SD Gundam Fan Fiction ❯ Twilight's Gleam ❯ Little Anna Lost ( Chapter 17 )

Yes, yes, yes…everyone loves little Anna!

Anna: *blinks cutely* Hmm?

Kawaii! *huggles* Er…ok. ^^;

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2:56 pm

" Anna, don't touch--!!" Zero flinched as Anna knocked over a vase in Shute's hallway. " …that…" he finished flatly. Anna looked down at the mess she made.

" Oppse…" She looked at Zero, who crossed his arms. " Young lady, what have I told you about touching other people's things?"

" Er…I'll clean it up!" she quickly said while getting on her knees." Anna, don't!"

" Owwwwiieee!!" Anna cut her right hand with a broken piece of the vase. Zero went over to her. " Let me see." She slowly held out her hand while sobbing. Zero examined it.

" Don't worry, let's go get it cleaned up.." Anna sniffled while Zero picked her up.

Baku ran into the hallway. " What happened? Is Anna hurt??" Zero blinked.

" She cut herself…." Baku went over to Anna and looked at her hand. He then hit Zero over the head. " Baka! I told you to look after her!"

Zero rubbed his head while Baku took the girl. " B-but I was!" he protested. Baku gave Zero a look, then walked out of the hallway with a confused Anna in his arms. Zero sweatdroped.

" What did I do??" he asked out loud.

*

6:10 pm

Later that day, Zero was playing hide-and-go-seek with Anna, Shute, Captain and Baku. And of course, he was it.

" I'll never understand how paper defeats rock…" He muttered to himself as he walked on the front lawn, trying to figure out where someone was hiding.

" Wait, what am I doing?" Zero suddenly asked himself. " I should be trying to find Mr. Fuzzle or Cole!" He sighed. " But…how?" He put a hand to his chin and closed his eyes. He was too deep in thought to notice that little Anna walked quietly out of the workshop that she was hiding in, and went into the thicket of trees behind it.

" Hmmm…hopefully they'll come by soon…" Zero shrugged. " Well, I better find everyone before supper." (A/N: mmmm, suuppeeeerrrr…FOOD! ^_^)

*

7: 30 pm

" ANNNAA!!!" Baku called while everyone went to find the little missing girl. Bakunetsumaru was worried to death about Anna right now. " ANNNNNAAAAA!!"

Earlier though, when they found out she was lost, Baku started yelling at Zero for not finding her before she wondered off.

" WHY is he blaming ME?" Zero fumed to Captain as they trudged through the dark forest.

" Well, Bakunetsumaru is acting a bit more maternal since Anna has arrived," Captain said. " And he feels that it was your fault for not protecting Anna as much as he probably expects you to."

" How would I know what he wants me to do when he doesn't tell me!?" Zero snapped. " `Zero, you idiot, you let her cut herself!' ` Zero, you should have paid more attention to her!'" Zero mimicked Baku nagging at him.

" He just needs something to blame since he wasn't there to prevent it," Captain stated. Zero sighed. " Well, I wish he would blame it on something else!…Like a tree! Trees are never blamed for anything! They should take the fall for something!" Captain sighed while shaking his head.

Meanwhile, Baku was ahead of everyone with his flashlight, looking around desperately for little Anna.

" Anna!" He coughed. He was yelling so much he was starting to lose his voice. What if she was hurt? Being attacked by something? Hungry? Cold? Scared?? All these thoughts ran through Baku's mind. " ANNNNAAA---!!" He coughed again, feeling the strain on his voice box.

" You have to stop yelling like that, or your voice will shut down." Baku turned around and shined his light on Zero. Zero winched.

" Oh," Baku said flatly, " It's you."

" Will you mind getting that light out of my eyes?" Zero asked, feeling his eyes hurt from the light. Baku moved it down, and glared at the knight. He then turned his back to him and resumed walking. " Baku!"

" What?"

" Why are you so mad at me?!" Zero demanded. " It wasn't my fault!" Baku spun around.

" It was too! You didn't find her before she wondered off!"

" How the hell was I supposed to know she'd do that!?"

" Well…she's a kid! She…she…" Baku looked down. Zero had just about had it with Baku's accusations. " Look Bakunetsumaru," Zero began sternly.

" She's lost…cold….and probably scared…." Baku muttered, not looking at Zero. Zero stopped himself from telling Baku off. " I'm just really, really worried…."

" That doesn't give you the right to blame me, Bakunetsumaru." They stood there in silence for a minute. The batteries in the flashlight were starting to drain, so Baku turned it off to reserve some power.

" I, uh…."

" MOOOOMYYYY!!" The two Gundams looked to the source of the sudden scream. " Anna!!!"

