Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Lost and Found ❯ Chapter IX ( Chapter 9 )

Chapter IX

She was laughing as she brought the Mobile Suit Taurus to a stop next to the Leo. It was the last of the mobile suits that would be put on display during the celebration banquet the next day. She and Duo, along with Akee and Trowa had taken the suits to the Winner Mansion. Emma was allowed to man the Taurus, Akee had taken a Serpent, Trowa piloted a Leo, and Duo guided a borrowed Mobile Doll. Only information was needed to pilot that suit and Duo was the best for the job. Emma exited the cockpit and stood on the hatch. She raised her arm into the air and shouted with glee at piloting again. She looked and saw that both Akee and Trowa where laughing at her happiness and she smiled with a "tee hee." They all made their way to the ground.

"You did it again Emmer!: Akee said as he and Trowa made their way over to her, trying not to get in the way of the servants who were rushing around, getting things ready for the next night. Emma smiled at the man, "Thanks! But credit is actually due to the one who taught me!" Trowa nodded at her humbleness. "You must be a good pupil." He said, "We're going in to see if Quatre needs us to do anything else. Are you going to wait here for Duo?"

Emma blushed at this, for it was obvious that the only time she had spent away from the gundam pilot was when Quatre urged her to go and get fitted for a dress. "Yeah… I'm going to wait for him."

"Well," Akee said, "we'll see you when you come in." And with that, they both left.

Emma sat on the foot of the MS and watched everything around her as she waited. There were two suits on both sides of the road that led to the Mansion from the gate. The Leo and the Taurus were on the one side, spaced out nicely. Parallel to the Leo was the Serpent and across from the Taurus was the Mobile Doll. The servants that were rushing around were the ones trying to string garlands of greens and flowers along the road on metal posts that had been set up earlier. Trucks carrying back goods, flowers and fireworks were making their way back and fourth on the road. She sat watching the commotion for a while until she saw Duo taking his time as he walked down the road. She smiled as she waited for him and thought of the past few days that they had spent together. She blinked when she finally realized how much Duo had been trying to get to know her. Well… not her, Emmer. She chuckled at the small fact that everything about Emmer was exactly like her. The only things she had ever changed to deceive Duo were her voice, her curvature, and the fact that she acted like she couldn't remember her past.

"Hey! Emmer!" Duo smiled as he jogged the last few feet towards her. Mischief was sitting on Duo's shoulder, his tail wrapped around Duo's neck. "How did you do with the Taurus without my guidance?"

"I did pretty good! EEP!" she squealed when Mischief decided to jump onto her right shoulder and paw at her face.

Duo laughed, "He's your baby!"

"Well if I'm the mama then you're the dad!" Emma smirked at him, then laughed at seeing Duo blush. "Well come on. Let's go see if they need any help with anything." She said as she hopped down from the foot of the Taurus. Duo nodded and they raced to the mansion, Mischief hanging on for dear life.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next morning Emma went down to breakfast to find an empty table. She blinked then made her way to the study. On her way there she passed Rashid who told her that Duo had gone to the hangers to do some work before the banquet and that he would be expecting her there when she was ready. Once at the study she found the familiar scene of Trowa at the window and Quatre at the desk, except he was on the phone with someone.

"Alright Noin. Yes, tell Zechs that his sister will be here. Alright, I'll contact Sally and Lady Une as soon as possible." He smiled at Emma when she walked in and motioned for her to sit down. "Yes, I'm sure with the shuttle that the government provides them, they will both be here on time for tonight."

Emma turned and looked at Trowa. "You know that wall is going to have an outline of your profile if you always stand by it like that." She smirked. Trowa did the same then went to lean on the wall on the other side of the window just to spite her.

"Much better!" she giggled. Then became quiet after Quatre had gestured to do so. "No Noin, that isn't Relena. It's the surprise guest for this evening. No I will not ruin the surprise!" Quatre chuckled. "Alright. Okay Noin. Give Zechs my best. Bye." He hung up the phone and gave a sigh of relief as he relaxed in his chair. "That was close. You two almost ruined it."

"At least you didn't use the tele-screen." Trowa said as he pointed to the large screen behind Quatre on the wall that was directly bellowed the family portrait.

"True, that wouldn't have been good. Oh! Emma, in that package there is your dress. I suggest you spend the day preparing for this evening."

"But I was going to meet Duo at the hangers!" she protested.

"I'm sorry, but I've already booked a few people to help you get ready. I just can't cancel them." Quatre said with sorry eyes.

