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** To anyone who was personally affected by the tragic and cowardly attacks in NY and DC, you are in my prayers. Fanfiction probably doesn’t seem important in light of recent events, but writing is how I deal with sadness or anger. It’s my therapy. **
The beautiful poem below was written by Cleckmoon & it also inspired the title for this chapter. Lolly’s on the way, promise!
Still Grows the Lilac
The Lilac Princess, Book II
By Lady Dante
Chapter 2: The Quest of the Cloud Prince
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prince of the Clouds
I was once a creature of the pits,
wallowing in the depths of despair,
but now watch as I fly,
for I will become the Prince Of The Clouds.
With the gulls as my friends,
and the geese my trumpeting call,
watch me as I fly,
for I am the Prince of the Clouds.
~ C. Montisle ~
Zechs Marquise closed the leather bound volume of poetry and slid it back into position on the perfectly maintained bookshelf. Every book was meticulously placed on the shelves according to height. Row upon row of books stretched the length of the library wall. There were over nine thousand volumes in the estate’s library covering every subject and time period from Aristotle to Yeats. The Kushrenadas had eclectic tastes.
The boy wandered aimlessly along the marbled halls of Treize’s mansion. It was as close to a home as Zechs could hope for at this point, but he felt no connection to the antiquated building. He could not seem to attach himself to anything in this place. Not that it had been much different at Treize’s ancestral estate. The young duke had relocated the household from his native Luxembourg shortly after being appointed the new commander of OZ. They now lived in Brussels, the seat of world politics. Belgium was a lovely country and the city of Brussels possessed an old world charm that even Zechs appreciated, but it couldn’t replace his homeland. He had not seen Cinq since he was six years old, but the memory of the ruined country’s former beauty haunted his dreams. The ancient port city, the little villages, the vast forest surrounding the royal estate…he remembered every detail with painful clarity. It was all too vivid in his mind’s eye. Sometimes he wished he could forget.
Belgium was his mother’s birth country, a fact that gave the boy some measure of comfort. He had not visited Queen Katrina’s homeland before Cinq was invaded. His mother wanted to wait until the young prince was old enough to appreciate the country’s rich history. Now, the opportunity was lost forever. He could never walk through the ancient thoroughfares hand and hand with Katrina as she related tales of her childhood. She could not tell him of the adventures she had as a girl in the quaint villages or show the young prince his grandparent’s graves. She could not take the boy to the garden where she first met his father. Zechs knew where everything was and had made the pilgrimages, but he could never see those sites through his mother’s eyes and so the beauty was lost.
Zechs wandered into the conservatory, idly running a hand along the wainscoting as he walked around the posh room. He sat at the ebony grand piano and carelessly plunked the keys, envisioning his mother’s piano and recalling her lovely performances. Treize insisted Zechs take lessons. The boy was not a natural musician, but loved music and practiced faithfully. He would never be a concert pianist as his mother had been once, but the boy did become quite proficient. Enough so to impress the never-ending flock of young noblewomen passing to and fro in the mansion. He placed his hands delicately on the keys and began gently playing a familiar tune.
Zechs closed his eyes as he played. He imagined a small audience of special guests, which consisted primarily of women. He never realized before that moment how many of the people he had loved in his life were female. His early life had been profoundly influenced by these women and the boy smiled to himself as they drifted into his imaginary audience. This select few looked on in ghostly delight, clapping soundlessly in approval of the selection. It took Zechs months to find the sheet music for the piece. He did not know the name of it and had to hum the tune for the sales person, who luckily was able to recognize the melody despite the boy’s off key rendition. Zechs practiced the piece daily, finally memorizing it well enough to play without the aid of the sheet music. He played it now, allowing all the melancholy he felt seep from his young heart to his fingers and into his keystrokes. It was a lullaby.
The young count’s private performance was abruptly interrupted by the sound of muffled voices down the hall. Zechs stopped playing, hands poised over the keys, and listened. There was another thud and the creaking sound of a door being opened. The boy rose and silently made his way into the corridor. He followed the sound of the noise with little concern for his own safety. If the intruders were robbers who had somehow made it past security, he could fight them. If it was someone sent to assassinate Treize, they would find the young duke absent. If they were after him, he would happily demonstrate their error. Zechs paused again at the sound of voices. He recognized one. It sounded like…
Zechs paused at the door to Treize’s study. A loud bump, the sound of clinking glass and a loud curse confirmed his suspicions. Zechs cautiously pushed the door open and stepped inside. The only light in the expansive room was a desk lamp and it took a few moments for the boy’s eyes to adjust. Zechs walked across the room and toward the source of the disturbance. Behind Treize’s desk, sitting haphazardly in His Excellency’s velvet chair and brushing at the spilled alcohol on his jacket, was a young Specials officer. He had a leg draped over the arm of the plush chair and his green uniform jacket was unbuttoned, revealing a terribly rumpled undershirt. In his hand, the young man held one of the fine cut crystal brandy snifters Treize prized. It was part of a set purported to have belonged to Napoleon. The officer had a rather unsteady grip on the snifter and Zechs was certain the expensive piece was about to shatter against the parquet floor. The boy shook his head as he approached, both amused and annoyed by the scene before him.
“Hi, Johnny.”
“Hey Zechs-boy,” the OZ lieutenant responded with a grin, “How ya doin’ man? Want some?” He generously offered up his nearly empty glass. Johnny’s words slurred ever so slightly, indicating that he had already consumed quite a bit of Treize’s precious stock of cognac.
“You’re drunk.”
“Am not…I’m just a little tipsy,” Johnny asserted as he waved the crystal cup towards his cohorts, “They’re drunk.”
“Damn straight.”
Zechs turned to see Johnny’s companions, two young Specials officers, sitting on the other side of the room. The one who spoke sat slumped on a Louis XV gilt settee, the other had managed to miss the piece of priceless furniture and sat sprawled on the floor.
“So where’s His Eminence?” Johnny stumbled over the pronunciation of the last word as he raised the brandy to his lips.
“Space…but you knew that or you wouldn’t have snitched his brandy.”
“I resent that!” Johnny’s scowl morphed into a lopsided grin, “…mostly because it’s true.” The young man stood and walked around the desk, wobbling only slightly as he did so. “So, how are you doing kid?” Johnny reached out and mussed the younger boy’s hair, irritating the young count to no end.
“Come on, Johnny! I…”
“…hate it when I do that,” the young lieutenant smiled affectionately at the younger boy. “Lighten up, kid.”
“I’m not a kid,” Zechs insisted petulantly.
“Yes you are, so you might as well enjoy it while it lasts,” Johnny polished off the rest of the alcohol in his glass. His mood darkened slightly as he continued, “once it’s gone, it’s gone, Zechs. Don’t be in such a hurry to grow up.”
