Chibi Chibi
Mirror and Image

Two figures hidden in the shadows of a sand dune watched a large mansion and its sprawling estate. They conversed only when necessary, keeping silent most of the time. They had been watching their prey for almost a month now, and an opportunity had yet to present itself. Never would they all disappear. Always, at least one of them had stayed behind. It was getting quite frustrating.

One of the figures brushed her bangs away from her eyes. "Don't they ever work together?" she demanded of the other.

"Yeah, just never at once. It must be their religion," replied the other sarcastically. "Don't worry, Onee-san. They'll be gone eventually."

"I know. But if they move mansions one more time, I've half a mind to quit."

"It'll be fine." The elder sister was about to reply when there came a loud sound of machinery by the house. A large metal door opened, making a mini sandstorm, from the ground. The two hit the ground, a strong wind whipping at them. As they watched, five gundams flew out.

"It's about bloody time," they said in unison.

Heero Yuy finished typing a curt letter to Dr. J and sent it. Getting up from behind the large desk he shook his dark, damp hair. The mission had been fairly simple and went off well. He had been the last one of the five of them to take a shower, but his hair was drying quickly. Now all that was left to do was to go to bed. Leaving the office he had "borrowed" from one of his comrades, he headed for the stairs. At precisely that moment, four other young men joined him, all in pajamas like himself. It struck Heero as odd that all five of them where going to bed at the same time, but not impossible. It had happened before. Ignoring them, he went into his room.

The room was by most people's standards, very plush, but nothing about it was his save one bag, packed and ready to go in a hurry if need be. Once he shut the door behind him, he realized that something was wrong in the room. It was not how he left it, though everyone knew better than to touch his things. He walked over to his bed. There sat a doll. A very chibi doll. A very chibi doll of Duo. Picking up Chibi Duo by the braid, Heero scowled at it. Chibi Duo in reply smiled, still in the sitting position Heero had found him in. He carefully examined Chibi Duo. There were no explosives, signs of a detonation device, odor of poison, nothing. Chibi Duo was just Chibi Duo.

Dragging Chibi Duo by the braid, Heero went out to the hall. The other pilots had come out with similar situations.

"How on Earth and the Colonies did this get into my bed?" he demanded.

Duo Maxwell finally tied his little elastic in his damp braid. The mission they had been on had been a pain in the ass and he had to stop Heero from self-detonation. Again. Still, they had done what they had set out to do. When they got back to the mansion, Duo had raced all the way up to the shower, wanting to take it before anyone else. His braid was rather heavy, seeing how he had braided it while it was still wet, but his bangs and head itself was almost dry, so it wouldn't be too much of a problem to get to sleep tonight. Besides, his pillow would stay cool in this desert heat with damp hair. So that was good.

Getting up from the couch, Duo headed for the stairs. He was rather surprised to see Heero and everyone else going to bed at the same time. It didn't bother him though. After such a hard mission, they were probably all pretty tired. He entered his room.

Duo's room had only the bare minimals for survival. A TV, VCR, a stereo size CD player, high speed computer, N64, Playstation, you know. The bare essentials. He kicked some of his CDs and games out of the way on the floor, flopping down onto his bed. However, once he was on his bed, he noticed something odd. He was lying down on something that wasn't supposed to be on his bed. Jumping up, he grabbed the gun he kept on the nightstand.

His chances looked very grim. He was in a face off with a doll. A very chibi doll. A very chibi doll of Heero. Chibi Heero continued to point his Chibi Gun at Duo. Duo knew immediately that he didn't stand a chance. Setting aside his gun, he picked up Chibi Heero and examined him. There was nothing out of the ordinary. Duo couldn't help but smile at Chibi Heero. Chibi Heero merely scowled and pointed his Chibi Gun at him. Chibi Heero was just Chibi Heero.

Carrying Chibi Heero out into the hall, Duo saw that Heero and everyone else had come out.

"How on Earth and the Colonies did this get into my bed?" Heero said, holding up a chibi version of himself by the braid. Duo felt sympathy for his chibi version.

"I don't know, but they do have their good points," Duo replied. He held up Chibi Heero up to Heero. They both scowled. "Acts just like you."

