Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ The Flirt ❯ The Girl ( Chapter 1 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

A/N: This is my first attempt at a Gundam Wing fanfic, so bear with me! And I don't own anything... although I wish I had Quatre... hehe.

~*~**~*~

The Flirt

The five Gundam pilots sat in the meeting room with a heavy silence around them. They'd been called together to meet someone; someone Relena said might have a drastic effect on the war. A positive effect on the part of the Gundams and their allies.

Heero sighed for the millionth time that afternoon. If this was so urgent, where the hell is she? he thought irritatedly. Another ten minutes, then I'm leaving.

Across the table, Duo smirked at the solemn faces of the other pilots. He leaned back in his chair, and rested his feet on the round table in a relaxed manner. They should be in a museum, they're so stiff, he joked with himself.

Trowa was also thinking. His sad green eyes, hidden behind his brown hair registered a look of thoughtfulness. Why does this all seem like a bad thing to me? he thought. Trowa glanced over to where Heero was nearly falling asleep, wondering what his comrade was thinking.

Quatre was using the time to ponder over the past events. After the destruction of yet another colony, this particular one being a key component in the ongoing war, there was a raincloud of hopelessness over a lot of people's heads. I wish this would end soon, he thought. I'm tired of it. Whether he was referring to the war or the long period of waiting, we don't know.

What we do know is that Wufei was most definitely referring to Relena as he cursed repeatedly in his head.

Duo snapped to attention minutes later -- nearly falling off his chair in the process -- when Relena entered the room. "Good afternoon," she said quietly. "I'm sorry I kept you so long."

"So who's this you want us to meet?" Quatre asked.

Relena smiled, and opened the door again. "Come in," was heard. The pilots looked at each other, the same looks of interest mixed with suspiscion on their faces. The person stepped into the room, in pilot getup, complete with helmet. "Boys, I'd like you to meet-" As if on cue, the pilot removed the helmet, revealing...

"-Harriet Dawson."

This time Duo did fall off his chair. "Who?"

The pilot pulled long, light brown hair out from the back of her neck. "Harriet Dawson," she said, in a voice that was strong yet gentle. She had laughing hazel eyes that smiled along with her mouth. She looked the braided pilot straight into his cobalt blue eyes. "Duo Maxwell, I'm assuming? Relena has told me about all five of you."

All of them were silent. This girl was to join them? A female in battle wasn't uncommon, and not many had ever done anything spectacular. Harriet laughed a little as she took a spot at the table, next to Quatre. "You are allowed speak to me, you know," she said. "I'd actually prefer conversation, unless you're all mute."

Quatre kicked himself for being rude and introduced himself. "Quatre Rebarba Winner," he said. The other pilots followed suit.

"So what are your qualifications?" Heero asked.

Harriet went into a long story about how she'd been fighting by herself ever since she'd first heard of the Gundams. "I managed to create my own suit just by studying pictures and descriptions of the suits that are out there all ready. Actually, Duo, most of my inspiration came from Deathscythe."

Duo grinned as Harriet continued.

"Anyway, I'm actually quite anxious to get to know all of you. I'm looking forward to the next few weeks," she said, smiling charismatically.

Relena was pleased with how Harriet was fitting in. She noticed hesitation from Heero, which was expected, but the atmosphere around Wufei was almost hostile. Relena frowned. The leer on Wufei's face did not go unnoticed by Harriet, but she ignored it and Relena decided if anyone could withstand the pilot's arrogance, it was Harriet.

Later, the meeting was dismissed and Harriet retreated to her quarters.

~*~**~*~

The next afternoon, Harriet introduced Duo to her suit.

"I call it RipRock," she said. "Whaddya think?"

RipRock stood at least two feet higher than most Gundams. Its heavy metal arms hung down beside it, one of them grasping a short silver staff.

Duo stared up at it and blinked his blue eyes several times. "Inspired by... Deathscythe?"

"Yep. Well?"

"It's... woah."

"Go ahead, get in." Harriet pointed to the cockpit.

"You serious?" Duo asked.

"Yeah," she said. "Fly it. Lemme see how you can handle it."

Duo looked at Harriet, to RipRock and then back at Harriet. "I can handle it." He ran to RipRock and climbed in, settling down into the seat of the cockpit. The controls were sleek and organized, and it was obvious the great care Harriet took in RipRock's upkeep.

Harriet's face appeared on a monitor. "How do you like it so far?"

Duo grasped the controls and grinned. "A guy like me could have a lot of fun in this thing," he said.

"If what I know about your idea of fun is true, the entire universe is in big trouble," Harriet laughed.

Duo started up RipRock and began testing out the various functions. Harriet instructed him to hit the large blue button on the left side. With glee, Duo hit it. The small staff that RipRock held suddenly extended to a full length and sparkled when light hit it. "And I'm supposed to use this?"

"Yes. Much like a scythe, just swing it at the enemy and watch their heads fall off," Harriet explained. "Except there's a lot more fragments. Whatever you hit literally shatters to a billion pieces."

"This is starting to make me extremely happy!"

"Do your thing Maxwell," Harriet said, her face leaving the monitor.

The manic look crossed Duo's face again as he flew off, searching for some fun.

~*~**~*~

"I never thought you could be that destructive!"

"Underestimating me? That's a mistake."

"Well..."

"Admit it, Duo," Harriet said. "You think I'm as good as you, if not better."

"Almost would be a better term," Duo corrected. "Nobody's better than the Great Destroyer."

Quatre raised his eyebrow at the pair. "What havoc have you two been wreaking?" he asked.