They stood in silence for a few moments as Johnny brooded. Zechs looked up at the older boy, sorry for having brought up an obviously painful subject. The young officer reached back to desk and retrieved the bottle. He quietly refilled his snifter and swirled the amber liquid in the glass, staring into the tiny whirlpool of alcohol. When the cognac was sufficiently warmed, Johnny began sipping once again. Zechs raised an eyebrow as he watched.
“Treize is going to be angry when he discovers how much of his cognac you drank.”
“Well, it’s his fault for leaving it in the liquor cabinet. If he didn’t want to share, he should have locked it up. Besides, he shouldn’t begrudge a glass or two to me. I mean, what are brothers for anyway?”
Zechs smiled a bit at the last statement, mainly in response to the broad grin that spread over his friend’s face. It was difficult not to smile around Johnny. It was also difficult to believe that the young man before him was the brother of His Excellency, Duke Treize Kushrenada. If not for the striking physical resemblance, one would never suspect. Johnny and Treize shared their father’s ginger-colored hair and clear blue eyes as well as the towering height passed through the Kushrenada line. Their personalities, however, were strikingly different. Treize was every bit the cultured aristocrat, all cool manner and practiced charm. Johnny, on the other hand, could be hot tempered and possessed a sometimes inappropriate sense of humor. But he never pretended to be something he was not and Zechs admired him for it.
“So when’s big-brother-sir coming back?”
“Couple of months.”
“Damn. Should’ve called before he left…” Johnny mumbled to himself.
“What’s going on?”
“Just something I wanted Treize to see.”
“What?”
“Nothing to concern yourself about, kid…besides, it’s Top Secret, so, if I told you, I’d have to kill you.” Johnny finished in a mocking tone, grinning evilly at his young friend. Zechs scowled at being called a ‘kid’ again, but said nothing. The OZ lieutenant finished off the last drop of brandy and rubbed his bloodshot eyes. He took a breath and swayed slightly to the right.
“Be a pal and help me to my room.”
“What about them?” Zechs asked as he nodded to the now unconscious Specials officers on the other side of the room.
Johnny smirked. “Oh I told the guards to pick them up in a couple of minutes and deposit them back at the base...in the commandant’s office.” Johnny snorted at his own practical joke and hooked an arm around the younger boy’s neck. “Home, James.”
Zechs guided Johnny through the darkened halls of the massive house and helped him to climb the grand staircase. The older boy occasionally broke into a ribald song or whistled snippets of show tunes as they made their way. He comically saluted a few ancestral portraits as they walked through the upper gallery, making cheeky remarks to the stern-looking ladies and winking at their male counterparts. As the duo turned into the East Wing, they passed a large grandfather clock. Johnny grew unexpectedly serious and peered at his young guide.
“What are you doing up so late, anyway? It’s 2:00 in the morning.”
“I couldn’t sleep.” Zechs looked forward and didn’t elaborate.
“Nightmares?” It was more a statement than a question and Zechs did not respond. It wasn’t necessary. “Which one was it this time?”
Zechs swallowed and looked down at the brilliantly colored rug covering the floor. They had come to a stop at Johnny’s room.
“It’s o.k., Zechs, you don’t have to tell me,” Johnny said as he patted the troubled boy’s shoulder. “but you need to try and get some sleep.” The young man rumpled the boy’s hair again and grinned at the look of annoyance it produced. “Go on. You can beat the crap out of me tomorrow.”
Zechs frowned but obediently started for his room. He was still annoyed at Johnny’s persistent use of the word ‘kid’ and the young man’s incessant attempts to irritate him, but Zechs felt his melancholy begin to lift slightly. Things were always more interesting when Johnny was around.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A day after arriving in Brussels, the prospective Specials recruits were once again lined up on the runway and prepared to leave. As the group boarded the small shuttle that would take them to space, Noin caught sight of a huge craft on the opposite side of the runway. It was a brilliant blue with what appeared to be a family crest painted on the tail. Two lions, rampant, on a red field. The crest looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it. She overheard from two lieutenants in front of her that it was ‘His Excellency’s’ personal shuttle. The leader of the Specials was apparently going with them to colony x-18999. Noin frowned. They were probably being sent to tend on ‘His Excellency’ in much the same way she had been forced to serve Lieutenant Une. Aristocrats. Noin frowned at the prospect of being treated like a maid once more. She was really learning to dislike aristocrats.
The trip was eventful for everyone on the small shuttle but for various reasons. Noin was excited as they took off. The adventure of leaving Earth’s atmosphere, the first few dizzying moments of low gravity…it was all so thrilling. She stared out of the thick window, drinking in every moment of the trip. Others were not so happy. Two of the cadets and on of the young pilots Noin overheard earlier got ‘space-sick.’ Upon docking at the colony, all three were hurried to the infirmary for treatments and a prescription for motion sickness pills.
Unfortunately for Noin, the rest of the group was forced to remain together and driven to the command center building immediately. She did not have the opportunity to scan the spaceport for possible escape routes nor to slip away with the crowd. She would have to wait until no one was watching. Until then, she concentrated on her new assignment in the command center. The pilots in her group were here to train in the new mobile suits recently introduced by the Specials. Noin’s group served as a support crew for the MS team. It was her job to relay vital information concerning battle conditions to the pilots on the field. She was good at her job and found that she actually enjoyed the assignment. Noin was especially pleased with the fact that she didn’t have anyone standing over her shoulder, criticizing her every move. She was actually given a great deal of autonomy. Her superiors left her to do her work and listened sincerely to her suggestions. It was the first time since being forced into the Alliance that the girl received any respect and Noin blossomed. She began to take real pride in her work, pushing herself to excel, not merely perform adequately. She did not give up the idea of running away, but there was plenty of time for an escape. In the meantime, she decided to enjoy the challenge of her new responsibility.
The cadets were three days into their new training before they met their new instructor. They were informed that His Excellency would take over their training personally, which made most of them quite nervous. The leader of the most elite unit in the Alliance military was going to oversee their training. It was enough to shake the most confident young cadet. They each tugged at their crisp new uniforms, brushing away imagined specks of lint, straightening any vague indication of a wrinkle. Noin, never one to enjoy uniforms, fidgeted uncomfortably. Specials uniforms were more formal than the fatigues of Alliance troops. The etched metal buttons, the caps and other details were designed to set the Specials apart--more specifically above—the rest of the military establishment. The uniform was a mark of distinction. All of which was lost on Noin. She thought they all looked like bellhops.
The row of young soldiers was called to attention sharply as His Excellency entered. Noin stood at the end of the row, nervously awaiting her turn. They were not given leave to stand at ease, so she and the other cadets stood rigidly, eyes forward, shoulders back. His Excellency, his aide supplying names and ranks, moved down the line pausing to speak to each cadet as he perused their performance reports.
