Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ My neighbor over the street ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )
[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: Nekocin 
New neighbor
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Suspense | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 01.27.2003 | Updated On: 01.28.2003 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.7K | Visits: 229 | Status: Work In Progress
New neighbor
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Suspense | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 01.27.2003 | Updated On: 01.28.2003 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.7K | Visits: 229 | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: Characters don't belong to me. Story does. And I DO NOT Do it for the money which is DAMN impossible.
My neighbor over the street part 1
by: Nekocin
//...// indicates thoughts
---------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------
It was quite a long while... I've been driving through the cities for over 2 days already trying to find my house. Yes... my driver or just cab driver took the wrong street and we ended up circling through towns... pffft... I'm not going to pay for this long distance. He's the one who took the wrong road. I sighed afterwards as I looked out of my window. //This neighborhood is very peaceful // I thought. Yes it was... beautiful and peaceful even though it was just around 7 in the morning.
"I think this might be the neighborhood you're looking for, sir..." the cab driver said as he drove slowly. I looked at the piece of paper with an address: Castle Spring Ave 315 [1: I do NOT know if this address exist. If it does, please forgive me if I've used it] "Maybe it is..." I said under my breath and looked at the giant moving van which was parked in front one well painted house. "It must have been waiting for ya in all those 2 days..." the cab driver said and stopped the car.
I took one deep breath of fresh air when I got out of the car. "I'm really sorry, man. From there to Castle Spring will cost you 86.50, excluding all those driving through the other towns. I'm really sorry..." the cab driver said. "It's okay..." I smiled and paid him anyways. I was too exhausted to get angry, too hungry to even yell out with my soar throat. // I'm hungry!!!// All the sudden I felt the grumble in my stomach again and chuckled. "You can move them inside, please" I said while slamming on the truck's door where the two workers were taking a break.
"Yes, sir..." A short and quick reply. I opened the front door and let those movers move my stuff the way I wanted. Yes, those movers are quite honest. Hard to believe, right? They've been waiting for me for 2 days and hadn't even complained why I didn't come. I always wonder if there is anyone else who will do the same. Nah... I don't think so. Not everyone will be that patient and yet... they've waited anyways.
Remind me to comment to their boss to give them high wages... after all I AM the heir of the great Winner company which has a lot of markets outside this country. I just moved out of my old house, you know where I grew up with my family, because it was actually time for me to be independent. Luxury doesn't have to be on my path, I'm already pampered... well, you might say pampered, but not in a negative way. The way I'm pampered was just almost like getting everything any kid or anyone wanted even though I've really didn't ask for it. There's always one thing missing in my life and I just don't know what...
I sighed again and leant against the walls with my eyes close. //Damn, I'm so hungry...//. My stomach kept grumbling and I felt a headache was coming up. "We're all done, sir" One of the movers said, snapping me back into reality... well sort of. "Ah... great. Thank you. Here... give this to your boss... I appreciate you for waiting for me. That cab driver went into the wrong streets" I smiled sleepily and handed the guy a check and an envelop.
"You're welcome, sir. We actually waited because boss will kick us if we haven't done our job right. It's actually our fourth day and waiting for you in two days wasn't that bad. This neighborhood is quite silent, great place to take a good rest. Well... have a nice day sir, now we've to go back to work. Boss had just called our asses to Happy land. Pfft, can you believe it? Some family is going to move in at Happy land" The man chuckled and both of them greeted politely [2: Happy land? Dunno where it is, but anyways just picked out a name for this amusement park. That's why he's chuckling].
//It's good to pick out this house // I fell down on the couch //It doesn't matter if it's not THAT gigantic or luxurious. No one has to know that I'm really THAT rich...// Yes, my only desire might just be that. I wanted to be ordinary, like all the others. I don't want anyone treat me like... like... like a prince where they can beg for mercy or something. I chuckled when I thought about that, prince... who? Me? No way... too exaggerating. //And now the food...// I walked into the kitchen and looked at the packages of fruits and other "junk" stuff. "The greens must stink by now..." I said to myself and dumped the greens in the waste-basket.