Trowa Barton finished watching the sun set gently over the sand dunes in the horizon. It was one of the things he loved about the mansions, wherever they went. They always had a good view of both the sunrise and sunset. It was a good way to end the day. The mission had gone off well, with only a few problems. Heero had tried to self-detonate again, and he had run out of bullets at a rather inopportune time, but everything turned out well.

A warm breeze blew against his soft hair as he got up to go back into the house. Once inside, he headed for the stairs, planning on going to bed early. He noticed that everyone else was going to bed at the same time. It was odd, but Trowa didn't say anything about it. He merely entered his room.

His room was just as plush as any other, considering who provided them, and Trowa did his best to make it feel like home. He kept his clothes in the closet, unlike Heero who kept them in a bag, or Duo who had them all on the floor. He had a few pictures on his bureau, mainly of friends from the circus and his fellow pilots. But this time, his room looked very different. Looking to his bed he saw why. There was a small bulge under the sheets, just by the pillows.

Gun in hand; he pulled the sheets back. What he found was definitely not what he expected. There, sitting up and clapping its hands was a doll. A very chibi doll. A very chibi doll of Quatre. Trowa couldn't help it. He smiled. Whenever he preformed at the circus, he would see children going by with some sort of doll or stuffed animal, young or old, boy or girl. He had envied them because he never had that opportunity when he was growing up. At the same time, it never felt right to just go out and by a doll for himself. This however, was just how he wanted it. A gift.

Trowa picked up Chibi Quatre, holding it like a mother may hold a child. He gently poked his finger at the smiling Chibi Quatre's hands. It appeared like Chibi Quatre was trying to hold on to his finger, just like a baby might. Yes, this was definitely missing from his childhood. The soldier side of him spoke up briefly and he examined the doll carefully. Nothing out of the ordinary. Chibi Quatre was just Chibi Quatre.

Trowa walked out into the hall to find Heero, Duo and everyone else in the same position as him.

"How on Earth and the Colonies did this get into my bed?" Heero said, holding up a chibi version of Duo by the braid.

"I don't know, but they do have their good points," Duo replied. He held up Chibi Heero up to Heero. They both scowled. "Acts just like you."

"And they are kind of cute," Trowa said quietly, more to himself than anyone else.

Quatre Raberba Winner put a bookmark where he was and ran a hand through his now dry hair. The book was good, but the mission was too much on his mind to really concentrate on the book. The mission had almost been a total disaster. Though it was true that they got the information that Doctor H. and everyone needed, they had almost lost Heero and Trowa during it. Heero, due to trying to self-detonate again, and Trowa because he was overwhelmed and out of bullets. Thankfully, Duo had talked Heero out of suicide and Quatre was close enough to Trowa to take off some of the bulk of mobile suits.

Quatre sighed, putting the book back on the shelf in his library. He was grateful that as heir to the Winner family fortune, he could provide a haven to the other Gundam pilots between missions. Yawning, Quatre realized just how tired he was. Perhaps he should turn in early. Walking out of the library, Quatre realized that the other pilots were going to bed at the same time he was. It was odd, but not out of the ordinary. They climbed the stairs silently, all heading for the peaceful bliss of sleep.

Quatre's room was just as plush as the other rooms and very homey. However, there were very few things he ever needed to bring with him if he moved bases. Most of his homes had a room for him already furnished and decorated for his private likes. All closets had clothes for him and each bureau had pictures of his family. The only things he really brought with him were four pictures very dear to him. One was of the five Gundams, all observing the sunset in various positions. (It had taken forever for him to convince the pilots to do it. Though he often posed Sandrock, asking the others to do so was a little difficult.) Another was of all five pilots, just having fun. The last two were the most precious to him. One was of him and his father; the other was of him and Trowa.

Quatre looked at those two pictures tenderly before turning to his bed. Looking at his bed, he was very surprised. Unlike the others, he didn't go for a gun. He blinked, looking at a doll on his pillows. A very chibi doll. A very chibi doll of Trowa. He smiled. Chibi Trowa had a tiny smile on his face. Just like that smile the real Trowa showed on rare occasions. Quatre picked up Chibi Trowa and hugged him close. Whoever had given it to him was very thoughtful and considerate. Snuggling Chibi Trowa to his face, Quatre went out into the hall to find the others had dolls as well.