“This is Cadet Noin, Your Excellency. She is currently assigned to the communications center.”
Treize Kushrenada stopped in front of a petite cadet with short dark hair. The recruit looked exceptionally young to the 18-year old commander. He scanned the report his aide handed him but did not see an age listed. “How old are you Cadet Noin?”
“13, sir.”
“13?” Treize asked with quiet suspicion. The cadet sounded younger.
“Almost, sir…in five months…sir.”
Treize smiled. Five months was hardly ‘almost,’ but he did not pursue the matter. He looked back at the report to read it more thoroughly and raised an eyebrow upon seeing the cadet’s first name. Lucretzia. The little cadet was a girl. Ah, yes, he remembered. Lucretzia Noin was the cadet without a past…personally recommended by Lady Une. The young duke wondered if Une suggested the girl simply to add more women to the ranks. The question was quickly put to rest as His Excellency read over the girl’s efficiency rating. She was at the top of her class, scoring twenty points above most of the other cadets. She had an impressive record for one so young.
“You come highly recommended, Cadet Noin.”
“Thank you, Your Excellency.”
Noin kept her eyes trained forward and resisted the urge to frown. She couldn’t think of anyone back at the training facility who would have ‘highly recommended’ her for anything…with the possible exception of her astrophysics teacher, but he had suggested she apply for the science and research division, not the Specials. As she pondered, Noin kept her eyes forward. Since His Excellency was standing directly in front of her, this meant the girl was staring the commander square in the chest. She studied the buttons on the young man’s uniform. The crest she saw earlier also appeared etched in his uniform buttons. The more she looked at the gilt ornament, the more Noin believed she had seen it somewhere before.
Slow realization spread over her as the image clicked. The last time she saw that symbol had been on another uniform. A boy’s uniform. Noin glanced up at the tall young man before her and quickly directed her gaze forward once again. She was right. It was that boy. He was grown now, but it was him. Same hair, eyes and that same mysterious smile that always seemed to hover at his mouth, as though he knew something no one else did. It was that boy she met on her sixth birthday, the nephew of one of the men she saw talking in the courtyard just before the attack. She remembered that old duke clearly. He had frightened her. Now, she was faced with the old man’s nephew. Noin visibly stiffened as the young duke spoke again, praying silently that he wouldn’t recognize her.
“You have an impressive record for one so young, Lucretzia. Do you like your new assignment?”
“Yes, sir.”
Treize looked down at the girl. She was rather small and he found himself peering at her from a height that prohibited a full view of her face. The girl’s features were further obscured by stray locks of glossy black hair that fell across her forehead. The young man noted the girl’s rigid posture and smiled slightly. The cadet was certainly an accomplished technician but she was also an adolescent girl. Treize took her discomfort as a normal reaction to his scrutiny. She was embarrassed to be examined so closely by a young man.
“I expect great things from you, Lucretzia.” He smiled down at the girl and acknowledged her salute before moving on.
Finally dismissed, the cadets dispersed and made their way back to their various posts. Over the next few days, the group of young recruits was put through numerous drills and training routines. Aside from their regular duties, Treize took it upon himself to begin instructing the potential officers in the art of fencing. It was his belief that every member of OZ should learn to duel and the young commander made it a daily lesson for his young charges. The gracefulness and discipline imparted by dueling was crucial to young officers, a message that His Excellency taught with great care. It was easy to sit behind a communications console and order long range weapons’ fired upon a distant city. It was something else all together to face an opponent in single combat, testing skill and honor on a personal level.
The young duke watched his cadets practiced and mused over their progress. They all showed great potential and were obviously eager to please their charismatic young leader. Treize was glad of this of course. If he was to rise through the ranks of Romefellar, he needed the complete trust and loyalty of his soldiers. Their devotion was not quite enough, however, which was why he required instruction in such things as fencing, deportment and other refined pursuits. These children weren’t simply to be soldiers; they were the platform upon which Treize would stand to create a brand new world. They would be his representatives from the royal courts of Europe to the farthest space colony, his eyes and ears.
His Excellency finally called a halt to their routine exercises and called the cadets to attention. Every few days the youngsters were required to face Treize on the mat. No one ever defeated the duke—no one expected to defeat him. Rather, it was the young commander’s method of gauging their progress. Some of the cadets, Lucretzia in particular, were quite adept. Those who challenged him the most were placed at the end of the line. Each cadet stepped up in turn and, in turn, was dispatched. Finally, Cadet Noin stepped forward.
Treize and Noin saluted and took up stance. As usual, Treize was the first to advance, starting slowly so as not to defeat the girl to quickly. The advance and retreat continued, the older instructor proceeding with cool precision as his young student immersed herself in the match. Treize was once again impressed with the girl’s skill. It was obvious she had previous instruction, but still, for one so young, Lucretzia showed a remarkable amount of concentration. The only other young person he knew who demonstrated such intensity was Zechs. The match continued a bit longer than expected as Treize discovered that it was not quite as easy to defeat the cadet. She seemed determined to win today and fought with all her might. As much as he enjoyed the match, it was getting late and Treize decided to wrap things up. He quickened the pace, hoping to force his opponent into making a mistake. She did not. He retreated slightly, forcing the girl to advance. Treize waited for the chance then attempted to force the girl to lunge. His intent was to make Lucretzia loose her balance and thereby leave her open, but the cadet did not take the bait. The duke switched tactics and suddenly lunged forward himself. The shorter cadet ducked unexpectedly, causing Treize to misstep. Before he had time to recover, Lucretzia snapped up, the tip of her foil connecting with His Excellency’s chest. He looked down at the point in shock. It was precisely over his heart.
The entire room froze in silence. After a long pause, both Cadet Noin and Instructor Treize straightened. Noin stood nervously, squeezing the hilt of her foil rhythmically. Treize looked at her a moment. The girl was most likely unsure as to whether to be pleased or contrite at her victory. Treize was unsure how to react himself. He had not been bested in fencing since he was a boy and to be defeated by such a young opponent was quite disconcerting. The cadet finally pulled herself into a polite salute, which the young duke returned. He smiled as he removed his helmet and approached the girl, hand outstretched.
“Excellent match, Lucretzia.”
“Thank you, Instructor Treize,” the girl responded with obvious relief.
Treize patted the girl’s shoulder with pride, complimenting her technique. The cadets were dismissed and exited the chamber, chattering about the unexpected turn of events. Cadet Noin was the most popular person at dinner that night, her table overflowed with fellow students anxious to hear of her strategy. Noin was unaccustomed to such attention, but bore it as best she could before finally retreating to her quarters for the night. She lay awake for hours, replaying the match in her head. She beat him. He was taller, more experienced and more graceful than she and still she beat him. Her height, which one would assume to be a liability in such a situation, worked to her favor as she formulated a plan of attack. Mr. Treize had expected to win. His overconfidence and her unexpected move was the young man’s undoing. Noin giggled to herself, remembering all the times she had beaten Zechs. Of course he had defeated her just as often, but Noin always replayed those matches in her head, critiquing her performance and learning for the next duel. She learned long ago to think three moves ahead. Zechs would have been proud of her today.