Who am I kidding? I've brought it along just in case I had nothing to eat... I mean I can cook my own food. I thought it would be that quick to make my own food at last, but the driver took the wrong way... leaving me travel in a few towns for 48 hours. And now I'm really exhausted and hungry. //I think I've to order something to eat// I thought wearily and took a phone book which was covered with dust and cobwebs. Not quite a sight, but it's a start for being a little "normal". Those people who lived here before me might have gone to a foreign land or something so left their phone book. //Too bad I don't have the first basics of ingredients. I would have cooked something...//
Thank god, father thought about teaching me how to cook... or was it just Iria who suggested it. It doesn't matter, she seems to want me doing some feminine stuff also. She'd always said that I looked like a girl too so I must have some girly personality. That comment always irritated me, not that I hate her... well, yes I might look a little like a GIRL, even though if I had to swallow hard on that word. But I am not and cooking doesn't always have to be the girl's part, boys can cook also.
"May I have a special pizza with some extra on top..." Quatre said when he got someone on the other line [3: Okay... Okay... everyone uses the same thing. PIZZA! I'm not very fond of it anyways, but it suited this way]
*~*~*~*~
"This is the life..." I sighed when I stuffed my mouth with the pieces of pizza. "Yes... one whole pizza for me. Only me..." It was one big round pizza and I can hardly believe that father calls this "junk". It tasted nice and it really satisfied my stomach. All I ate when I was at the old house was the same... veggies with some fruits and some meat and sometimes you can say we're eating fancy food, like the other day when father asked the cooks to make Italian food. Heck! I'm comparing! That's not nice!
I swallowed one big piece without giving any thought that I haven't chewed it properly. "ughughugh..." I searched for my drink and gulped down the whole content.
A satisfying sigh escaped my lips and I looked at the few pieces of pizza which was still left. "That was good! I think I'm full..." I said to myself and washed my mouth. //Maybe I can explore the neighborhood for awhile...// I thought and looked at my shirt which I was wearing. "But first one cool bath can do the trick... I stink... I can't believe it, I really stink..." I ran upstairs with some of my spare/ casual clothes into the bathroom. //Thank goodness it isn't THAT dirty... Maybe some of the servants came to clean up anyways... I'll clean it up tonight, but now isn't the time//
*~*~*~*~
It was just about 12. Man I must have been in the bath tub for 3 hours or something. I DID fell asleep in the tub anyways... I was too exhausted. But good thing I felt my skin wasn't so used to staying in water that long and it sort of gave me a wake up call when I suddenly felt I was shivering.
I stepped out of the house and looked around. The neighborhood was now a little lively, yes lively. Describe it lively... birds singing, people in their cars, probably going to work, women taking their times to talk about their casual lives and others going to shop... The normal live is much much more different from the life in which I was brought up. You see the same faces, the same orders, the same things... anyways, not that I really hated home, I'm kinda missing it. But this is my life, my new life.
"Hey... that truck is now gone. And I guess our new neighbour is... oh, there he is..." I heard one of the women talking to her friends while standing on the pedestrian. "Hello, there new neighbour!" she waved and her friends greeted as well. I waved back with a smile, feeling a little uncomfortable... yes, uncomfortable, I've never been greeted like that in my old "life". All they do is greeting me with a lot of bows and nods and calling me 'Master Quatre or just Quatre-sama' my legs carried me towards the ladies and they just smiled.
"Welcome to our neighborhood, mister... uh..." The first lady said with one bright smile. "Just call me Quatre... My family name doesn't matter that much" I smiled and the others nodded. "Quatre... well, welcome to our neighbourhood, mister Quatre..." "Please use the familiar form... I'm not very fond of being called 'mister'" I said quickly. "Oh... okay... good to have you here. I live just a few houses away from yours. I'm Mrs. Merquise. This is miss Une and this is miss Po. We've been wondering about that moving van... it stayed in front of your house for 2 days and we got a little suspicious..." The lady chuckled. I was amazed by her hairstyle, it was quite neat. I thought she was older, but instead I can guess she was still around her twenties [4: I'm still a 6+9 fan, okay? So you can guess who she is].
