Misako gaped awake, her body jerking up only to fall back down on to the bed because of her injures. Absentmindedly, Misako’s left hand flew to the base of her neck and grabbed the golden cross necklace that she always had on, while her mind repeated the name of the boy in her nightmare. "Odin, why do you always come back to haunt me?" Misako asked her already dead childhood friend. "Odin Lowe Jr., answer me!" Misako shouted to the air around her. No one answered though, only silence and darkness greeted her in response. Staring up at the ceiling, Misako asked the question over and over again in her mind as she drifted off into another restless sleep, her hand still holding on to the cross.

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

"But Trowa, the central computer is bound to be heavily guarded. Sending only Heero and Misako just isn’t going to be enough!" Duo argued, shouting in the 04 pilot’s face. "Besides Misako has only woke up the morning, she is in no condition to fight!"

Ever since Misako had returned barely a life four nights ago, the pilots, with the exception of the injured pilot, had been trying to form a battle plan in relations to the new OZ base with little to no success. Mainly because Duo would always start a meaningless argument whenever Misako is involved. Like right now.

"Then what do you suggest, Duo?" Trowa inquired calmly.

"We could wait until Misako is well enough to fight again." Duo said.

"No. That wouldn’t do." Heero said coolly. "From the information that Misako has provided us, that base harbors a large number of Mobile Dolls, it must be destroyed ASAP. We are already four days behind schedule as it is. We cannot afford to waste any more time."

"Then I suggest that we don’t make her a part of the plan at all. I would gladly take her place." Duo said stubbornly. "There’s NO way I’m letting her in a battlefield in that condition! She just regained consciousness this morning, for crying out loud!"

"That’s not going to work either." Trowa said after doing some thinking. "You are needed outside with Wufei to act as decoys. And before you ask, none of us can fill in for Misako. Quatre and I are responsible for planting bombs though out the base, while that only leaves Heero, who’s responsibility is to hack into the central computer to download any needed date before we annihilate the base. Although he could manage very well on his own, however, as you have pointed out earlier, the central computer is bound to be under heavy guard. If Heero is on his own, it will take him a valuable amount of time. And time is something that we don’t have right now. But with Misako with him, it would be much easier. One of them would deal with the guards while the other hacks into the central computer and downloads any needed information."

"But Misako can’t fight with two unhealed gun wounds! She could die!" Duo shouted, concern flashing in his violet eyes. His eyes pleaded as he stared at Trowa, but seeing that the 04 pilot was not going to change his decision, he turned to Quatre for help and support. "You agree with me, don’t you, Quatre?"

"Look Duo, I’m sure Misako-san ⁽¹⁾ would be alright. She is a gundam pilot after all. Duo, don’t worry too much." Quatre said kindly to Duo as he got up to get his forth cup of black coffee.

"But Quatre…."

"I’ll be fine."

Duo was cut off by an icy monotone, literally, before he could finish. As he and the other pilots turned around, they found the subject of their discussion, the one and only Misako Otain, leaning on the doorframe, dressed in navy blue shorts and a black tank top, staring at them, her eyes and face expressionless.

"Daigoubu desuka, Misako?" Quatre asked, deeply concerned about Misako’s health.

"Daigoubu ⁽²⁾." Misako answered, though her voice remained indifferent, her once expressionless eyes held a slight sign of gratitude but it quickly disappeared. "And I’ll be fine. Include me in the mission, Trowa."

"Like hell you are! What about your wounds!?" Duo yelled before the Heavearm's pilot can give an answer. "They are bad enough as it is! And what if yo…."

"DUO!!" Misako yelled to get Duo to stop ranting and listen to her. Then winced as it caused a sharp pain at her side. In an instant, Duo was by her side, helping her into a chair. She would have smiled if not for the pain, and for her reputation.

During the short time that she had come to known the 02 pilot, she had come to the conclusion that the always cheerful pilot was an interesting person. She just couldn’t figure out how he could be so light-hearted all the time no matter what situation he’s in. And it amused her. When she first met him, she thought of him as nothing but an annoyance, however, as time passed by, she began to welcome his presence.

At the same time, she began to feel a longing that she had not since she met Dr. J and started training with him as a gundam pilot. A longing, which she did not and still, doesn’t understand, whenever the Deathscythe pilot is near. A longing to hold him and never let go, to touch him, to kiss him. However, she would always push that feeling away as if it never existed, and distant herself from the said pilot even more so then usual. It was a feeling, an emotion, a distraction. It was something that she didn't need. And being the Perfect Solider as she is, she couldn’t allow it. A distraction means an opening for mistakes, and she couldn’t afford that. One little mistake during a mission could mean her life.