Despite her victory and Instructor Treize’s graciousness, Noin was still troubled by the duke. He gave no indication that he recognized her, but the young man was hard to read. He smiled constantly and never seemed to be disturbed by anything. He was a good teacher, but Noin couldn’t quite bring herself to trust him. It didn’t help that he insisted on calling her Lucretzia. She was once again the only female in her training group. Having His Excellency point that out regularly, whether on purpose or not, was beginning to make her uncomfortable. It also brought up the possibility that Treize did indeed remember her. Years ago, she had been introduced to him simply as Lucretzia. Could he be using that name to let her know he was aware of her identity? Why were his uncle and that Alliance officer so interested in her anyway? She could never figure that out. After all these years, everything still came back to one question. “Who am I?” She whispered the question into the still air. Noin worried over the possibility for quite a long time before she finally drifted off to sleep.
The young cadet tried to push her worries aside the next morning as training resumed. The younger cadets were to have their first try at the simulator for the newest mobile suit design. Noin’s excitement temporarily erased her lingering doubts about Instructor Treize. She found at the Alliance training facility that she had quite an affinity for piloting the various craft associated with the military, in the simulators at least. She had yet to be allowed the opportunity to actually pilot anything. She was too short to reach the foot controls.
Today would be different. Instructor Treize had promised that all of the cadets would have the opportunity to sit at the controls of the newest suits. She pushed through the throng of excited recruits and made her way to the front. She listened eagerly to everything the instructors and pilots had to say, absorbing the information like a sponge. She had not given up her plan to run away, merely postponed it in favor of more technical training. The girl reasoned that such skills would be beneficial to her later, unwilling to admit to herself that she enjoyed her training. This might be her only opportunity to sit in a mobile suit. Noin was determined to make it count.
At last it was her turn. Every other cadet had been called and had their turn. For some reason, Instructor Treize seemed to forget Noin was there. Usually, she was one of the first to be called up. She wondered briefly if this was some sort of punishment for having defeated the instructor in the previous day’s duel. As a worried frown began to creep across her face, His Excellency finally called her name. He smiled as he easily lifted the girl into the mobile suit, kneeling outside the hatch to give orders.
“So, Lucretzia, how does it feel to finally be behind the controls of a mobile suit?”
“Cool…” she breathed. Realizing how childish that sounded, Noin tilted her head forward and amended, “I mean, very good, sir. I’ve been anxious to learn more about the new design.”
Treize, not wanting to embarrass Noin, successfully stifled a chuckle at the girl’s reaction as he began to point out the various instruments. He was pleased to see the young cadet so thrilled. His Excellency had reacted in much the same way the first time he tested a mobile suit for OZ. He had been a bit older but reacted with the same excitement, doubly so when teamed with his newly discovered brother. Mobile suit duels were their first competitions and Treize still enjoyed the challenge Johnny presented whether it be on the practice grounds or on the other side of a chessboard.
He continued the lesson, allowing young Lucretzia to demonstrate for him as he spoke. The group discussed the various armaments and maneuvering capabilities of the suits as well as the weaknesses of the new design. A young cadet raised his hand and asked a question most of the others had thought of at some point.
“Sir? Why don’t we just use long-range weapons? Why continue direct combat?”
Treize stood and addressed the cadets. He had expected that question.
“The true test of character, cadets, lay in direct battle. Only such a test will reveal what one is capable of. Many a high-ranking officer has been proven a coward on the battlefield…and many a lowly soldier has revealed courage and nobility beyond anything ever witnessed previously. Meeting your enemy face to face is the only way to confront your own weakness…remember that.”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Zechs moved his knight into position on the gilt chessboard and waited for his opponent to make another move. Johnny had agreed to help Zechs practice while Treize was away and the two spent at least two hours a day frowning over the ornate game pieces. Johnny was the only person Zechs knew who had ever defeated Treize at anything. On the surface Johnny appeared to be a fun-loving prankster, full of scathing remarks and amusing quips. His jovial exterior covered a highly analytical mind, one of the few traits Johnny shared with his brother. Zechs watched Johnny as the young man casually perused the game. He was, naturally, sipping more of Treize’s precious cognac and seemed decidedly unconcerned with the game. Noting Zechs’ scrutiny, the young man grinned and made an amusing remark as he moved one of his bishops. He winked and announced, “Check.”
Johnny reminded Zechs of Captain Damon in many ways, except that the young man tended to be quite moody, especially when he was drunk. Seven moves ago, the officer had been ready to knock the board across the room in aggravation. Treize always maintained absolute calm in the face of every frustration, even when Johnny won at chess. Treize’s way of retaliating was to play the superior and condescending older brother.
Treize and Johnny were half brothers and their age difference actually consisted of only a few months. Currently, the brothers were both 18 and would remain so for a month more, until Treize turned 19. The young men shared the same father but different mothers and, as Johnny put it, Zechs was “too young to hear the rest.” Zechs was not naïve about the situation and made the proper assumptions, but never asked. Zechs was wise enough to see that it was not something either young man liked to discuss. In private, Johnny and Treize were brothers. They argued frequently but were devoted nonetheless. In public, Johnny was just one of Treize’s many Specials officers. No mention was made of his relationship to the House of Kushrenada.
Not that the young man actually wanted to be known as the second son of a duke. He had lived in the United States and Canada until he turned 14 and viewed the formalities of the aristocracy with scorn. He had little patience for the nobility and made no attempt to cover his contempt. Johnny was a member of OZ for two reasons. He believed that the Alliance would destroy the world if it was allowed to continue unchecked. Secondly, and sometimes more importantly, Treize was his brother. The two had formed a strong bond after their father died and Johnny’s loyalty to his brother was as fierce as their frequent arguments.
Zechs had trouble understanding the brothers’ behavior. He had been an older brother once and he never would have treated Relena with the contempt he saw from Treize. Of course, Zechs had been an older brother to a much younger sister. Then again, there was Noin. Though they had not been blood siblings, his relationship with Noin had been marked by the occasional feud, and like the Kushrenada brothers, he and Noin always seemed to forget any hurt feelings or angry words. That was what made a family. Forgiveness and acceptance.
“Whoa.” Johnny grasped Zechs’ wrist as the younger boy prepared to move another one of his pieces.
“What?”
“You’re never going to beat Treize if you keep playing like this.”
“Like what?” Zechs scowled at the chessboard, trying to determine his error.
“You’re too cautious. One reason Treize always wins is that he’s willing to sacrifice every piece, from pawn to Queen, in order to win.”