The others nodded mutely and I returned the nod. Both of them seemed to be quite highly educated. "My taxi took the wrong road and we got stuck in a maze of streets. Luckily with some help of a nearby police station I got here after 2 days. Those movers are quite patient... because they've been waiting for me in all those 2 days..." I explained. "So that's why..." miss Une nodded like she understood. "We're sorry for suspecting you, Quatre. We'd asked a police to check them out and they seemed to be quite well-behaved gentlemen. We're sorry for letting them check your house also" Miss Po said. "Oh, you did? I hope they didn't mind. They didn't complain when I'd arrived"
"Oi, Mrs. Merquise! Can you buy some lettuce for me at the market when you're there?!" a voice called. We turned to look at the person who called. "Ssssshhhh..." the ladies shushed him up and he quickly held his hand in front of his mouth. "Oops..." I got confused and they looked over the way, at one lonely looking house across the streets. It was quite silent there and I thought I saw the curtains falling after someone had drawn them. "What's wrong?" I asked curiously as the guy, with a long braid, tiptoed near us.
"Duo, you know we mustn't yell that loud. What if he cast a spell on us or something!!" Mrs. Merquise whispered. "Sorry... " The guy chuckled while ruffling his hair. Wow! He has the longest braid... for a guy with this kind of braid, he'll be mistaken for a girl. And thank goodness, there's also someone else who looks like a girl more than I am. "Hey, you must be the new neighbour. I'm Duo Maxwell. I live next door and I've been wondering when you'll show up..." He was quite cheery and all, you can tell by the sparkles in his violet... is it violet?... anyways, violet or blue eyes. "I'm Quatre...So what's wrong just then?"
"Oh... that... well..." Duo started and the other ladies turned away. "Well, we've got to go. I don't want to wait that long at the market. See you this afternoon, Quatre. And Duo... you know what you must do..." Mrs. Merquise said and they rushed towards the nearby market, which was quite a little far ahead.
"Bye..." both Duo and I said in unison.
Duo pulled me along for a walk and kept looking over his shoulder. //What's he doing? Is there something wrong?// I was quite curious what that was about.
"Quatre, look. There's this freaky guy who lives over the street, that one in front of your house..." "Freaky?" "Yes, freaky. He doesn't like loud noises and had warned us a few times. We had to keep the neighbourhood down, or he'll curse us. He did once to those folks who lived in that house where you've just moved in..." "Really? Is it really a curse?" "Yes... they had one big party at their house and were unaware of his glaring through the window. The next day they disappeared after one big storm. Kinda hard to believe for a new neighbour like you, but it's true. So you have to try not to make any loud noises..."
"Is he really one grumpy old man, like all those movies?" I like movies and it seemed like there was always one old grumpy guy who had to pose as the bad neighbour or something [5: I can't remember the title of the film... -_- Maybe it was just another one of those made up things of mine] He blinked at me and started to laugh. "Old? Grumpy is the word. Yes, he's grumpy, but not old..." "Really? Then I think he's getting old now, because being grumpy all the time will make you more like an elderly... how old is he?" [6: something I learned from others. About being grumpy or angry all the times will make you more elderly than anyone of your age, I mean those who are teenagers]
"I do not know... I've just seen him once and he seemed to be quite around my age and even yours. He locks himself up in the house for quite a long time... I mean, when he gets out of the house is when he had to do some shopping and to go to his work, which happens only on Wednesday. I'm not sure what's his job, but he sure earns his bread every day. Most people say he's a magician or some kind of priest. He can curse those who were interfering his peace and quiet... that's why everyone fears him. He grumbles all the times I heard also, and was rarely seen with a smile, which was impossible. He never smiles." Duo explained.
"The more you talk about him the more I pity that guy..." I said under my breath. "What? No way! Just stay away from him! You seem to be a nice kid, Quatre, but he makes no exception to anyone. And since I'm feeling bored all those days, I don't want to lose you too. A neighbour, I mean. At least you're just as old as I am, right?" "I'm no kid" I muttered and he chuckled. "Come! I want you to meet my best friend. He's also as grumpy as that guy there..." "What is his name?" "Chang Wufei... Chinese, ah, yes, he's Chinese also. No wonder. But he's just as powerful as a magician or sorcerer I guess"
//Chang Wufei... interesting// I thought as Duo pulled me along. "Come on! My best friend might be that grumpy, but he's quite nicer once he trusts you. He works at the library... oh, he also likes peace and quiet and so he has nothing against Mr. Chang, which is just unbelievable! But heck! He's my best friend and that counts too!" Duo chirped. I can still track one of those cheery sparkles in his eyes when he mentioned about his best friend. //Man! This guy runs fast, he HAS to drag me anyways// I panted as he led the way through my new neighbourhood.
