatre. Quatre was gazing off into space.

He heard a sigh and Wufei settled in the sofa again.

“I…can’t breathe,” Duo whispered.

“Tough.”

“What did you say?” Quatre asked.

“Oh, I was just reading aloud,” Wufei said. He flipped a page.

Without warning the cushions surrounding the coffee table exploded forth and a very frazzled-looking Duo popped out. Duo was panting heavily.

Quatre smiled. “I knew you would be back.”

Duo turned on Wufei. “Do you have a hair elastic?”

“Yes, but I’m wearing it.”

“Give it here!” Duo started to tackle Wufei.

“What…get off me!” Wufei gave Duo a kick that sent him flying…right into Quatre’s ready arms.

“Oh, my dear,” Quatre said to him as they both flopped onto a loveseat. “Are you all right?”

“No!” Duo said. Once again, by the powers that be, he was feeling quite weak. Why did this always happen?!

Wufei was about to read again when he saw the drama unfolding before him. Duo, combined with Relena’s frilly uniform, was looking like Quatre’s little life-sized rag doll. Wufei put a hand against his cheek and leaned on a sofa arm, watching merrily. Revenge was sweet.

Quatre propped Duo carefully up, then leaned in and said, “I missed you. Where have you been?”

Duo mumbled something that sounded like swearing but Quatre smiled and nuzzled his face. From the couch far off, Wufei spritzed out his hot chocolate.

“Are you still cold?” Quatre asked.

“No,” Duo said quickly, rolling towards the edge of the couch. Quatre gently rolled him back.

“Well, for some reason, I am feeling very hot right now so….” He began taking off his purple vest (the one that his sisters newly brought from Arabia!).

Duo gasped and Wufei raised his eyebrows. Quatre NEVER took off his vest. Even after wearing his school uniform! This was getting serious!

“Would you like to hear a scary tale?” Wufei quickly asked before things could get any further.

Quatre’s eyes lit up. “Sure!” he said. Raising Duo up, him and Duo snuggled.

Wufei pretended he didn’t see that while reading aloud, “This is an old, old tale, about….”

“Excuse me for just one moment,” Trey said politely as he left the group of ladies and headed for the ice cream shop’s washroom. Opening the door, he began searching the stalls. “Ah. There you are.”

Mechs stopped, leg already halfway out through a window. “Uh….” Trey stared pointedly at him. “You don’t understand, sir,” Mechs said, looking down. His hands were still gripping the window.

Trey walked over and neatly plucked Mech’s fingers off, one by one. “All I know is that I would have a very hard time explaining where you went when they realize that you are not going to be back. Now, if you please?” Trey pointed the way back to the ice cream parlour.

Mechs sighed sadly and shuffled his way out the door, Trey following closely behind.

“Hi!” 28 voices greeted them. Mechs was about to go sit at the bar but, with Trey’s prodding, he reluctantly went back to sit with the ladies.

“Look! Our jumbo specials have arrived!”

Mechs looked. He instantly turned green and his belly did an unconscious flip-flop.

The jumbo specials were even bigger than the lunch!

“Are you certain you don’t want to order anything?” they asked him.

Mechs shook his head vehemently.

“Too bad! You got the Quadruple Ice Cream Sandwich with your choice of M&M’s topping! Our treat.”

Mechs’ eyes rolled wide as his own portion (the largest) arrived. Trey looked over from where he was sitting at the bar with Quatrina. “I never knew you had it in you, Mechs.”

Mechs opened his mouth but no words came out. In other words, he was speechless.

One of Quatre’s sisters helpfully took that moment to shove a spoonful of Ice Cream Sandwich into Mechs’ mouth. Mechs chewed mechanically.

“Woah…I would never be able to finish that in a million years!” Quatrina said, gaping.

“Me neither,” Trey answered, eating his jellybeans.

“…so then the woman said, ‘That is all right. I am already dead’.” Wufei did his best imitation of an evil cackle. He was surprisingly good.

“Oh!” Quatre started. He hugged Duo to him tighter, getting freaked out. Duo glared over at Wufei but Wufei just continued reading. A few stories and a few screams later…

“All right. I’m leaving. Good night,” Wufei said as he got up, promptly leaving.

“Wait! Take me with you!” Duo gasped. He shoved Quatre violently, flopping him on the couch while Duo ran for all his life was worth. He clung onto Wufei, refusing to let go. “Can’t you walk any faster?” he asked Wufei, looking back frantically.

“I would be walking faster if your grip on me wasn’t so tight,” Wufei grated out, circulation to his head getting cut off.

Oh, no. Quatre was catching up with them. Throughout the entire story-telling, Duo wasn’t at all freaked out about the ghost stories. Heck, HE looked like a ghost! But Quatre acting like this gave him the heebie-jeebies.

Wufei and Duo left the library as quick as they could (or, as fast as Wufei could), but Quatre was fast catching up. So Duo did the only thing he could.

Revving up…he pulled off Wufei’s hair elastic.

“Hey!”

Duo rebraided his hair before Wufei could say anything. Miraculously enough, his strength was back. “All right!” Duo cried, socking the air.

Wufei stood, flabbergasted, as Quatre came up to them. “Why, hello, Duo, I haven’t seen you since the dinner. By the way, have you seen someone with long white hair anywhere about?” Quatre enquired, peeking into doorways.

“Sorry, pal. No can do.” Then he darted quickly away.

Wufei began to get nervous as Quatre began looking at him strangely. “I say…,” Quatre began. “Have we met before?”

“No. Goodbye.” Then he skedaddled quickly after Duo, a murderous look in his eyes.

Quatre was left alone, scratching his head.

Mechs had to be taken to the hospital that night for a rare problem: over-eating. Quatre’s sisters visited him everyday, bringing him flowers and food, food, and more food!

“He is waaaaayyy to skinny,” was all that they agreed upon.

Heero, under Trowa’s guidance, sewed something for Relena. On looking at the orange blob that Heero sewed, Relena smiled up at him nicely and asked, “What is this?”

“It is an explosion of a Leo during my first battle in a mobile suit.”

Relena just grinned and hung up the kerchief at a prestigious spot in her office.

Trowa went to the library every day. No one knew the reason why. He became a regular book-shelver: at a high spot on the shelf, just ask Trowa to spring up and shelve the book for you!

Trey and Quatrina became fast friends. Never had two people had so much in common! After hearing Quatrina’s advice and opinions as a young person of the school, Trey fulfilled his wish and became a better principal. Quatrina got to see roses every day!

Wufei, after throttling Duo, obtained back his hair elastic and helped Duo to dye his hair back to its original chestnut brown.

Duo, getting mad at Wufei’s throttling, ate a whole bunch of squash and farted. He made sure to carry a whole bunch of hair elastics with him after that, although he was still unsuccessful in the dating department.

Quatre didn’t get to see his sunny-haired creature again. However, he still had a very long piece of white hair in his possession. Quatre giggled and smelt it whenever he felt down.

And Quatre’s murderer is still on the loose!

=P
End Part 4