Zechs put his piece back down and looked at the board again. “All right. What do I do?”
“Be bold! Don’t let fear get in the way of what you want, Treize doesn’t and neither do I. If you’re not willing to lose big, you can’t expect to win big.” Johnny paused briefly as a wolfish grin spread across his face. “By the way, that’s a good policy with women, too.”
Zechs rolled his eyes. That was another thing the Kushrenada boys had in common.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“They’re attacking the command building!”
The frantic shouts of young soldiers echoed through the corridors as they scrambled to secure the structure. The first few rounds fell short of their mark, shaking the building but doing no real damage. The assault intensified and the invaders finally broke through the outer defenses, advancing on the main structure. As rebels relentlessly barraged the colony’s command building, Treize Kushrenada requested permission to engage the enemy. The young duke led his pilots to their new mobile suits, leaving the rest of his cadets in the command center as support crew. His young soldiers obeyed his orders immediately, but Treize noted their obvious fear.
“If you calmly do your jobs,” he reassured, “you have nothing to fear.”
Inside the command center, Lucretzia Noin listened to the instructions of her commanding officer. “Do your duty and leave the rest to God.” She mentally reminded herself. “I can do this.” She ignored the nervous flutter in her stomach and concentrated on relaying information to the pilots. The communications array was offline, preventing her from calling for back up.
“Sir, communications are still being jammed.”
“Very well…Lucretzia, I am depending on you to give me accurate data during the battle.”
“Yes sir!” Noin paused briefly, unsure whether she should voice her next thought. “Instructor Treize?” the girl asked hesitantly.
“Yes?”
“Please call me Noin…It doesn’t matter in battle whether a soldier is a man or a woman.”
“I understand,” Treize smiled broadly in spite of himself, “Cadet Noin.”
The battle progressed rapidly. The superior numbers of the rebel group threatened to overrun the besieged command center, but the mobility of Treize’s mobile suit pilots curbed their advance. The battle raged for an hour as, one by one, Treize and his pilots destroyed the assault vehicles. Just as victory seemed imminent, Noin’s sensors sounded an alarm.
“Instructor Treize! Someone is targeting the command building!”
“Where?”
Noin quickly calculated the coordinates and relayed them to her commander. Treize moved his suit to the left of the building, positioning himself in the line of fire. The new attacker was far out of range of the mobile suit’s weaponry and Treize’s ammunition cache was seriously depleted. His only option was to use his suit as a shield. He moved into position just in time. The missile whistled towards him with deadly accuracy, exploding on contact. “Instructor Treize!” Noin shouted in panic despite her training. She watched in horror as the missile meant for the communications room was deflected by His Excellency’s suit. He sacrificed himself. Noin at last began to see the commander as a leader instead of a potential enemy. He might be the nephew of that old man who frightened her, but Instructor Treize had proven himself honorable and brave, willing to die in defense of his cadets. She recalled what he said earlier. The true test of character lay in conflict. Perhaps she could trust him after all…if he lived. The girl bit her lip as she checked her sensor readings, all the while listening intently to mobile suits’ open commlinks. Noin stifled a gasp as Treize spoke weakly.
“Is everyone all right?”
“Yes sir,” Noin replied in a shaken voice, “The command center is in tact, Your Excellency.”
“Good…”
It was little more than a whisper as the young man began to lose consciousness. His cadets were all right, the command center was saved. His cadets performed admirably in spite of their fear and inexperience. He did it. He would be viewed as a hero now. A hero. His soldiers would love him now and if they loved him, they would follow him. That was his last thought as darkness descended upon his exhausted mind and injured body.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“Come on, Johnny. You always say you’ll let me try but you never do.”
Johnny looked at his young friend with an annoyed expression. He was tuning up his mobile suit, his ‘baby,’ and Zechs was once again pestering him to try the controls. The kid was a persistent litter bugger. Johnny’s normal excuse was the boy’s height. Up until a few weeks ago, Zechs had been too short to reach all of the controls. An unexpected growth spurt put an end to that pretext. The boy count now stood at Johnny’s shoulder, rather tall for someone just entering puberty.
Johnny sighed as he wiped greasy hands on overalls. There were technicians who could see to his suits maintenance, but Johnny was never one to let anyone else play with his toys. He certainly didn’t want to start now. The older pilot looked at the boy a moment longer. Zechs was certainly eager to begin flight training. It was the only interest that didn’t directly stem from the boy’s desire to destroy the Alliance. When Zechs talked about flying, his entire demeanor changed. He would look wistfully into the sky and speak of what he thought it was like to soar above the clouds, moving faster than anything on the ground. He wanted to streak through the sky like a blaze of lightening. It was one of the rare times the kid actually looked like a kid.
“Oh, all right. Hop up.” He extended his hand to Zechs as he spoke and helped the boy onto the mobile suit. They spent the better part of the afternoon going over the controls and inner workings of the suit. Armory, specs, communications capabilities. Zechs already knew most of it. He spent countless hours pouring over diagrams and manuals. He could recite most of the information from memory and knew each mobile suit design by heart. This design was his favorite. It had the capability to fly, not just ‘hop’ short distances, but fly.
As Zechs slipped into the seat and placed his hands on the controls, he felt an uncommon sense of calm. It was as though he was born to sit there, born to be part of such a magnificent machine. Johnny droned on about what buttons not to push and how to escape in an emergency, but Zechs barely listened. He knew all of that already. He knew this suit better than Johnny did. Unbeknownst to the young officer, Zechs had snuck out a few times over the past week and broken into the suit. He was careful to wait until his friend was asleep or at least drunk, before making his way to the landing platform behind the mansion. The boy had even fired the suit up one evening, just to listen to the engines hum. There was, however, one thing left to do.
“Can I take it out, Johnny?”
“No!”
“Aw, come on,” Zechs pleaded, “I know how everything works. I’ve practiced in the simulator. I won’t wreck it, promise.”
Johnny smirked. Zechs Marquise sounding like a teenager asking for the keys to his dad’s Porsche was rather amusing. As much as the young officer hated having anyone else pilot his suit, he had to admit that the boy did know what he was doing. Unlike Treize, however, Johnny did not like the idea of the kid being turned into a soldier at so young an age. He had no illusions as to Zechs’ determination to fight one day, but he was still just a boy. The war had left Zechs angry and traumatized, but he was still too young to participate in such actions. The kid had been through enough. Making him a soldier wouldn’t heal the boy’s wounded soul. Johnny knew. It hadn’t helped him one bit. Instead of giving him, to use Treize’s phrase, a “constructive outlet” for his anger, it just made everything worse. The pain didn’t go away, it increased. So much so, that some days Johnny couldn’t function without ‘his little helper.’ A bottle of booze secreted somewhere nearby was often his only means of dealing with what he allowed himself to become. He saw so much of himself in Zechs, he wanted to scream at the kid. Shake some sense into him, give him a glimpse of his future. He didn’t bother because he knew it wouldn’t do any good.