What amazes me is when I suddenly meet these people... nice and mysterious. I like the combination. Mrs. Merquise and her friends are quite nice though and Duo... well... he's hyper. Must have been very hard to keep it quiet at his house. And that friend of his... don't know what to wonder about him. I haven't met him... and that Chang Wufei. //I wonder... how he looks like//. Maybe he's not that bad as they think, he has to have one nice side also, right? Somehow the uncomfortable, mysterious air around that Chang guy seems to capture my attention so suddenly. I had to meet him.
//What the heck! I'm just trying to start my new life and I already opened one particular door to my first path. This neighbourhood is just one of my great picks// I sighed with satisfaction while Duo drag me half way to the public lending library. It was quite an old building, but it seemed quite in good shape. It must have been built in the early 70s. Those buildings always have their own secrets. Heck! I must be reading too much Vampire fan fictions.
Oh yes, I've this fondness for vampires, even though I know vampires, man drinking blood from another with his blood-sucking teeth, don't exist... that's why I've also studied vampires... I mean those creatures really are amazing.
Anyways, most of those fan fictions were about secrets of vampires stuff. I can admit that they're kinda scary and really frightening. The time when I first read one nearly hit me hard in the heart that I couldn't sleep for days. Iria had told me to eat my way out of it, and gave me a lot of chocolates. I got dizzy after awhile and fell asleep afterwards. Man! I wonder what my sister put in her chocolates.
//And where the heck am I heading? I have to act normal. No time for thinking about Vampires or I'll get more nightmares or I'll get scared going into that creepy old library// "This is the oldest library in town. It has every single book of the country from oldies to new ones. Some of those oldies are quite damaged that my friend and his colleagues must retype the script. They know it was against the author's rules, but someone had to read it, right? Those readers aren't quite manuscript geniuses, so they decided to retype it on new white sheets of paper and bind it... and the rest you can guess, everyone gets a chance to read. Those books are also needed for those students. For their Literary projects, you know?" Duo explained.
"Really? Must be hard work, because very old books are hard to understand. almost every single word of ink must have been wiped away during all those lending periods" I said and that seems quite logical to Duo, I guess. He smirked and threw the big door open... actually throwing it open might not be the word, because he opened it gently anyways. "Here it is... you can always lend some books if you want. Let my friend help you with your library card. So if you ever feel bored, feel free to step in anytime..." Duo whispered and I was treated by one gigantic dark hall with big or tall books shelves, shelves till the ceiling, almost just like home. Yes, at my old house, we have one hall of books also. It was full of books of course and there was always a book there when you needed one.
It was dark at first, but in the working tables for students it was lit clearly. //Just what one expects when you had one at home already. Only we don't have to have Library cards. All books were passed down from generations to generations.// I passed the shelves and looked around. //The books are quite high up there... no wonder that big ladder. I hope they don't have any fears of heights// It was quiet in the library and Duo was the one who kept talking to the library lady, who just nodded while listening to his babbling.
"Okay... okay, I get you, Mr. Maxwell... Mr. Yuy is right at section 8 or let's just say Section I. Now will you keep it down..." she whispered and Duo smirked triumphantly at me. I looked confused at him as he gave me a thumbs up. Somehow, having Duo as a companion doesn't seem to be that bad. He's nice and hyper and most of the times knows what he's doing. //I wonder how I can decipher this information so quickly. I don't even know him well//
Duo practically drag me towards section I, through a lot of shelves and dark sections. I wonder how those people will read in this kind of dark when they were looking for a book. I'd noticed some people working in the library... they were students from some high school, I guess. Come to think of it, they were having summer vacation. So they might be working on their projects for their next quarter of this school year.
