"Guess we better be going, huh?" Duo said hurriedly as he bounded down the street, not looking back at the large crater where he once stood. Duo bounced further down the street, stopping in front of a nice mansion. "This one's the house you want. Be warned, craziness will ensue!" Duo winded his arm that was holding the camera like a baseball and pitched the camera at the house. The door obligingly opened, letting the camera through, and shut behind it.
Now the readers can watch things without being in the grasp of that maniac.
Inside the house, more specifically the foyer, loud voices could be heard arguing.
"…No!! I will not be forced to baby-sit those brats again!!"
"Hey! One of those 'brats' is my brother! Watch what you say. You're lucky the master and mistress aren't home to listen to this. You'd be out of a job if you said that in front of them!" The door beyond the foyer opened and two young girls came out. The elder one had bright violet eyes and curly reddish brown hair. The younger had blond hair, pulled back into two braids, letting the rest hang.
"Oh, come on Catherine," the blond said. "Those two get into more trouble, even with a nanny! I'm not even supposed to be a maid! I should be head of this household! I will not become a nanny to those children again, until I can regain my position as Queen of the World! Then I can order someone else to do it."
"Watch your mouth, Relena. Trowa's my little brother," the elder said, wiping her hands on her apron. Obviously, she was the cook of the house. "If you insult him again, I'll have to take steps."
"But that's just it!" Relena shouted back. "He's your little brother! He should be a servant like us. Instead, he gets to stay with Quatre, do whatever he wants, and get waited on like he was related to the family! He should work and I should be waited on! I will not let this nanny leave us!"
"I am sorry, Relena-san," a new voice said. Looking up the stairs, Relena and Catherine saw a tall young lady, of Relena's age, coming down the stairs with a bag in her hand and an umbrella in the other. Her long golden hair fell on each step as she descended with all the regal bearing of someone who grew up in royalty.
"No Dorothy!" Relena yelled. "Don't go yet!"
"I can not, Relena-san," Dorothy said, heading for the door that Relena blocked. "Those little beasts have ran away from me for the last time. As much as I'd like to stay and discus your views of pacifism, I can not do so and watch those brats any more."
"Hey! Trowa's my little brother!"
"I, frankly, do not care, Catherine-san," Dorothy replied, trying to shove Relena aside. "I am done with this house, forever."
"No! Dorothy! What will Mrs. Chang say?"
"I am leaving, Relena-san."
"But stay, please! At least until they're found!" They were interrupted by a singing voice coming down the street. "Mrs. Sally Po Chang!" Relena opened the door, letting Mrs. Chang come in.
"Ah!" Sally said. "Relena, Catherine, Dorothy, I'm so glad you're all here!" She produced little sashes and placed one on each of them. "You should have been at the rally today! It was wonderful!" On the sashes, the words "VOTES FOR WOMEN" were clearly marked.
"Chang-san," Dorothy said. "I must say-"
"Yes, I know," Sally said. "You're proud to be a woman in these times." For no good reason, Sally happily burst into song. This was fun. "We're clearly soldiers, in petti-coats! Dauntless crusaders, for Women's Votes! Though, we adore men individually, we agree, that as a group, they're rather stu-pid!" She continued the song, dancing along with Relena, who firmly believed in the cause. If she could be Queen of the World, why couldn't she have a vote? Catherine danced, more than sang, showing off her acrobatic ability. Dorothy calmly watched, listening to the lyrics that she believed in. As a strong woman, she had the right to manipulate through the political parties of Parliament. But those manipulations where denied to her by the lack of the vote. But right now, something was more important.
"CHANG-SAN!" she shouted. The singing and dancing stopped abruptly and Sally turned to Dorothy.
"Yes, Dorothy?" Sally looked around "Where are the children?"
"That is what I need to discuss. I do not know where they have gone, so I would like for you to compute my wages."
"You're leaving us??"
"Yes. Those children have run away from me to be alone together for the last time on me. Six times this week alone! I must leave." Sally let out a long sigh.
"I understand. Those two are a handful." Sally went to where her husband kept the checkbooks and wrote a check for Dorothy. "I think this should handle it, and I added a little extra for actually staying as long as you have."
"Thank you," replied Dorothy.
"Mrs. Chang," Relena said, still blocking the door for Dorothy. "All of this disappearing trouble started when you brought on Catherine and her younger brother Trowa. Why not just dismiss them? Quatre-sama was such a good little boy before Trowa came along and led him into mischief." Catherine's cheeks reddened in anger.
"That will not be necessary," Sally answered. "Though Catherine's cooking is questionable," Catherine looked down, "Trowa has made Quatre very happy. I will not break his little heart." Catherine smiled and glared over to Relena, who paled.