“O.K. fine…but if you kill yourself, don’t come crying to me.”
Zechs flashed one of his rare smiles at his friend and prepared the suit. He went through the checklist with the expertise of a pilot twice his age. When the computer acknowledged the all clear, Zechs started out. If he had not promised Johnny to take it slow and NOT to lift off, he would be airborne by now, racing the wind. Instead, he contented himself with learning to maneuver the large mechanism. He experimented with the suit’s arms, learning how to use them as extensions of his own hands. It took grace and finesse to handle a mobile suite properly, not just anyone could do it. That was why Zechs wanted so badly to practice before he entered Lake Victoria Academy. He wanted to be the best. If he were the best, they would not deny him the chance to pilot one of these new suits. They would not deny him anything.
“How’s it going kid?” Johnny stood nearby, nervously watching his beloved suit move across the field without him. He gripped the headset to his ears as he waited for Zechs to respond.
“Great! Thanks Johnny.”
“You’re welcome, kid.” Johnny chuckled at the boyish delight in the boy’s voice. It was good to see him act his age for a change. The young man was startled by an outside signal and moved to his portable communicator. He flicked it on and the image of one of his soldiers flickered on the screen.
“Lieutenant!” The girl saluted. Johnny waved comically in response.
“What’s up, Belinda?”
“Sir…” she paused. It was apparent that the young woman would rather be anywhere else at that moment.
“Spit it out, lieutenant.”
“I’ve been ordered to inform you sir, that His Excellency has been injured in battle.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The darkness that surrounded him abated slowly. The vague impression of light gradually gave way to fuzzy images and finally he was awake. Treize closed his eyes and lie still for a moment, trying to recollect what had happened and why his head felt like a squashed pumpkin. Ah, yes. The battle. He smiled to himself as he attempted to sit upright. A wave of dizziness and the gentle push of two hands sent him back to the comfort of his pillow. “You have a concussion, broken ribs and other injuries. You need to lay still.”
The voice was soft and most definitely feminine. The young man opened his eyes and gazed up at his caretaker, smiling as her face came into focus. She was lovely. He suddenly became amused with himself. He felt like death warmed over and served on a cracked platter, but he still managed to find a beautiful woman to flirt with. “I’m dead,” he said with a smile.
“No, you’re all right now, you’re safe.” The nurse smoothed his hair out of his eyes, concern evident in her tone.
“No. I must be dead. Why else would I see an angel?” It was a trite line, but it usually worked.
“Oh, good heavens…that one’s older than my father…”
“I’ve always preferred the classics.”
“If you’re like this when you’re at death’s door, what must you be like in good health…” The nurse sounded slightly annoyed with his attempt to flirt, but, Treize noted with pleasure, she didn’t leave.
“Allow me to introduce myself…”
“I’m aware of who you are, Mr. Kushrenada…the hospital has had to hire more security officers to fend off all of the reporters.”
That idea made the young man wince. The press…if the story had already been run. “I need to make a call.” Seeming to read his mind, the young nurse once again restrained the duke. “Your family has already been notified. Your aide contacted them personally. Everyone else can just wait for the daily update.” Treize laid back in relief. The last thing Johnny and Zechs needed was to hear wild rumors about his untimely demise. Oh yes, and Uncle would be annoyed as well.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
In the hospital corridor, Cadet Noin paced nervously. The last time the girl had been in a hospital was the day her foster grandmother died. It was one of the worst days in her young life…one of the many. She ceased to be Luie Pallidino that day and was forced to take on another identity. She had liked her life in Livorno, her life with a family. Now, she paced the halls of another hospital, worrying over a man she should hate. Noin was not certain what made her stay behind when the other cadets returned to the barracks. She simply couldn’t leave until she knew Instructor Treize was all right.
The girl leaned against a wall and began chewing on a thumbnail. She stared ahead blankly for a few moments before becoming aware of someone watching her. Noin turned and spotted a young boy, about 8 she figured, staring at her. He was a bit mussed, his vest and shorts terribly wrinkled. He continued to stare at her with large blue eyes, no feeling apparent. His lack of emotion concerned Noin and she walked to him. He might be in shock.
“Are you all right, little boy? Are you hurt?”
The boy looked up at her from beneath chocolate colored bangs and shook his head.
“Are you lost then? Can I help you find your mama?”
“I don’t have one.”
Noin peered down at the smaller child for a few moments more, puzzled by his demeanor. As she gazed into his blue eyes, the girl felt a sharp pain in her head. It was one of the headaches. It had been a very long time since Noin had one of those headaches and she had grown unaccustomed to the wave of dizziness that followed. Her hand flew to her temple and she swayed slightly. She groped for something to grab hold of as a sudden burst of images and voices flooded her mind. She gasped as the memory flashed and dissipated. The boy. Noin opened her eyes and looked down at the boy. The brown hair, the blue eyes and pale skin. He looked like the other boy. As another wave of dizziness overtook her, the boy took her arm and steadied her. Noin recovered her balance and stared down at the little boy.
“There you are, boy. I thought I told you to go. We cannot have vagabonds lurking in our hospital…” An orderly marched toward the boy as he spoke, determined to send the child packing. Noin threw her arm around the boy and moved him to her side.
“What do you want with my brother?” It was the best lie she could think of to protect the boy and Noin hoped it would be enough. If not that, maybe her Specials uniform would do the trick. That uniform seemed to come with a lot of built-in perks.
“He’s your brother?” the orderly asked suspiciously.
“That’s what I said isn’t it? Now, why are you bothering my little brother?” She put a hand on her hip, and put on her most militaristic scowl. The orderly was at least 6 feet tall and weighed over 250 pound. At the sight of a Specials Uniform, he cowered. Noin fought the urge to snort at the man’s reaction and continued to stare him down. “I’m sorry. I thought he…”
“Well, obviously, you thought wrong. My brother and I are here to visit His Excellency. I’m sure Duke Treize would be ever so pleased to hear of your hospitality.”
The orderly swallowed, “I’m sorry for the mistake.” He quickly trotted off, leaving Noin snickering behind her hand. She looked back down at the boy, still standing under arm and smiled hesitantly. He looked up at his protector with mild curiosity, a slight frown creasing his features.
“What’s your name?” Noin asked gently.
The boy said nothing for several moments and Noin was about to ask again when he spoke up. “Odin.”
“Odin. That’s a nice name. Are you lost Odin?”
“No.”
“Are you waiting for someone?” Noin suddenly became concerned as another idea occurred to her, “Are you waiting for someone who got hurt?”
Odin glanced down the hall towards the emergency room and turned back. “I’m waiting for my grandfather to pick me up.”