At last Duo walked slowly when we reached section I and tiptoed towards one particular librarian, who was behind a computer. //That must be his friend...Are my ears playing with me or did I just hear him chuckling...//
*~*~*~*~
End of part 1
Author's note: Whoa! That's one big plot. I might be slow with the introduction, but hey I'm trying my best you know. Anyways... I guess you all get the idea here, right?
My neighbor over the street part 1
by: Nekocin
//...// indicates thoughts
---------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------
It was quite a long while... I've been driving through the cities for over 2 days already trying to find my house. Yes... my driver or just cab driver took the wrong street and we ended up circling through towns... pffft... I'm not going to pay for this long distance. He's the one who took the wrong road. I sighed afterwards as I looked out of my window. //This neighborhood is very peaceful // I thought. Yes it was... beautiful and peaceful even though it was just around 7 in the morning.
"I think this might be the neighborhood you're looking for, sir..." the cab driver said as he drove slowly. I looked at the piece of paper with an address: Castle Spring Ave 315 [1: I do NOT know if this address exist. If it does, please forgive me if I've used it] "Maybe it is..." I said under my breath and looked at the giant moving van which was parked in front one well painted house. "It must have been waiting for ya in all those 2 days..." the cab driver said and stopped the car.
I took one deep breath of fresh air when I got out of the car. "I'm really sorry, man. From there to Castle Spring will cost you 86.50, excluding all those driving through the other towns. I'm really sorry..." the cab driver said. "It's okay..." I smiled and paid him anyways. I was too exhausted to get angry, too hungry to even yell out with my soar throat. // I'm hungry!!!// All the sudden I felt the grumble in my stomach again and chuckled. "You can move them inside, please" I said while slamming on the truck's door where the two workers were taking a break.
"Yes, sir..." A short and quick reply. I opened the front door and let those movers move my stuff the way I wanted. Yes, those movers are quite honest. Hard to believe, right? They've been waiting for me for 2 days and hadn't even complained why I didn't come. I always wonder if there is anyone else who will do the same. Nah... I don't think so. Not everyone will be that patient and yet... they've waited anyways.
Remind me to comment to their boss to give them high wages... after all I AM the heir of the great Winner company which has a lot of markets outside this country. I just moved out of my old house, you know where I grew up with my family, because it was actually time for me to be independent. Luxury doesn't have to be on my path, I'm already pampered... well, you might say pampered, but not in a negative way. The way I'm pampered was just almost like getting everything any kid or anyone wanted even though I've really didn't ask for it. There's always one thing missing in my life and I just don't know what...
I sighed again and leant against the walls with my eyes close. //Damn, I'm so hungry...//. My stomach kept grumbling and I felt a headache was coming up. "We're all done, sir" One of the movers said, snapping me back into reality... well sort of. "Ah... great. Thank you. Here... give this to your boss... I appreciate you for waiting for me. That cab driver went into the wrong streets" I smiled sleepily and handed the guy a check and an envelop.
"You're welcome, sir. We actually waited because boss will kick us if we haven't done our job right. It's actually our fourth day and waiting for you in two days wasn't that bad. This neighborhood is quite silent, great place to take a good rest. Well... have a nice day sir, now we've to go back to work. Boss had just called our asses to Happy land. Pfft, can you believe it? Some family is going to move in at Happy land" The man chuckled and both of them greeted politely [2: Happy land? Dunno where it is, but anyways just picked out a name for this amusement park. That's why he's chuckling].
//It's good to pick out this house // I fell down on the couch //It doesn't matter if it's not THAT gigantic or luxurious. No one has to know that I'm really THAT rich...// Yes, my only desire might just be that. I wanted to be ordinary, like all the others. I don't want anyone treat me like... like... like a prince where they can beg for mercy or something. I chuckled when I thought about that, prince... who? Me? No way... too exaggerating. //And now the food...// I walked into the kitchen and looked at the packages of fruits and other "junk" stuff. "The greens must stink by now..." I said to myself and dumped the greens in the waste-basket.
