Chapter 6:

"And the action begins…now" and Whispers.

Trowa and Relena entered the park together talking about who knows what. Their entrance caught the attention of their friends (and those who were considered foes in all actuality) who stopped what they were doing as they approached. Melissa glared at the blond female. She was great at being greedy, and just as good at getting needlessly jealous, but she was best at pissing others off. She ran her way towards Trowa, barely saving herself from tripping. Unfortunately that gave her an idea…

"Trowa, what too you so lo-" Just as she was about to finish the sentence she tripped over herself, intentionally, making perfect timing for Trowa to catch her in his arms. As he stood her up again, with a peck on the forehead, she didn't miss the glare from Relena. "Something in your eyes Lena? You are squinting"

"No, I can see just fine Mel, though you might want to be careful, especially since you are in a match today. Oh, and kindly do not call me Lena, and do not like it," Relena bit back, trying to look as uncaring as possible.

"Oh? I thought you liked it, every one else calls you Lena. You don't seem to mind." Was the dumbly reply given.

"That's because it sounds good coming out of every body else's mouth" Relena smiled at the end of the comment and nodded to Trowa, who was smirking in spite of himself, before turning and making her way towards Heero since Duo wasn't in sight.

Melissa just stood there for a second before reaching up and batting Trowa's shoulder. "You're just gone let her talk to me like that?" she asked haughtily.

He stood shocked for a second, "What do you want me to do, yell at her? Maybe slap her around a bit for you?"

"Yes!" Trowa just cocked an eyebrow as the began to walk forward. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. But shouldn't you control your friends?"

"She has her own mind Melissa, she'll do what she wants."

Melissa huffed and stomped off towards the sanded area.

---

"Hey Heero. Where's Duo?" Relena gave him a hug, and then scanned the area for the aforementioned.

"I couldn't tell you. He disappeared not to long ago" Relena turned back to Heero and studied him, making sure he wasn't hiding anything. After confirming his sincerity, she just shrugged and sat down beside him on the moving bridge (the kind that bounce and shake 'n stuff).

"So what are the final decisions for the matches today?" Relena looked to Heero, swinging her legs over the edge. Heero smiled at her habit then thought over the matches.

"Well, as far as I know, nothing has really changed. First match is Eddy versus Nick, for the prize of Nicks girlfriend. After that is Duo and Melissa... for no particular reason. Lastly are Trowa and a mystery person. They won't tell us what they have planned."

Relena nodded, "So when does the action start?"

"Just about… now" Just then a loud radio started playing Slipknot music, and a few seconds later Eddy walked, or as it seemed to most, waddled his way toward the sand. As he stepped onto the san, a rather large kid, who goes by the name Chunk, spoke into a broken microphone:

"And to the right we have I'm an idiot- HEY! Who wrote on my cards!?" Relena giggled and watched as someone went over to Chunk and whispered "Dude, you forgot the intro"

