Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ A Thousand Paper Cranes ❯ Confidence For Quiet ( Chapter 3 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Title: A Thousand Paper Cranes
Chp. 3 Confidence for Quiet
Poetry is my original works please do not steal.
Gundam Wing and it's characters do not belong to me I am just borrowing.
Marked ** "Shrink" by The Gathering
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The current rushes swiftly passed
As I stand at the edge and wonder
Am I ready for the dive
Am I ready for the surprise
The quick chill of the water over me
The rush to escape the rocks below
The wind moves ever quicker
Pushes me closer and I wonder
Shall I go into this unknown
Shall I race to the end and capture my prize
The softness therein of a beauty's embrace
The pull to something that might only end in heartaches
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The summer was drawing to a quick close with no response to the postcard Dorothy had mailed off after covertly attaining the address from Mariemea. (It could never really be proven as the bloodlines wore so thin amongst the aristocracy but somewhere inside Dorothy understood that Trieze's heir was indeed family and did her best to at least have a passing role as wicked fairy godmother in the girl's life). She never expected a response to come quickly, in fact she did not expect a response at all. What was important to her was that the message was sent and if it was received and understood then perhaps someday the woman would wander to her door step, and if the message was never received then it was just a way of fate saying, "So sorry not this time I'm afraid. Do try looking elsewhere."

In the meantime the pale blonde was happy for the company she was receiving. Quatre and Trowa made a pleasant stop by to check on her and since she had the both of them there she made good use of them. And while moving a piano was in no way what the two young men expected to be doing on their visit they were nonetheless roped into the helping.

The door of the small house was thrown open with a loud bang and a few grunts of discomfort could be heard from outside along with the occasional strange sound of a piano being moved (something like random keys being hit in conjunction with the sound of a piano hitting the ground). The first to enter was a tall and slender young man with impossible hair, who despite his wiry frame seemed to have little trouble pulling the piano (it was on what looked like two homemade skateboards with office chair wheels) into the house. He stopped tugging at it once the instrument was completely in the house along with Quatre who was a bit red in the face from pushing the thing.

With a large huff the blonde young man leaned against the piano noting the small space picked out for the instrument to occupy and asked in exasperation, "Dorothy is this even going to fit over there?"

"I measured it. It will fit exactly in that spot near the window and against the wall," she replied from outside stepping in just in time to receive a slight glare from Trowa. "I'm so glad you boys came along to help me."

"Couldn't you have hired movers," Trowa asked in a low tone.

"Yes…but you were already here so I thought why waste the money. Besides now that there is an instrument in the house we three can play a little together," was the sugary response.

The boys just shook their heads and continued the work of moving the piano into its place. It did fit just as Dorothy said it would, along the wall perfectly nestled between the couch and the bay window. The most difficult task was lifting it off the wheels the shop had lent them for the move, but it was done. The piano was a little out of tune, but still it was done.

"I'll have someone come by and tune it," she commented quickly as she sat down and pressed her fingers onto a few keys. "Between the three of us we'd make an excellent trio."

Quatre collapsed onto the couch and breathed, "I don't think my violin playing is that good…Do you have anything to eat?"

"Nonsense Quatre you play fabulously and I hear Trowa can play an instrument as well," she eyed the taller young man and he merely raised both eyebrows with the subtlest of grins. She continued, "And at the moment I think I have an apple in the house to eat…maybe some oatmeal in the cupboard."

There was an audible groan from the couch.

The stormy eyed goddess smirked, "For someone who's piloted a Gundam you complain an awful lot. Don't worry we can just head to the town and I'll treat you to dinner."

Her fingers pressed into the keys a few more times. It had been ages since she'd touched a musical instrument, but her fingers remembered their place even if they were a bit off at times in their strokes. She was happy. She'd been dying for the upright piano since she first saw it in the antique shop. It was so sloppily elegant she couldn't help herself, the wood was wearing, the abalone shell inlay was peeling off and missing in places, it was perfectly imperfect. It suited her little house flawlessly.

With everything finally settled and to keep her guests from expiring from lack of food Dorothy graciously offered to drive into town. She even put the top down on her ancient Volkswagen convertible bug (hell or high water those cars lasted for centuries and could be repaired at the drop of a hat when needed) so that they could feel like proper beach bums. The three ate of course at her favorite restaurant which was called Nighttime Birds.

Over a bottle of wine and a good meal the three chatted up a storm. Being away from most of the world's gossip the young woman was eager to learn what was going on. There wasn't much interesting as it turned out and from gossip to music, to why she had decided to move to such a little out of the way vacation spot was placed on the table for proper discussion. Most of the talking was done by Dorothy and Quatre, as Trowa quietly listened between sips of his wine only making the occasional comment where needed.

"And speaking of things like that," Dorothy said reaching into her bag and pulling out the delinquent post card that Heero had left with her, "I believe this was stolen from you a while back."