But now, seeing so much concern and worry in the 02 pilot&3146;s beautiful eyes made her want to reassure him somehow that she’s all right. And before knowing what she’s doing, the Chinese girl did something that she hasn’t done in years. She gave a little smile. Then it turned into a smirk when she saw all the surprised looks on all the pilots’ faces, including Heero’s, although it disappeared just as quick.

"Are you sure you are alright, Misako?" Duo asked, after getting over the initial shock that the silent girl actually smiled, no matter how small it is. And at him too. That thought put a smile on his own face.

"Yes, I’m fine." Misako answered her impressive mask slipped back in place. "Trowa." Looked over at the gundam Heavyarm’s pilot, her face determined and serious. "Put me in the plan, I’ll be ready."

This time the European pilot nodded in response.

"But Misako…"

"No 'buts', Duo." Misako said stubbornly, cutting off Duo yet again. "I’m going, and that’s final. Nothing can stop me, nothing!"

"But…" However, the 02 pilot froze at the death glare was sent his way from the girl sitting in front of him.

"Fine, you win." Duo said in defeat after a while, knowing that there’s no point in arguing with the female pilot sitting before him. "But on one condition only."

From the short time that he had come to know Misako, he had learned that if the stubborn girl had set her mind on something, there's absolutely NOTHING that can stop her from accomplishing it. That, along with some few other things. Like he has helplessly fallen hook, line, and sinker for the girl. How? He didn’t know, and probably never would. It just happened. At first, he just considered the feelings that he that held for the Asian girl was just a form of obsession. Like the one he had when he first met Heero. A curiosity to find out more about the mysterious girl. But as time went by, he could no longer deny his feelings any more. He loved her. He loved her for her courage, for her stubbornness. However, most importantly, he loved for the person that’s hiding beneath that cold mask of hers. The kind and caring soul that she had hidden from the world. The caring soul would slip though her mask once in a while when she had least suspected.

While all this was going on between the Misako and Duo, the four other pilots merely watched them. Quatre was smiling to himself, while the other three stayed indifferent. Although Wufei would roll his eyes from now and then at the Deathscythe pilot’s comments.

"Hmm. And what will that be?" The Asian girl inquired with questioning eyes, pulling Duo out of his thoughts.

"Uh?" Duo questioned.

"You said that you would let me go on one condition only. What is it?" Misako said, more then a little annoyed.

"Oh, right. I’ll let you go only if you promise me one thing." Duo answered.

"Just say it already."

"Promise me that you won’t get yourself killed and that you will come back to…us." Duo uttered his eyes pleading.

"I’ll try." Misako said. "But I’m not promising anything."

"You have to promise me, or I’m not letting you go."

"Duo, you know as well as I do that I can’t do that."

"Then you are not going."

After a few minutes of unnerving silence, Misako finally said, "Fine, if that’s what it’s going to take for you to stop annoying me."

"Say 'I promise'." Duo persisted.

"I…." Misako stumbled, then let out a heavy sigh at Duo’s cute, pleading look. Who can turn down that face? "Fine. Fine." Misako finally said. "I promise.&

"Good!" The 02 pilot yelled happily.

"Now if you’ll all excuse me, I should be going." Misako declared as she got up from her seat after the whole scene, and walked toward the front door.

"Hey, where are you going?" Duo inquired, getting up from his chair also.

"Out." Misako answered simply without looking back as she walked out the door and shut it behind her.

After staring at the door for a few minutes, Trowa said "So, I guess we have got ourselves a plan. It’ll take affect the day after tomorrow at 1800 hours. Get ready. I’ll brief the plan to Misako tomorrow. Any more questions? Duo?"

"Hun? Oh, no. Well, if there’s nothing else left, I’ll be going now." Duo said as he, too, walked out the font door.

"Where is that baka hurrying off to?" Wufei said, mentioning to the front door, which Duo and Misako just went through

"I’ll give you one guess." Quatre said, smiling to himself as he turned to go. Duo, my friend, you have got it bad!



Tsuzuku.....................




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1)...-san: Mr, Ms, etc.

2)Daigoubu: It's fine, or I'm fine.

My standard disclaimers: Now, do I really have to do this?