"Oh yeah, thanks… Introducing… Emo Eddy!" Relena stifled another laugh, just like pretty much everyone else; of course this failed and some giggles slipped. She could have sworn his name was supposed to be the "Crawler." "Weighing in at 190, and carrying a demand, he vows to take what he deserves!" A couple of claps were heard here and there, including Relena's (which earned her rolling eye's from Heero) but they were soon silenced by a loud display of techno music. Eddy's opponent, Nick, came out onto the sand. He stood opposite Eddy, with similar features, but a different look about them. Where Nick had a sincere look to him, Eddy had one that would remind most of greased hair, back stabber the movie, or the conniving bastard who plots for himself in many books and stories. "Introducing, Emo's opponent," another laugh ensued. "who's name is too long and complicated for me to pronounce, so let's just call him Zag , comes in at 180, and with every intention of defending what's rightfully his." With those words a girl, referred to as, Sanguis, came out onto the 'stage, sauntering over to 'Emo' and have him a hug, and winked. This caused Eddy to smirk in Nick's direction, that is, until she turned and ran, hair flying in every which way behind her. She jumped into Nick's arms and gave him a generous kiss. She wished him good luck, and once she set foot off the sand, the fight began.

~~~Some where in the bushes; out of sight~~~

"C'mon, we have to get back. They've probably already started the first match, which means my girl-friend's here!" He heard a mocking laugh from the girl on top of him.

"Oh? I thought you were still single?"

"Well, I am but-" He tried to explain, but was cut off.

"Then what's the problem?"

"Eh, my match is next." The girl let out a sigh and got up. She fixed her bra and put her shirt back on.

"Alright, lets go" Duo sighed and got off the ground, getting the mulch out of his braid, and wiping off his shirt. After he zipped and buttoned his pants, they headed back towards the playing area. Once they appeared, they were behind the match and crowd. Out of site from most, including Relena. They both went in different directions and to their respective groups.

Duo came up behind Relena and wrapped his arms around her and she pushed herself back against him. He came just in time to see Eddy miss a hit and Nick take him down. Before Sanguis could make her appearance again, Duo gave Relena a kiss on the side of her head and let her go. He jumped off the bridge and went to the side of the sand box.

Relena, though, was confused, not because he had let her go so quickly, but because of the smell of the perfume. '…Strong, familiar perfume, on him. And what is with all that mulch in his braid?' As she was thinking she had looked down, but now she stared at his back as Duo walked. He reached back, then, to tuck in his shirt and lift up his pants. She glanced at Heero to see if he noticed anything. He wasn't looking toward Duo or the match, but toward Melissa and her group. She scanned them all, and stopped at the last: Sylvia. She was fixing her skirt and adjusting he shirt as she told them all, what looked like an interesting story. Realization dawned on her, but so did denial. She turned back to the sand to see Sanguis and Nick kissing as Eddy slumped somewhere on the side. She noticed a movement to her other side. Trowa was on this side and he had just turned her way, and she did just knew he was studying her. She did not look back; she didn't want confirmation, not yet. Both her and Trowa were great at observing there was no doubt that he had seen what she had. With all this in mind she just faced forward and watched the match… or at least to others she was.

Nick and Sanguis were now stepping off the sand, and Duo's music began to play. As the Disturbed song played, he stepped onto the sand. His loose black clothes were costume enough for him, and suited him well also. Of course, the next thing he knew Chunk was blocking him as he said the intro.

"Introducing Deathscythe… and Dominique!" Melissa stepped on the sand next, with black wide jeans an a red tank top. "Dominique, coming in at 138, says she will prove today that she is still the Queen of the Sluts, um wait… that's not what it's supposed to say." Chunk stopped reading the card and looked at Melissa, who's head looked like it was about to explode, "Um, yeah, Queen of the Dead, and Deathscythe is here to prove her wrong, and show her that it is his time to rule, and that her reign is UP!" A cookie tray was hit and the match began.

Relena stayed zoned through the whole thing, even missing both Melissa and Duo getting really hit by accident. Trowa moved closer and whispered to her.

"Avoiding me?" Relena shook her head to bring herself back to reality.

"No…"

"Oh really?" Relena just stared at him, not wanting to answer. "Alright. Feel like talking about it?" Relena continued to stare, but feigning confusion. "You know what it is I've just seen. You saw it too." She gave up finally.

"Yes. I know."

"What are you going to do?"