"How on Earth and the Colonies did this get into my bed?" Heero said, holding up a chibi version of Duo by the braid.

"I don't know, but they do have their good points," Duo replied. He held up Chibi Heero up to Heero. They both scowled. "Acts just like you."

"And they are kind of cute," Trowa said quietly, playing with the Chibi Quatre he held tenderly in his arms.

"Plus," added Quatre, "They are absolutely precious." He snuggled Chibi Trowa to his face again.

Wu Fei Chang continued to practice with his sword, ignoring the cool desert wind that started to chill him. It was in this practice that he cleared his mind of the day's events and got ready to relax. His mind became a void as he went over the mission, its flaws, and all around good outcome. They had started off the mission well, but no sooner had they got the information they needed before they were attacked by more Mobile Suits than they were prepared to handle. Heero had tried to self-detonate, though Wu Fei didn't care if he succeeded or not. Suicide could be a good way for a true warrior to go. In the end, Duo had talked him out of it and the came out alright. Trowa had ran out of bullets while being surrounded by enemies. Quatre, however, was close enough to take off some of the numbers, helping Trowa survive. Wu Fei himself had done as expected, not desiring to get involved with the other's fight. He had his own battle to win.

With the thoughts finally examined and put away, Wu Fei sheathed his sword back in its scabbard. It was time to go to bed. He put the sword away in a room Quatre had for ancient Chinese culture. That was where he had gotten the sword. Exiting the room, he went to the stairs; surprised to see everyone else was going to bed as well. He said nothing, however, and just went into his room. Like any other room in the house, it was plush, though Wu Fei didn't do much to personalize it. He kept and ornamental sword by his bed and a few things from his home, but nothing much. He was constantly on the move, just like the other pilots. He didn't require much.

Wu Fei's eyes went immediately to his bed. There was an item there that he was sure had not been there before. He glared at it, not quite sure what to do. He heard rustling coming from the other four rooms, so he went out into the hall like the others. They all had Chibi dolls in their hands.

"How on Earth and the Colonies did this get into my bed?" Heero said, holding up a chibi version of Duo by the braid.

"I don't know, but they do have their good points," Duo replied. He held up Chibi Heero up to Heero. They both scowled. "Acts just like you."

"And they are kind of cute," Trowa said quietly, playing with the Chibi Quatre he held tenderly in his arms.

"Plus," added Quatre, "They are absolutely precious." He snuggled Chibi Trowa to his face.

Wu Fei snorted, drawing attention to himself. "Dolls are for women," he said firmly. "Besides, how did they get here? I don't think any of you made them."

"That's what I want to know," Heero agreed.

"Rashid?" Quatre said loudly.

"Yes, Quatre-sama?" Rashid's voice came over the loudspeaker.

"Has anyone made a delivery today?"

"No."

"Has anyone been here or to our rooms today?"

"No. Is something wrong, Quatre-sama?"

"Four of us have received little dolls on our beds. Someone was in our rooms today."

"I'll look into it, Quatre-sama."

"I don't think they'll find anything," Duo said. "I mean these things are just dolls, not grenades or something."

"I agree," Trowa said. "They appear to be gifts, not weapons."

"Pah," Wu Fei said. "I'm just going to bed." Wu Fei slammed the door behind him, and then listened to the others. They talked for a short while, then they went to bed or to go help Rashid find out who got in and when. Finally, Wu Fei turned from the door and stared at the new adornment to his bed.

He smiled gently and sighed. Slipping into the covers, he snuggled Chibi Sally Po as he fell fast asleep.

"It's about time they discovered those Chibis," one figure said behind a sand dune. Her little sister looked over to her.

"Hey, at least, if they're ever separated or out on a mission alone, they won't be too lonely."

"Yeah," the elder said quietly. "So, Image, ready for the next group?"

"Yup, you betcha, Mirror." Image held up a bag of Chibi Slayers. Mirror, in response held up a bag of Chibi Ronins.

"Shall we?"

"We shall." Together, the authoresses of this story left for another world to prevent people from getting lonely.

The End