Who am I kidding? I've brought it along just in case I had nothing to eat... I mean I can cook my own food. I thought it would be that quick to make my own food at last, but the driver took the wrong way... leaving me travel in a few towns for 48 hours. And now I'm really exhausted and hungry. //I think I've to order something to eat// I thought wearily and took a phone book which was covered with dust and cobwebs. Not quite a sight, but it's a start for being a little "normal". Those people who lived here before me might have gone to a foreign land or something so left their phone book. //Too bad I don't have the first basics of ingredients. I would have cooked something...//
Thank god, father thought about teaching me how to cook... or was it just Iria who suggested it. It doesn't matter, she seems to want me doing some feminine stuff also. She'd always said that I looked like a girl too so I must have some girly personality. That comment always irritated me, not that I hate her... well, yes I might look a little like a GIRL, even though if I had to swallow hard on that word. But I am not and cooking doesn't always have to be the girl's part, boys can cook also.
"May I have a special pizza with some extra on top..." Quatre said when he got someone on the other line [3: Okay... Okay... everyone uses the same thing. PIZZA! I'm not very fond of it anyways, but it suited this way]
*~*~*~*~
"This is the life..." I sighed when I stuffed my mouth with the pieces of pizza. "Yes... one whole pizza for me. Only me..." It was one big round pizza and I can hardly believe that father calls this "junk". It tasted nice and it really satisfied my stomach. All I ate when I was at the old house was the same... veggies with some fruits and some meat and sometimes you can say we're eating fancy food, like the other day when father asked the cooks to make Italian food. Heck! I'm comparing! That's not nice!
I swallowed one big piece without giving any thought that I haven't chewed it properly. "ughughugh..." I searched for my drink and gulped down the whole content.
A satisfying sigh escaped my lips and I looked at the few pieces of pizza which was still left. "That was good! I think I'm full..." I said to myself and washed my mouth. //Maybe I can explore the neighborhood for awhile...// I thought and looked at my shirt which I was wearing. "But first one cool bath can do the trick... I stink... I can't believe it, I really stink..." I ran upstairs with some of my spare/ casual clothes into the bathroom. //Thank goodness it isn't THAT dirty... Maybe some of the servants came to clean up anyways... I'll clean it up tonight, but now isn't the time//
*~*~*~*~
It was just about 12. Man I must have been in the bath tub for 3 hours or something. I DID fell asleep in the tub anyways... I was too exhausted. But good thing I felt my skin wasn't so used to staying in water that long and it sort of gave me a wake up call when I suddenly felt I was shivering.
I stepped out of the house and looked around. The neighborhood was now a little lively, yes lively. Describe it lively... birds singing, people in their cars, probably going to work, women taking their times to talk about their casual lives and others going to shop... The normal live is much much more different from the life in which I was brought up. You see the same faces, the same orders, the same things... anyways, not that I really hated home, I'm kinda missing it. But this is my life, my new life.
"Hey... that truck is now gone. And I guess our new neighbour is... oh, there he is..." I heard one of the women talking to her friends while standing on the pedestrian. "Hello, there new neighbour!" she waved and her friends greeted as well. I waved back with a smile, feeling a little uncomfortable... yes, uncomfortable, I've never been greeted like that in my old "life". All they do is greeting me with a lot of bows and nods and calling me 'Master Quatre or just Quatre-sama' my legs carried me towards the ladies and they just smiled.
"Welcome to our neighborhood, mister... uh..." The first lady said with one bright smile. "Just call me Quatre... My family name doesn't matter that much" I smiled and the others nodded. "Quatre... well, welcome to our neighbourhood, mister Quatre..." "Please use the familiar form... I'm not very fond of being called 'mister'" I said quickly. "Oh... okay... good to have you here. I live just a few houses away from yours. I'm Mrs. Merquise. This is miss Une and this is miss Po. We've been wondering about that moving van... it stayed in front of your house for 2 days and we got a little suspicious..." The lady chuckled. I was amazed by her hairstyle, it was quite neat. I thought she was older, but instead I can guess she was still around her twenties [4: I'm still a 6+9 fan, okay? So you can guess who she is].