"But Mrs. Chang? Don't you wonder about their relationship? All this running off to be alone, the amount of time they spend together? Is it really healthy for Quatre-sama? They share the nursery together! Quatre-sama has always had a big heart for those lower than his stature commands-"
Sally cut her off. "That is quite enough, Relena." Catherine smiled wickedly at the cowering blond. Sally continued, "Every time they disappear, they have had a good explanation for the circumstances, and as for sharing the nursery, they share it with the nanny, if you recall. So would you be so kind as to hold your tongue before I dismiss you!" Catherine's smile grew and Relena stepped away from the door, finally letting Dorothy out. Just outside the door, a little dog was sitting. He had on an adorable little vest with a clearly embroidered message. "This could be you!" Relena paled even further. She knew exactly what that dog meant, so she decided to practice some self-control.
Sally happened to glance at the clock. "POSTS EVERYONE!!" All three women (as Dorothy was gone) went somewhere where there was fine china. Within seconds a resounding explosion was heard, courtesy of Quinze, firing "Libra's Cannon". The whole mansion shook, several pieces of delicate and expensive china falling from it's place, only to be grabbed by one of the women, preventing it from shattering.
Outside, walking down the street, a Chinese boy of 15 rounded the corner and hurried past the home of Quinze.
"GUNDAM SCUM!! FIRE LIBRE'S MAIN CANNON!" That was the explosion that had caused the women to go scurrying to protect the china. The black-haired youth easily avoided the crater and concussive force with well practiced ease and headed for his mansion. He opened the door, handing his things to his maid, Relena. Already he could smell the dreaded soup coming from the kitchen.
"Wu Fei, dear," Sally said, trying to get her husbands attention. Wu Fei merely avoided her and went into the drawing room, grabbing a glass of cherry.
Two girls popped in. "Wu Fei Chang!" cried out one with bangs. "You're supposed to be singing!"
"So start singing!" the other replied.
"I. Do. Not. Sing," Wu Fei replied earnestly.
"Spoilsport!" the second girl said.
"And who are you?" Wu Fei demanded.
"You'll find out later!" the first replied curtly before the two disappeared.
"Wu Fei, dear," Sally repeated.
"What?"
"The children are missing. Again."
"They can take care of themselves."
"Wu Fei!" two voices shouted. "Go along with the story, lest Nataku suffers!"
Wu Fei mumbled a long tirade under his breath but turned to Sally. "So that nanny has failed. We'd better fire her."
"There's no need, Wu Fei," Sally replied. "She left us already."
"Right. I guess I'll call the police." A knock came from the door as Wu Fei picked up the old phone. Sally answered it.
"Wu Fei, the policeman's here."
"Really? That was fast. I haven't even connected with the department." Sally opened the door and Constable Noin stepped in.
"Good evening, sir," she said.
"Constable. I have some things I need to discuss with you," Wu Fei said shortly.
"Before you do, I was going about my duties in the park when I noticed some valuables of yours that had gone astray."
"Valuables?"
"Yes. Come along," Noin said, looking out the door. Two young boys of 15 years of age came in, bowing their heads. One was tall for his age and had long brown bangs that neatly covered half his face. The other had golden locks that framed his pale face. The blonde, who was short for his age, was holding a green and gold kite that was badly torn.
Sally went to the two of them and hugged them closely. "Quatre!" she said to the blond. "Trowa!" to the green eyed boy. "Thank goodness you're home!"
"Sally," Wu Fei said. "Stop acting like a weak woman." Noin and Sally glared at Wu Fei for a moment, but Sally stood up, releasing the boys.
" 'Children'," Wu Fei said, looking down on them with extreme disapproval. "What were you doing?" Quatre stood forward, giving Sally and Noin a chance to discuss Votes for Women.
"I'm sorry, ah, father," the small blond said. "But we were flying this kite when there was this wall of wind. We kind of lost the kite and went to find it when we lost Dorothy."
"A kite?"
"A kite."
Wu Fei shook his head in exasperation. "Quatre Raberba Chang, you're 15 years old! What in the name of the colonies are you doing with a kite?!" Trowa came forward.
"We are still perceived as children," he said quietly. "So why can't we act like children?"
"I'd have expected better behavior from you, Trowa," Wu Fei said.
"Now, now," Noin said, interrupting. "It was the kite that ran away from their nanny, so don't go blaming them."
"I am sorry for the trouble they caused you, Constable Noin," Wu Fei replied. "I'm sure if you go to the kitchen, Cook Catherine will find you a plate of something for all you work." Noin paled at the mention of Catherine's cooking and went out the door.
Sally looked over to Wu Fei. "Don't be so hard on them."