Bright blue eyes blinked back in shock as he took the object, "How-"

"Heero took it," she replied quickly.

"I told you he had," Trowa chirped quickly.

"Why-"

"He just had a question for me, for some reason he just couldn't ask if you knew were I was. Don't worry about it…you see it has been returned to you once more."

"Dorothy… About that night at the party…The 'chance'? I've been meaning to ask you if…," he trailed off noting the distant look in his friend's eyes.

"It came and went dearest…came and went. I didn't try very hard for it though. I lost myself in the swell of moving on with my life and settling down for a little while. I'm quite enjoying this boring life alone."

The young man with impossible hair brushed his fingers through his brown tresses and chuckled, "Almost sounds as if you're ready for a little excitement."

For an instant the comment almost went unnoticed, but then she always could tell when Trowa was trying to tell her something, it was always very subdued and quiet like most things with him were. But she took the task to follow his eye line (as he looked just to the right of her), through the many patrons and settling at the table of a single woman with violet eyes.

"I may be ready, but I think for tonight things should remain as dull as possible. You know, just three old friends gathering for a lovely evening at home."

He grinned and his blonde companion smiled happily for the chance that just seemed to be waiting for Dorothy in the distance.

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She says softly
She says sweetly
She says with force
She says with love
As she says with kindness
And that look in her eye
You are all she wants
Will you go to her blindly
Will you go to her quick
Will you open up this heart
As it had stopped beating
And it had been so broken
For many a moon and day
She says lightly
As she says with fear
You know that you want her
But still aren't sure of the cost
As she whispers without thinking
That it is all given for free
You think of your betrayal
And what it all means
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Long ago when the Sanq Kingdom was still clinging to a hope that it could stand as a shining example of passive resistance towards peace Dorothy Catalonia had arrived as an eager attendant to the Peacecraft School. She went as a favor to her grandfather in order to sum up the situation of the so called "peaceful kingdom", and she went with her homework done as well. She knew a few things upon arriving, that she would not be welcome by most (just on the basis of her relatives alone), and she knew that eventually a Gundam pilot would show up. She loved that she was right on both accounts. She was so prepared to face off against the foes that would present themselves that she was unprepared for how much she would fall in love with Relena Darlain Peacecraft.

It was well after their first meeting when the platinum blonde noticed the feeling. She felt it simply one day as a tickle in the back of her throat while she was having a "chat" (basically an argument without any screaming) with the young Peacecraft in the gardens. It was one of the more delicious spats she had ever had with someone of her own age. Usually the only good arguments she got involved with were with middle aged men who were never good at pretending they knew what they were talking about. But Relena, the princess that she was, she was fabulous at pretending. It could break a heart and hearing the girl speak, that made Dorothy know what power there was to be had in talk of peace.

Of course talk of peace could only ever be just talk in her stormy eyes that longed for war and battle like most longed for a nice summer day. She was over eager to find a challenge, even as she learned her lessons she was still eager for one, but she took to choosing them wisely. She listened to the pretty honey blonde as the girl falsely presented her want for peace among earth and the colonies and she could hear in that wonderful voice a plea to be torn down. And the goddess nearly delivered on it, she nearly did, but she had already fallen for the charm of a false innocence and so could not completely give in to destroying the girl. She could only prod, irritate, and mock the princess (and she did so with such want and desire in her heart, she loved the game so).

Relena said something (during that "chat") and of course that lead to an almost catty reply, and as the string of delusions verses sarcasm built there was hardly anywhere else for things to go but to a violence the princess claimed she despised. Yet instead it took a turn which neither girl could really claim they were ready for and as a substitution for a slap across he face at what was a grand insult on Dorothy's part, there was instead a deep and powerful kiss. It was the end of everything right there in that moment the two were trapped and there was no escaping the inevitability that they would someday be a couple.

The situation repeated itself regularly when they were still young and in that kingdom, only the princess would never admit (as she still never would) that it was anything real. But it was hard to deny what was developing as it occurred several times, and the two would chat, then argue and end up locked in some overly passionate embrace. War and peace derived in the flesh as it could not be denied the two seemed constantly entangled within each other. The goddess remarked once to her princess as they both lay on carpet of the royal bedroom ( a new battle ready to be waged) that the god of war and the goddess of love were secret lovers at times, and wasn't that just funny.

It was a tumultuous time as any day, any second the Sanq Kingdom could be destroyed. Romerfeller could decide in an instant to lay the kingdom to waste and make example of what passifiscim was really worth in their eyes. It was all so condensed in that palace the fear, the hope and it made everything that Dorothy and Relena were doing all the more wondrous and foolish. It was all just ground work for destruction, even with the arrival of a few Gundam pilots there was still nothing more tremendous than what the princess was sway to at the sound of one girl's very voice. And in turn the goddess could feel the strains of what she too had fallen to as perfect treason to her grandfather's wishes. It didn’t matter though, it was done and they couldn't stop.