The others nodded mutely and I returned the nod. Both of them seemed to be quite highly educated. "My taxi took the wrong road and we got stuck in a maze of streets. Luckily with some help of a nearby police station I got here after 2 days. Those movers are quite patient... because they've been waiting for me in all those 2 days..." I explained. "So that's why..." miss Une nodded like she understood. "We're sorry for suspecting you, Quatre. We'd asked a police to check them out and they seemed to be quite well-behaved gentlemen. We're sorry for letting them check your house also" Miss Po said. "Oh, you did? I hope they didn't mind. They didn't complain when I'd arrived"
"Oi, Mrs. Merquise! Can you buy some lettuce for me at the market when you're there?!" a voice called. We turned to look at the person who called. "Ssssshhhh..." the ladies shushed him up and he quickly held his hand in front of his mouth. "Oops..." I got confused and they looked over the way, at one lonely looking house across the streets. It was quite silent there and I thought I saw the curtains falling after someone had drawn them. "What's wrong?" I asked curiously as the guy, with a long braid, tiptoed near us.
"Duo, you know we mustn't yell that loud. What if he cast a spell on us or something!!" Mrs. Merquise whispered. "Sorry... " The guy chuckled while ruffling his hair. Wow! He has the longest braid... for a guy with this kind of braid, he'll be mistaken for a girl. And thank goodness, there's also someone else who looks like a girl more than I am. "Hey, you must be the new neighbour. I'm Duo Maxwell. I live next door and I've been wondering when you'll show up..." He was quite cheery and all, you can tell by the sparkles in his violet... is it violet?... anyways, violet or blue eyes. "I'm Quatre...So what's wrong just then?"
"Oh... that... well..." Duo started and the other ladies turned away. "Well, we've got to go. I don't want to wait that long at the market. See you this afternoon, Quatre. And Duo... you know what you must do..." Mrs. Merquise said and they rushed towards the nearby market, which was quite a little far ahead.
"Bye..." both Duo and I said in unison.
Duo pulled me along for a walk and kept looking over his shoulder. //What's he doing? Is there something wrong?// I was quite curious what that was about.
"Quatre, look. There's this freaky guy who lives over the street, that one in front of your house..." "Freaky?" "Yes, freaky. He doesn't like loud noises and had warned us a few times. We had to keep the neighbourhood down, or he'll curse us. He did once to those folks who lived in that house where you've just moved in..." "Really? Is it really a curse?" "Yes... they had one big party at their house and were unaware of his glaring through the window. The next day they disappeared after one big storm. Kinda hard to believe for a new neighbour like you, but it's true. So you have to try not to make any loud noises..."
"Is he really one grumpy old man, like all those movies?" I like movies and it seemed like there was always one old grumpy guy who had to pose as the bad neighbour or something [5: I can't remember the title of the film... -_- Maybe it was just another one of those made up things of mine] He blinked at me and started to laugh. "Old? Grumpy is the word. Yes, he's grumpy, but not old..." "Really? Then I think he's getting old now, because being grumpy all the time will make you more like an elderly... how old is he?" [6: something I learned from others. About being grumpy or angry all the times will make you more elderly than anyone of your age, I mean those who are teenagers]
"I do not know... I've just seen him once and he seemed to be quite around my age and even yours. He locks himself up in the house for quite a long time... I mean, when he gets out of the house is when he had to do some shopping and to go to his work, which happens only on Wednesday. I'm not sure what's his job, but he sure earns his bread every day. Most people say he's a magician or some kind of priest. He can curse those who were interfering his peace and quiet... that's why everyone fears him. He grumbles all the times I heard also, and was rarely seen with a smile, which was impossible. He never smiles." Duo explained.
"The more you talk about him the more I pity that guy..." I said under my breath. "What? No way! Just stay away from him! You seem to be a nice kid, Quatre, but he makes no exception to anyone. And since I'm feeling bored all those days, I don't want to lose you too. A neighbour, I mean. At least you're just as old as I am, right?" "I'm no kid" I muttered and he chuckled. "Come! I want you to meet my best friend. He's also as grumpy as that guy there..." "What is his name?" "Chang Wufei... Chinese, ah, yes, he's Chinese also. No wonder. But he's just as powerful as a magician or sorcerer I guess"
//Chang Wufei... interesting// I thought as Duo pulled me along. "Come on! My best friend might be that grumpy, but he's quite nicer once he trusts you. He works at the library... oh, he also likes peace and quiet and so he has nothing against Mr. Chang, which is just unbelievable! But heck! He's my best friend and that counts too!" Duo chirped. I can still track one of those cheery sparkles in his eyes when he mentioned about his best friend. //Man! This guy runs fast, he HAS to drag me anyways// I panted as he led the way through my new neighbourhood.