The two children looked at each other for several minutes, each unsuccessfully trying to figure out the other. At length, the girl reached down to take the little boy’s hand. “You hungry? I could use something to eat. Why don’t you let me buy you a milkshake?”
Odin allowed himself to be led down the hall by the strange girl. He wasn’t afraid of her, he was afraid of very little, but something about her disturbed him. He couldn’t quite decide what it was. Maybe the way she seemed to get sick for a minute when she first saw him. It reminded him of the headaches he got sometimes. Or maybe it was how she lied to that orderly and pretended to be his sister. He didn’t know why she did that. Most people didn’t care what happened to a stranger. Once or twice he glanced up at the girl and down at the hand that grasped his firmly. He didn’t need his hand held, he wasn’t a baby. So why didn’t he pull away?
The most troubling part was the girl was one of them. He and the real Odin had been sent to destroy them. When Odin was shot, the boy took his place, carefully aiming the missile at the colony’s command building and setting it off. If that mobile suit had not stepped in the way, the building would have blown up. All of the people in uniforms would be dead now…including the girl, he realized. Afterwards, he followed the ambulance to this hospital. He knew the real Odin was dead before they picked him up, but he followed anyway. When the adults weren’t looking, he snuck into the morgue to see the dead man. Little Odin couldn’t understand why he did that. The man was dead, the boy should have left him and reported in, but he couldn’t leave.
They entered the large cafeteria and started down the line. The girl pulled out two trays and began filling them, asking him what he liked and, when he didn’t respond, filling up the tray with various foods and deserts. She continued to talk as they made their way down the line, occasionally asking him questions. He answered some, ignored others and watched the girl closely. Her name was Noin, he discovered and she was waiting to hear about her instructor, the man she referred to earlier as “His Excellency.” The Noin girl filled his tray to the brim with all manner of foodstuffs. On her own tray Noin placed a hamburger, fries and one very large slice of chocolate cake…all the things Odin was never allowed to eat. It was unhealthy food, he was told. It would make him weak.
“You like chocolate milk?” Noin reached out and took two cartons.
“Never had it.”
“You’ve never had chocolate milk?” The girl seemed amazed by his confession. “Well, you’ll just have to try it!” She plopped one carton on his tray and the other on her own.
They walked to a table, carefully balancing the array of dishes crowding their trays and sat down. The girl removed her forest green jacket and tossed it in a nearby chair. Odin watched as the girl opened his milk for him and put in a straw. Noin fussed over him, tucking a napkin in his collar and cutting his hamburger in half for him. The boy watched her carefully. No one where he lived ever treated him like a little kid, he wasn’t sure he liked it. Where he lived, everyone expected him to do things for himself. If he couldn’t, he did without until he learned. That’s how he would become strong, they told him. Doing things for himself and not letting anyone help.
Odin began to eat the food before him. The people he lived with also taught him to eat when he had the chance, never turn down the opportunity to refuel. The hamburger squished when he bit into it, coating some of his fingers with ketchup and mustard. The Noin girl giggled and helped him wipe his fingers. He tried the chocolate milk at her insistence and found that it was pleasant. Actually, it was pretty darned good. He would have to ask the people he lived with if chocolate milk makes you weak.
They talked for a little while and Noin shared her chocolate cake with the younger boy. He found that he really enjoyed chocolate. Maybe he shouldn’t bother with asking if chocolate made you weak. He should just perform his own experiment. Young Odin looked up at the sound of Noin’s laugh. She held his chin and dabbed a napkin at the chocolate residue clinging to his face. “Try to get more in your mouth next time,” the girl giggled. No body ever giggled where Odin lived. He was listening to the girl talk when he spotted the doctor enter the cafeteria. The old man scanned the crowd until he caught sight of Odin. The boy stood to leave.
“My grandfather is here.”
Noin stood and turned. “Where?”
Odin pointed to an old man standing in the doorway. He was a horrific sight. Where the old man’s arm should be was a rather frightening looking, claw-like apparatus. His eyes were covered with dark glasses, but Noin detected the glint of more implanted metal. The old man limped forward a few paces and motioned to the little boy. For some reason, Noin wanted to grab the child and run. She admonished herself for reacting in such a way to someone with a handicap and instead bid the boy good bye. She smoothed Odin’s hair out of his eyes and straightened his vest.
“Thank you for eating with me, Odin.”
The boy said good bye and dutifully walked to the doctor. They had a short discussion about the events of the past hour and started back down the corridor. Odin looked back at the Noin girl as she cleared away their trays and put on her jacket. She was one of the people in uniforms, one of the people he was supposed to hate. She wasn’t anything like the horrible monsters the doctor always told him about. She was pretty and nice and giggled…but she was a soldier and he was supposed to hate her. He had to hate her.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Noin puzzled over the strange boy named Odin as she walked back towards Instructor Treize’s room. He was a strange little boy. He seemed not to be able to react to anything. She had tried to talk to him while they ate, but half the time he didn’t seem to be paying attention. And that grandfather…Noin shuddered involuntarily at the image. She sat down and rested her head in her hands. She had another memory because of the boy, but she wasn’t sure what to make of it. It had been quite a while since she had one of her headaches.
Her train of thought was interrupted as a nurse emerged from His Excellency’s room. Noin shot to her feet, and anxiously approached the nurse.
“Ma’am? Is Instructor Treize…I mean His Excellency going to be all right?”
The nurse gave Noin a wry smile. “Oh, he’s going to be just fine.” The young woman’s smile faded a bit as she realized it was one of the cadets who accompanied the duke to the hospital several hours ago. “Have you been waiting all this time, dear?”
“Yes, ma’am…I went to get something to eat downstairs, but I just wanted to make sure…”
The nurse placed her hands on the girl’s shoulders. “He’s going to be just fine, my dear, don’t you worry.” She smiled reassuringly at the younger girl and said, “I’m Leia. I’ll be taking care of your instructor while he’s here.” “I’m Noin.” The girl held her hand out politely and smiled as she shook Leia’s hand.
“Would you like to see him?”
“I don’t want to disturb him, I just…”
“Nonsense. He’ll be pleased for the visit, I’m sure. You wait here while I check”
Leia stepped inside, smiling. Treize, pleased to have his angel of mercy back, smiled back. “You grace me again, Miss Barton.”
“You have a visitor, Mr. Kushrenada.” At Treize’s raised eyebrow, she corrected herself, “Treize. She’s been waiting since you arrived.” Leia stepped back and allowed young Lucretzia Noin to enter. The girl walked in hesitantly, hovering near the door as though she would dart away at any moment. Treize smiled and waved her over. He was pleased that someone cared enough to remain behind for an update on his condition. He nodded in appreciation as Leia left.
“Cadet Noin. It was kind of you to visit.”