Suddenly she felt very defensive, and couldn't stop herself from replying, "I'm going to do what you do. I'm going to ignore the situation, and stay in denial!" Trowa did not flinch, but only looked back to her… studying. Her outburst caught Heero's attention and he glanced over, but did not say anything. "I'm sorry. Truthfully I don't know what I want to do yet. I'm not sure if I should trust my eye's, or trust Duo." Trowa nodded his understanding and put his arm around her shoulders, giving her a quick squeeze. "Trowa?" she waited for him to look at her, "Thanks." Trowa gave her a somewhat confused look, but nodded again, and got up to get ready for his match.

Relena watched as he switched shirts, and button only the bottom four buttons, and grab his half mask. It was black, and covered with metal spikes, in a pattern that resembled a clown. He put it on, and she wondered how he could still see with his long bangs over one eye, and the mask probably obscuring the other.

She looked back to the match. Duo has just pulled out his Scythe (actually, till he got one from a Halloween store, he used a plastic pole with a cardboard blade) and was now slashing Melissa's stomach. She took the swing standing and flung herself towards the edge of the sand area and stayed down. She had landed near Eddy, who had gotten up and gone to her aid as Duo was proclaimed winner and new ruler of the Dead. Just as Eddy was about to help her up, Trowa came over in his mask and pushed Eddy away from her, and pulled her towards him. She played like she was out of it and Trowa growled out "The hell do you think you're doing?"

"You have a problem Demon?"

"Yeah, you dare touch my queen?" Relena rolled her eyes, thinking 'Trowa's a good actor, but he needs to use his own lines. Who ever is making his up just… sucks."

"I may have lost Sanguis, but not my pet," he pulled one of Melissa's arms and tugged her toward him, "or, as you say, 'Your Queen'"

Trowa stood calmly looking like he was contemplating. Suddenly he whipped Melissa fully into his arms, "How about we settle this now; in the ring?"

"Alright, let's go" Eddy stormed off towards the sand as Chunk cited his lines.

"Well it seems like we have a show in store now folks. Demon and-" The words were cut off in Relena's mid as Duo came down to sit with her. Heero got up saying he was going to say "hi" to some people. He also whispered, "…And the action begins…now"

"Where's he off to?"

"Didn't he just say so?"

"Okay, then what's his hurry? Is something wrong Lena?"

"I think he just wanted to go talk with Nick or Quatre"

"You know what I meant" Relena huffed a sigh, feeling somewhat defensive again.

"I'm fine" Duo pulled back at the harsh sound in her voice, and then cocked an eyebrow.

"You are huh?" She looked at him this time and she wasn't glaring like eh had expected, but she looked 'pleading'; like she needed him to tell her something, and he wasn't good at her guessing games. "Relena, what is it?"

"Tell me something Duo; why do you smell like perfume? Why were you covered in mulch? And why were your clothes so disheveled before?" Duo answered easily, and without fault.

"Because I was walking with Sylvia on our way here and she had pushed me into a yard where there were bushes surrounded by mulch. She wanted to wrestle with me, and so I did. That explaining the mulch and clothes, and the closeness explaining the perfume… Anything else?"
"That sounded rehearsed Duo. I saw Sylvia adjusting her clothes as well. It looked like she was adjusting her underclothes through her regular clothes."

"That's because we were wrestling Relena!" Duo yelled. Relena pulled back, eyes wide. He never called her by her full name. He also never yelled at her.

The shout caught Sylvia's attention from the match, and smirked, knowing she caused the trouble.

Trowa had been watching the whole time. Now he paused the match and went over to them, standing partly in front of Relena, pushing Duo back a bit. "Is everything alright here?" Duo scoffed and looked back to Relena.

"Lena, we were just playing around. I'm only friends with her" Trowa glared, knowing he lied through his teeth, just as easily as he stole things. He's known Duo for a while, and he knew when he was lying. He shook his head slightly, seeing Relena cave. He needed to stay out of it and let her make her own mistakes, like she let him.

Duo knew she still didn't believe him entirely, but she was cracking. He needed only one more thing to convince her entirely, and stop his relationship with Sylvia.

"Besides, why would I do anything with her when I have a wonderful girlfriend like you?" Relena looked up to him shocked, but face softened.

Trowa had turned away to go back to the match, but those words stopped him dead. He looked back to see Relena's reaction. He heard he apologizing for doubting him, and to see him jump into his arms, whispering something into his ear, and from Duo's features, it looked like she accepted. As they kissed he looked away, and went back to his match, not unaware to the pairs of eyes that were on him and the now official couple. He also was aware of the feeling that something was just lost to him.

Relena pulled back from Duo and looked him in the eyes. They were such beautiful eyes. Somewhere in her mind her doubts still lingered, but they were also well buried. Just then her eyes shot open. Duo did something she hadn't expected. 'Did he just say what I think…?' It was just a small whisper, and just as suddenly as he had said it, she knew she couldn't respond…, not in the way he wanted, and not truthfully.

Thanks to all who reviewed, and special thanks to Scott and Mike!!!

<Deity