Duo and Harriet got the innocent look and chorused, "Nothing."

"Right." Quatre smiled. "Duo, they want to see you downstairs."

The Great Destroyer disappeared down a hall with a carefree wave. "See ya later Harriet!"

Harriet smiled after him and then turned to Quatre. "So, Quatre. What's up with the Winner?"

Quatre tried not to blush. "Not much. I take it you and Duo had fun?"

"Yeah, I showed him RipRock," Harriet told him, guesturing towards the suit.

"You seem to be a lot like Duo," Quatre said off-handedly.

"I can be," she said, walking down another hall, "but sometimes I like to stay quiet and sit down with a nice cup of tea."

"Me too!" Quatre said in surprise, following along beside her.

"In fact, I usually go for one right now..." Harriet got a faraway look in her eyes.

Quatre was quiet. Here was someone who could fly loose like Duo, yet sat down every day for tea? "Hey, um, why don't you come with me?" he asked nervously. "We can have tea together."

A big grin crossed Harriet's face. "I would love that!"

Relief washed over Quatre and he smiled. "Great, then come on."

~*~**~*~

Heero ran into Lucreiza Noin later that afternoon.

"Hello, Heero," she said cheerfully. "How are you?"

"Fine," he answered bluntly.

"You've met Harriet, I'm assuming?" Noin asked. Heero nodded. "And...?"

"She's fitting in well," Heero said. "I don't think I'll have to kill her anytime soon."

Noin gave Heero an "uh-huh, sure" look before continuing to wherever she was going. Heero walked around aimlessly before doing a double-take as he passed a room.

There was the distinct sound of Quatre's laughter and also a female voice eminating from the room. Heero looked in the doorway carefully, so as not to be seen, and discovered Harriet, of all the people he could have suspected, with Quatre, having tea. What the... Heero thought. It's like everything's changed with that girl around! I'm tempted to say she's worse than Relena! Heero sighed, rolled his eyes and meandered downstairs. He found Duo, who looked positively giddy.

"Heya Heero!"

"Why are you so happy?" Heero asked.

"Harriet let me fly her mobile suit," Duo grinned. "She calls it RipRock, and man, is it sweet! You would not believe what this thing can do, Heero..."

Heero started to zone out as Duo rambled on about RipRock's various functions and weapons, and a terrifying thought went through his head. No way... Heero's eyes went wide as he considered the outcome of this theory.

"Hey, what's that look for?" Duo asked, questioning Heero's expression.

A large sweatdrop appeared over Heero's head. "Um... Nothing. I gotta... go... and... uh... polish Zero," Heero stammered, running off in the complete opposite direction of his Gundam.

Duo blinked several times before shrugging off the incident. Trowa approached him quietly.

"Where's he off to in such a hurry?" Trowa asked.

"He says he's going to polish Zero," Duo replied.

"Isn't Zero over that way?" Trowa pointed to the proper direction.

"Yes."

"Heero's been acting really weird lately," Trowa commented.

"Whaddya mean lately?" Duo exclaimed.

"I mean since Harriet showed up. He's been more... reclusive than usual," explained Trowa. "Think she's got something to do with it?"

"Maybe," Duo said. "One thing's for sure, Harriet's got a strange atmosphere around her."

~*~**~*~

Heero knew he was going the wrong way, he just had to get away from anyone who'd had contact with Harriet, or else he'd...

"AAAAAAHHHH!"

"Heero, watch where you're going!" Wufei exclaimed.

Heero picked himself up off the ground, a wild look in his eyes. "Wufei, have you seen Harriet at all today?" he asked frantically.

"No," Wufei snorted. "I've actually been trying to avoid her."

"Good. Don't talk to her, and don't let her try anything!" Heero said, careening down the hallway.

Wufei shook his head and muttered something to the effect that Heero needed his brain examined. He later met up with Trowa and Duo.

"Have you noticed Heero's behavior today?" he asked.

"Yes," Duo answered. "Who hasn't?"

"I'm finding it rather odd, even for Heero," Wufei commented.

"Maybe he knows something we don't," Trowa suggested.

~*~**~*~

Heero stopped and leaned against a wall, breathing heavily. I think I'm safe... he thought. I think I need to sleep... He trudged off towards his room, but halfway there, he ran into his worst nightmare.

"AAK!!" Heero tried to run for it, but Harriet grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him back.

"In a bit of a hurry, aren'tcha?" she asked.

"Um... err..."

"What's wrong Heero? It's not like I'm going to kill you," Harriet laughed.

The word stuck out in Heero's mind like a sore thumb, and his eyes went wide. Then he stiffened his expression and said, "I know why you're here."

"Of course you do. Like Relena told you, I'm fighting with you guys," Harriet said with a touch of sarcasm.

"I know the real reason," Heero declared. "I've suspected it for a long time."

"Long time, huh? And I haven't even been here a week," Harriet sniffed. "I've been having suspicions about you too."

"What would they be?"

"Tell me what you think first."

"No, you go."

"Same time then. On three. One... Two... Three..."

"You work for OZ!" they both shouted at the same time, pulling guns out and pointing them directly at each other. "What? No way!"

"Where would you get that idea?" Heero asked.

"I'm wondering the same thing," Harriet said, a glare on her face. "I don't work for OZ, I never will work for OZ, and I try not to even think about OZ if I can help it."

"I don't work for them either. I don't work for anyone," Heero grumbled.

"Neither do I. Hey, we've got something in common. Who woulda thought?"

"Don't go all cheery on me now," Heero said, not joking.

~*~**~*~

So? What do you think? I'm still working on this, whether people like it or not... R&R please!