“I’m glad you’re all right, Your Excellency.” Noin replied quietly as she took a seat near the bed.
“We’re not in classes right now, Noin, why don’t you call me Mr. Treize.”
Noin smiled and nodded. They spoke for a few minutes about the battle and its aftermath. Treize was pleased to learn that the attack stopped shortly after he passed out and there were no more casualties.
“You should be very proud of your performance, Noin. I am.”
Noin smiled in spite of herself. He was proud of her. It shouldn’t matter to her what he thought, but she was pleased. Her mistrust of the young man had been cracking and crumbling for weeks now. She was beginning to admire the brave young officer, respect him and even trust him a little. He was proud of her. She frowned and looked at her hands, allowing her longish bangs to obscure her face. She didn’t think she behaved all that well during the battle. She had been frightened.
“I don’t think I performed all that well sir…I was scared.”
“Of course you were, so was I.”
Noin looked up. Was he trying to make her feel better? “You, sir?”
“Naturally. Only an idiot is not afraid in battle. One must be insensible not to fear in such a situation. The key is to work through your fear, use it to sharpen your senses…which is exactly what you did. If you weren’t afraid, it wouldn’t take courage, would it?”
The girl fell silent and the two sat in silence for several minutes. Treize was truly proud of all of his cadets. They had behaved admirably, proving their worth. They would make excellent OZ officers, but Noin in particular. She was still very young, yet demonstrated the characteristics common to all good soldiers. He had observed her closely over the past few weeks, taking careful note of her reactions to the Alliance military. She adopted quite a little attitude around Alliance regulars. Clearly she bore them nothing but ill will, but that did not necessarily mean she would accept the ideals of OZ. She seemed an independent sort, brilliant and creative. Good qualities for a person, but troublesome in a soldier expected to follow orders without question. Noin would never be such an officer. She would question everything, demand proof of their correctness. Just the kind of person to keep Treize on his toes.
“I would be nice to play a game of chess about now, hmm?”
“Yes it would. I love chess.” Noin smiled as she briefly glanced up at the young man.
“So do I. I’m sure you would be a challenging opponent…you certainly proved to be so in fencing.”
Noin was spared the need to comment as Leia reentered. “Anyone for chess?” She asked brightly, holding up a small box.
Treize leaned towards Noin and whispering coyly, “Beautiful and she can read minds, as well. I think I’m in love.” Noin giggled.
Leia turned at the sound to find Treize and Noin looking at her in amusement. “All right you two, it’s not nice to have private jokes.”
The nurse wheeled the hospital table forward and set up the game. “One game and then Mr. Treize needs to rest, all right?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Noin and Treize responded simultaneously, laughing as Leia rolled her eyes and left. They played for a while, chatting about trivial matters before Treize gradually eased the conversation towards the Specials. His questions and comments became increasingly cryptic as he tried to determine once and for all if the girl was capable of being loyal to OZ…to him. Noin was clearly becoming puzzled by his comments and finally stopped mid-move and looked at her instructor.
“Mr. Treize what are you trying to ask me?”
Treize smiled at the question, pleased that she was able to tell something was going on. This was it. He had to ask the question now, bluntly. “If you had the chance to destroy the Alliance, would you take it?”
The question jarred Noin. She sat in stunned silence, peeking up at her instructor through her hair. It was something she thought about often, demolishing the Alliance. Ripping it apart as it had ripped her life apart so many times. The answer to his question was simple. She did not answer because she did not know why he asked. Was he trying to trap her? Had Lady Une told him what she said that night they fought? If he knew how much she hated the Alliance, why had he treated her so well during classes? Why didn’t he have her thrown into prison? The answer whispered in the back of her mind, but she dared not believe it. Could he hate the Alliance too? Noin quickly ran over the past few weeks in her mind. Treize was difficult to read, but he always seemed to treat Alliance officers with polite condescension. On the other hand, His Excellency treated his Specials officers with respect. She was terribly confused now, but decided to take a chance and answer truthfully. Worst case, she would have to run away before her training was complete. She wouldn’t let these people run her in circles for the rest of her life.
“Yes.”
Treize looked at the expression on the girl’s face. She did not flinch or look away, did not cower. She looked him straight in the eye, defiantly, daring him to do something. It was the precise reaction he was hoping for. Cadet Noin looked him in the eye for the first time since they met. It took a great deal of courage for her to make that admission and….
With a jolt Treize suddenly realized who he was looking at. It was the eyes. Large violet eyes. Her hair was much shorter, she had grown taller, but it was definitely her. Great God. It was Prince Milliardo’s little songbird. How could he have missed it? Treize smiled softly at the girl’s still firm expression, wondering how she would react to know her prince was alive and well and in Treize’s keeping. Zechs. How would he react to see that his little orphan girl had made it out of Cinq? Well, he would just have to see about reintroducing them. But not yet. The gears in Treize’s mind spun rapidly. A surprise like this had to be handled carefully, especially since he was not supposed to recognize either child. He couldn’t simply call up Zechs and blurt out the good news. He had to plan their reunion carefully. First things first, however. He had to convince the girl to join OZ without fully revealing the organization’s objectives. She might be eager to fight the Alliance, but she was not quite trustworthy.
“Cadet Noin, have you heard of the Lake Victoria Academy?”
++++++++++++++++++++++++ End Chapter 2 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
#1 Sorry if Treize came across as a little vain, but lets face it…Treize is a little vain.
#2 I used the Episode Zero mangas as inspiration. I didn’t use the plot exactly as presented in the manga. In other words, I tweaked it.
Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed or emailed me about the first chapter! I can’t tell you guys enough how much I appreciate your comments, suggestions, and pointing out things that needed to be corrected! I think I’ve fixed most of it with the exception of the part about chess. I didn’t know how to rewrite it without making that part too long, but thank you for telling me! I’ll know for next time (already used it in this chapter). I’ve only played chess rarely and have to be reminded of the rules every time. Anyone who has IM’d with me knows my thought processes are far from logical or linear.
Now an amusing story that I thought you guys might appreciate. I was driving my cousin (the Evil Chibi) to Wal-Mart (no, that’s not the funny part) and we were stopped at a red light. Around here there is a shipping company called M.S. Carriers (there really is). As we were waiting for the light, an M.S. Carriers truck sped through the intersection (it even had a tarp strapped to the top) and the Evil Chibi and I both pointed and screamed, “IT’S A GUNDAM!!!” at the same moment. I had to pull over, we were laughing so hard.
For all of those who asked when they’re going to meet up again…hehehe…I’m not telling…[ducks as a toaster flies by, narrowly missing her head]…Ha! Missed m…[loud clanging noise as the Evil Chibi sneaks up behind & smacks Lady Dante with a shovel]
Disclaimer: There will be no disclaimer with tonight’s episode due to [looks at authoress, who is still unconscious] technical difficulties.