What amazes me is when I suddenly meet these people... nice and mysterious. I like the combination. Mrs. Merquise and her friends are quite nice though and Duo... well... he's hyper. Must have been very hard to keep it quiet at his house. And that friend of his... don't know what to wonder about him. I haven't met him... and that Chang Wufei. //I wonder... how he looks like//. Maybe he's not that bad as they think, he has to have one nice side also, right? Somehow the uncomfortable, mysterious air around that Chang guy seems to capture my attention so suddenly. I had to meet him.
//What the heck! I'm just trying to start my new life and I already opened one particular door to my first path. This neighbourhood is just one of my great picks// I sighed with satisfaction while Duo drag me half way to the public lending library. It was quite an old building, but it seemed quite in good shape. It must have been built in the early 70s. Those buildings always have their own secrets. Heck! I must be reading too much Vampire fan fictions.
Oh yes, I've this fondness for vampires, even though I know vampires, man drinking blood from another with his blood-sucking teeth, don't exist... that's why I've also studied vampires... I mean those creatures really are amazing.
Anyways, most of those fan fictions were about secrets of vampires stuff. I can admit that they're kinda scary and really frightening. The time when I first read one nearly hit me hard in the heart that I couldn't sleep for days. Iria had told me to eat my way out of it, and gave me a lot of chocolates. I got dizzy after awhile and fell asleep afterwards. Man! I wonder what my sister put in her chocolates.
//And where the heck am I heading? I have to act normal. No time for thinking about Vampires or I'll get more nightmares or I'll get scared going into that creepy old library// "This is the oldest library in town. It has every single book of the country from oldies to new ones. Some of those oldies are quite damaged that my friend and his colleagues must retype the script. They know it was against the author's rules, but someone had to read it, right? Those readers aren't quite manuscript geniuses, so they decided to retype it on new white sheets of paper and bind it... and the rest you can guess, everyone gets a chance to read. Those books are also needed for those students. For their Literary projects, you know?" Duo explained.
"Really? Must be hard work, because very old books are hard to understand. almost every single word of ink must have been wiped away during all those lending periods" I said and that seems quite logical to Duo, I guess. He smirked and threw the big door open... actually throwing it open might not be the word, because he opened it gently anyways. "Here it is... you can always lend some books if you want. Let my friend help you with your library card. So if you ever feel bored, feel free to step in anytime..." Duo whispered and I was treated by one gigantic dark hall with big or tall books shelves, shelves till the ceiling, almost just like home. Yes, at my old house, we have one hall of books also. It was full of books of course and there was always a book there when you needed one.
It was dark at first, but in the working tables for students it was lit clearly. //Just what one expects when you had one at home already. Only we don't have to have Library cards. All books were passed down from generations to generations.// I passed the shelves and looked around. //The books are quite high up there... no wonder that big ladder. I hope they don't have any fears of heights// It was quiet in the library and Duo was the one who kept talking to the library lady, who just nodded while listening to his babbling.
"Okay... okay, I get you, Mr. Maxwell... Mr. Yuy is right at section 8 or let's just say Section I. Now will you keep it down..." she whispered and Duo smirked triumphantly at me. I looked confused at him as he gave me a thumbs up. Somehow, having Duo as a companion doesn't seem to be that bad. He's nice and hyper and most of the times knows what he's doing. //I wonder how I can decipher this information so quickly. I don't even know him well//
Duo practically drag me towards section I, through a lot of shelves and dark sections. I wonder how those people will read in this kind of dark when they were looking for a book. I'd noticed some people working in the library... they were students from some high school, I guess. Come to think of it, they were having summer vacation. So they might be working on their projects for their next quarter of this school year.
At last Duo walked slowly when we reached section I and tiptoed towards one particular librarian, who was behind a computer. //That must be his friend...Are my ears playing with me or did I just hear him chuckling...//
*~*~*~*~
End of part 1
Author's note: Whoa! That's one big plot. I might be slow with the introduction, but hey I'm trying my best you know. Anyways... I guess you all get the idea here, right?