"Don't be so feminine with them." The Chinese boy looked down to the "children". "Trowa, Quatre, go to your room." Was it Wu Fei's imagination, or did he see a small smile appear on both of their faces? It was probably nothing.
"Wu Fei," Sally said. "I think you're being to hard on them. It wasn't their fault."
"Sally-chan," Wu Fei said, sinking into his chair, "You've hired 12 nannies in the past 2 months, with Dorothy being here the longest, actually staying for a full month."
"Are you sure it's me your mad at, or the Preventers?"
"Both. You're a woman, so you couldn't hire a proper nanny if your life depended on it." Sally ignored him. "But with the Preventers, that idiot Trieze is still leading them. Une had so much potential, but now she has split personalities, and all the others are pathetic weaklings."
"Now that you're done ranting about the injustice of the Preventers, what do you suggest about the children?"
"They can handle themselves, but apparently, I'm destined to find a good nanny for them. Therefore, since you obviously can't get a good one, I'll have to do it myself."
"And how will you do that?"
"I'll place an advertisement in the Times." Wu Fei downed his cherry and sat back, relaxing by the roaring fire. Sally got out some paper while her husband drained the stress of the day away. "Write this down. 'Required, a nanny who will care for two adolescent boys. Boys are prone to pranks, running away and all around disobedience. Military experience preferable.' We'll see how that goes."
"YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO SING!!" the two girls' voices screamed. "Aarrgghh….There goes another song…"
"Whatever," the Chinese youth replied.
"Ano, father?" Wu Fei and Sally Po looked up to see Trowa and Quatre standing in the doorway, both dressed in pj's and robes.
"What?"
"We're sorry about what happened," Quatre said. "It was wrong to get away from Dorothy-nana."
"I appreciate that," Wu Fei answered.
"And we do want to get on with the new nanny," Quatre continued.
The Nataku pilot raised an ebony eyebrow. "Very sensible. I would be glad for your help in the matter."
The pair smiled. Or more specifically Quatre smiled and Trowa just lifted the corners of his mouth.
"We thought you would. That's why we wrote this advertisement."
"Advertisement?" Wu Fei asked. "For what?"
"For the new nanny of course."
Wu Fei choked. "You wrote an advertisement for-"
"Wu Fei," Sally interjected. "I think we should listen." The youth was about to protest but she shot him a severe look.
"Whatever." He turned to Trowa and Quatre. "Say it quickly."
Quatre smiled and took out a piece of paper. " 'Wanted: A nanny for two adorable children'."
Wu Fei snorted. "Adorable. That's debatable." He would have continued, but Sally gave him another look.
" 'If you want this choice position, have a cheery disposition," Quatre sang in a sugary sweet tenor voice. "Rosy cheeks, no warts.
Play games, all sorts.
You must be kind; you must be witty;
very sweet and fairly pretty.
Take us on outings give us treats.
Sing songs, bring sweets.
Never be cross or cruel;
never give us Custer oil, or gruel.
Love us as a son and-' " Quatre faltered. " 'son'-er." He paused, trying to think of a rhyming word.
"Keep going," Trowa whispered.
"Okay. 'And never smell of barely water'. What's that?" he added quickly. He shrugged and continued. " 'If you won't scold and, dominate us
we will never give you cause to hate us.
We won't hide your spectacles so you can't see;
put toads in your bed, or pepper in your tea.
Hurry nanny, many thanks, sincerely':"
" 'Trowa and Quatre. Chang'." The last line both boys sang.
One of the girls who popped up earlier popped up again.
"Isn't that song absolutely ab-DOR-able??? Oh, I had to keep it in!" She then promptly disappeared again.
"Well, that went well," Wu Fei said sarcastically. "I for one have had enough of this nonsense. This is no way to go about getting a nanny." He turned to the two boys. "Go to your room," he said. Then he added hastily. "And go straight to sleep. The last thing I need is to hear the two of you giggling up there."
The two children flushed slightly before dutifully running upstairs. Sally picked up the paper that they had left behind.
"They were only trying to help," she said sympathetically. "Their just children."
"That's just it," Wu Fei replied, snatching the paper from her hands. He promptly started to rip it up. "Their fifteen. Same age as me. They should be going out into the working world. Maybe joining the military. Piloting Gundams. Saving the world. Instead they're talking about playing games and singing songs. Trowa at least should be more sensible." After ripping the paper to bits, he threw it into the roaring fire. "There's no doubt in my mind. Now is the time for action."
Sally followed him out of the drawing room and into the foyer. The Chinese pilot picked up the earpiece of the antique phone, rolling the lever.
"Get me the Times please."
Go to Part Two