But under all the outward show of the rivalry between Catalonia and Peacecraft there was yet another unseen by any watching eye, the strange battle that occurred between Dorothy and the ever watchful Lieutenant Lucrezia Noin.

To say the two loathed each other was a bright understatement that was an insult to common intelligence. The play was easily disguised as Noin's distrust of having a Catalonia in the palace, but the reality was driven much deeper. The two seemed to know each other's secrets as friends would know each other's favorite color. They would square off in the dead of night as Dorothy happily trotted back to her room after an evening with the princess, and wordless and completely epic arguments would be waged over breakfast in just a miniscule glare from across the table. And one day… it drove to an interesting head, the last night of the kingdom, the last day of peace.

It was an entire day before the kingdom would fall and none were the wiser, only those close enough to see could truly view the threat that was forthcoming. Dorothy was strolling down a long hallway back towards her room when she was stopped by the sight Noin walking quickly towards her. Violet eyes locked on gray in a storm of outraged fury.

"We need to talk," the ex-OZ pilot stated sternly as she stopped directly in the goddess' path.

"Little late for this kind of thing don't you think; it's nearly sunrise."

"Exactly," was the swift reply, "Aren't you playing it a little close if anyone found out-"

"If anyone found out she'd be as ruined as rain, although I couldn't really say why since in these exciting times no one could care less about whom their local politician prefers sleeping with. I suppose then, you are referring to her highness' perfectly appealing virginal appearance in the public eye?"

"It isn't funny Dorothy."

"And I am not laughing," she quickly intruded, "I am not your biggest worry in these walls Noin. I do not go behind her back and hide the existence of weapons in her peace filled, and warless kingdom. Fear not about the princess' image I take every precaution in insuring we look very much like the rivals we should be."

"If Romerfeller attacks I'll know you betrayed her."

"If they attack… Noin you are spending too much time around Relena's fantasies of peace. There is no if; Romerfeller will attack eventually, because there is no bigger threat to their cause of war than our precious little girl. She's a symbol and she has power because of her sad history. Her natural father destroyed when this kingdom first fell, and her adoptive father killed by 'terrorists' it's enough to make anyone want to support her. You add to that her excellent acting skills and natural charm and well… you see how little chance this place really does have."

Violet eyes narrowed and the woman stepped closer to growl, "You have no right to be in this palace."

"At least I don't follow her orders and do her every bidding like a simpering little puppy to gain her affection. I'm truthful at least… you are here only because your master would not let you go and play with the big boys at his side. He is the rightful heir to this kingdom and he would have done a better job of ensuring its sanctity, blood on his hands or not, instead of toddling all over the galaxy avoiding his true responsibilities all the while casually dropping and picking up new monikers whenever it suits him to do so."

Noin slapped her then. She couldn't help it. The sound of it rung out and echoed in the halls, and was followed closely by a soft and bemused chuckle.

"Do not speak of Relena's brother like that in my presence ever again," Lucrezia Noin warned quickly. "You have no right to even dare make accusations when you have not lived the life of a soldier."

Dorothy clicked her tongue and rubbed her cheek, "You know my mouth tends to get that kind of response an awful lot. I think it has to do with the way I was raised, you know spare no punches and all that. But really… half of the time that kind of response is just a well hidden step towards foreplay. I'd no idea you wanted me that badly."

There was no response just a grunt of anger spilling from the older woman's lips as she dashed off down the hallway. The goddess laughed and continued on her way to her room unaware of what an impact those final words would have on her enemy at a later time in her life.

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**I shrink and shrink
Until I'm gone
Nothing to make out of me
Of what the hell went wrong
My heart gets pulled out
Into your direction
It's no use
You have forsaken me**
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It had been over five years since that confrontation had occurred and nearly a year since the Lieutenant and the pale blonde had what turned out to be something rather like a coming of age in their friction filled relationship. In a way they almost wanted to remain enemies and they tried for about an hour to do so, but they could not keep up the game as Noin graciously laid out a few questions that Dorothy could not fully answer.

She sat in her small house with Trowa and Quatre at the piano trying get her fingers to remember the proper notes to a song she always found haunting. As she did so she wished that the boys had brought their instruments and that a certain lady she knew would stop by and offer up her voice for a moment or two. She wanted music to fill the void of nervousness she felt at knowing Lucrezia Noin was in town, and was perhaps there by no mere accident but with purpose. And what the purpose could be the stormy eyed young woman could only vaguely wish for knowledge of.

She turned from the piano at the sound of a knock at her door. The boys immediately quieted setting their coffee on the table before them watching the movements of their now flustered friend. It could have been anyone at the door. It could have been the return of a princess, a hero, or yet another old friend.

It could have been anything really…but was it what Dorothy wanted?

She opened the door to violet eyes, and the handsome figure of a woman who had seen her share of the war. There was a postcard dangling from the woman's left hand, it was in the shape of a crane.

"What kept you," Dorothy asked.

"The rain," was all the reply.

The End.