"But what will Duo think when Emmer doesn't show up?!"

"We already have a plan for that." Trowa said bluntly. Emma sighed. "Alright." Close to tears, she picks up the large package and leaves.

Quatre turned to Trowa, "Find Duo. Tell him that Emmer has left us. If he asks anything, only tell him that there never was an Emmer."

"And if he decides to search the grounds?"

"Let him, Emma will be in my area of the house." Quatre picked the phone up then covered the receiver. "Keep an eye on him though." He dismissed Trowa and started dialing out.

Trowa made his way to the hangers and asked where Duo was. Trowa wasn't too surprised to find Duo in H-8 where they were working on a secret MS. Trowa stood there for a moment to look up at the new Gundam Sandrock that the four pilots were making as a gift to Quatre for his hard work. Trowa looked around and saw Duo giving orders to a few workers. Trowa sighed and made his way over to Duo just as the workers left.

"Hey Trowa!" Duo smiled then looked around. "Where's Emmer?"

"He isn't coming."

"What do you mean? Is he ill or something?"

"No."

"Then where is he?" Duo puts his hands on his hips.

"He left."

"Left?! What do you mean?! Where did he go?!?"

"He was never here."

"NEVER HERE?!? But we just had dinner with him last night!!" Duo's loudness woke up Mischief who was asleep on a desk of mobile suit blueprints.

"There was never an Emmer." Trowa stayed calm and unmoved as Duo became much more frantic.

"NEVER AND EMMER?!? THEN WHO WAS IT THAT I WAS FALLING…!!" Duo stopped himself before he let out what he was afraid to be true. That he might be like how Trowa and Quatre are.

"Falling what?" Trowa asked as he looked at Duo, oddly.

"Nothing! Now he couldn't have gone far! I'll look for him! He has to be somewhere around the city! I mean, there is nothing but desert sands for miles around the place! And I doubt he went down river!"

Trowa sighed and stayed with Duo the whole time, as did Mischief. They looked everywhere, even places that Duo hadn't shown to Emmer. Trowa had to stand there and watch as Duo's heart fell further and further into grief with every answer of "no" he received when he asked merchants, traders, and shop keepers if they had seen the boy. Duo was even getting as desperate as asking common folk and street urchins. This went on until it started to get dark and Trowa looked at his watch. He put a hand on Duo's shoulder, "Come on, he can't be found because he was never here. We only have an hour until the banquet and you smell like grease, motor oil and sweat. Let's go home."

Duo sighed, "Alright… but I'm not going to give up! I will find him! So help me I will!" Duo was close to tears of frustration.

Trowa shook his head, "No one is asking you too."

Duo nodded and they made their way back home.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Emma sighed as she soaked in Quatre's private bath. It was much smaller than the one they all shared As she lounged there, she thought of what she had been through during the day. She had been through the tortures of scrubbing, pampering, and gown fitting. They tried to mess with her hair but she wouldn't let them near it.

She smiled while weaving the braid through her fingers, trying to keep it dry. She blushed as she remembered how she had felt the previous night when she and Duo were in his room talking about his future mobile suit industry as he braided her hair. It made her tingle all over to hear him include her, or Emmer, in his future and how his fingers would brush against the flesh of her neck. It made her shudder with delight to think of these things. But then she wondered how he would react when he found out about all the lies.

Her blithe smiles became a worried frown. ~Will he hate me? I mean… the way I lied about those few things. Will he think me differently?~ Her thoughts were taken away from these worries by a soft tap at the door. She went to take cover behind the rocks of the one small waterfall and lowered her voice an octave. "Who is it?"

"Quatre." sounded the treble voice.

"I'm covered." She smiled as she watched the door open and the blond boy walk in.

"How did the dress fit?" He tried to make small talk.

"It fit well. Where is Duo?" She knew he was hiding something.

Quatre shifted his weight and put his hands behind his back, "Trowa took care of him."

"Well what happened?"

"Trowa told Duo, when he asked where Emmer was, that Emmer wasn't coming, that Emmer had left, and that there was never an Emmer. Duo became frantic and looked all over the entire city for you, or… err… Emmer, I mean."

She sighed as she kept twiddling with the end of the braid, the smile long gone from her face, "Where is he now?"

"Getting ready for the banquet."

"Oh… how is he now?"

"Distraught."

"I see…"

Quatre sighed, "You had best finish getting ready." And with that he left her to bathe alone.

(A/N- Sad no? ah well… only one chapter left! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review! It's one in the morning so know that I love all of you readers! Ja and good night minna!)