*

Anna scrambled up against the tree while her little pink dress got smeared with dirt and mud. She whimpered in terror as a shadow started to advance towards her slowly. She started sobbing while pushing her back against the tree as far as it would go.

A hand started to reach out to her leisurely. She gasped while closing her eyes tightly.

" ANNA!" Called a distance voice. Anna didn't hear it though. " Daddy….mommy…"

Zero flew in from overhead. He landed, then ran up to Anna and hugged her tightly. " Anna!" Anna opened her eyes and saw the knight.

" Z-zero…?" She hiccupped. " Shhh, it's okay now…" Anna sniffled as she leaned against Zero.

" Zero, Anna!!" Baku ran up from behind some trees, out of breath. " I told you to stop yelling," Zero chided. Baku went up to them, and kissed Anna on the head. " Baku," she said happily. Baku stroked her head affectionately, looking relieved. Zero loosened his grip on Anna, so she could hug Baku.

" My little Anna's okay…" Baku said, nearly on the verge of tears. This startled Zero that Baku was actually that found of Anna. He pulled away and looked at her. " Don't you ever go off on your own like that again!" Anna whipped her eyes.

" I'm sorry…" She looked down. " But I heard pretty music…" Zero blinked. " Music?"

" What are you talking about?" Baku asked. " I dunno. I heard music, and the last thing I remember was a …" she paused. The thought of that thing scared her like hell.

" A what? What do you remember?" Baku asked. " I…dunno…." Zero turned her head to look at him.

" Don't lie to us, Anna. Tell us what you saw." Baku gave Zero a look. " Zero--"

" No, she saw something and she needs to tell us." Zero made a flower bloom in his hand and handed it to Anna to make her feel a bit better. " Please?"

" Er…." Anna held the rose close to her. The rose head was as big as her little hands. " A big scary shadow." The two Gundams exchanged looks.

" What kind of scary shadow?"

" It was big…and scary…and it had red stuff on it….and, and--" she explained in a quick list like children usually do about something, " -And it tried to grab me with a skele….skele…lon…"

" Skeleton?" Zero suggested. Anna nodded. " Yeah! A skeleington hand thingy!!" Baku cuddled the girl closely while Zero lowered his head slightly so that his eyes were not visible.

" Don't worry, Anna," Baku said. " Me and Zero will fight off any mean old shadows….right Zero?" Baku waited for a reply, but didn't get any. " Zero? Hey!" Zero's head snapped up.

" Huh?"

Baku sighed. " Isn't that RIGHT, Zero?" Baku partially growled in a you-better-say-yes-or-else way. " Um…yes….?" Anna smiled. Baku picked Anna up as he stood.

" Let's go home. I bet you're tired." Anna nodded while lying her head down on Baku's shoulder. Zero smiled as Baku held her like that. He thought it was adorable.

" Um, Zero?"

" Yes?" Baku avoided eye contact. " I'm…sorry about overreacting and blaming you for everything…It's just…."

" That you care for Anna as though she was truly your very own offspring," Zero concluded. Baku nodded. Zero kissed Baku on the cheek. " It's alright, firefly, I forgive you." Baku sighed, then looked down at Anna to see that she was fast asleep.

" …Makes me wish I had one of my own…" Baku said. Zero didn't say a word. " …Do you think we can keep her?" Zero sweatdroped. ` Oh god.' He thought.

" Baku…I don't think we can…I mean, Cole wants her…" Baku snorted. " Well, she can't have her!"

"Baku…" Zero put an arm around Baku's waist. " We can't keep her. Sooner or later Cole's going to come and get her."

" But…." Baku sadly looked down at the sleeping child in his arms. " It makes me feel like…I'm actually being a better brother and a parent…. than I was with…" he trailed off. Zero blinked.

" …My sweet, little firefly." Zero nuzzled Baku's neck. " You did all you could back then. It wasn't your fault…"

" Then who's was it?"

" Kibaomaru's." Zero placed a hand unconsciously on his neck. ` Like it was his fault that I'm like this…' he thought bitterly. " Let's go. The others are probably worried. Baku nodded.

Zero looked up at the sky, his eyes narrowed. Whatever attacked and scared Anna was definitely not human. He could feel a strange energy residue left here….like at all the other crime scenes. He looked at the innocent little girl sleeping peacefully in Baku's arms.

` Whoever did this is going to die.' Zero thought suddenly. ` They scared our little Anna, and they will pay.'

~~~~~~

Ain't that cute? But unfortunately Anna's gotta go soon! ^^; What? The bunny wants her! That'll be in the next chappie. How are Baku and Zero going to take it? :p