Author's Note: Sorry...migraines last week kept me from serious computer time. I apologize profusely for the delay. But I'm better now, and updates should be more timely. I also feel that this chapter is a bit slow, though necessary to the plot, and I'll try to get to the action soon.
The Academy Part 3
Meetings
In spite of the tiring previous day, Duo was up first thing in the morning, without having to be dragged out of bed by either his eager friends or his overly prompt lover. He'd never had a room of his own, let alone a private bathroom, and he couldn't help but revel in the experience.
After blinking sleepily awake and looking around in some confusion, he'd remembered where he was and bounded eagerly out of bed to get ready for his first full day at the Academy. In fact, he'd freshened up, dressed in a clean uniform, and was on his way to the door to start exploring his new territory when there was a quick, no-nonsense rap on it.
He pulled it open to find Heero, Quatre and Trowa all standing in the corridor. "Wow. Got a whole welcoming committee, didn't I?"
"We're headed for breakfast, and figured it'd be nice to go as a group," Quatre informed him, tugging at his sleeve. "C'mon. I'm starving."
Duo gave in to the pressure, pausing to place a quick, hungry kiss on Heero's lips before following Quatre down the hall. "Hey--slow down, Quat! I'm barely awake here."
"You can wake up over breakfast," the blonde assured him. "I got hold of Austin and a few of our other friends, and we're all planning to meet at the dining hall."
The braided boy cast a worried glance over his shoulder at Heero. "Is that such a good idea? We get together an' someone might start figuring out how we know each other."
"Unlikely," Heero replied with a shrug. "According to Chang, about half of the sophomore class is new to the Academy. It shouldn't be obvious how eight or ten of us know each other even if we sit together at breakfast. Besides, for all anyone knows, we might've met yesterday, during check-in or at the dorms."
Quatre heaved a frustrated sigh. "We shouldn't have to hide how we got into the Academy," he said with a frown, obviously having had the situation explained to him.
"Easy for you to say," Duo pointed out. "No one would expect a Winner to have started his military career in juvenile detention."
"I honestly doubt they'll give it a second thought about any of us," Heero insisted.
"What about Relena's cousin?" Trowa pointed out, green eyes narrowing. "If he knows you, he probably knows you were arrested."
"Reginald and I never met," Heero replied with a shrug. "I only know the name, and when Duo mentioned it, I remembered that Relena had a cousin at the Academy. And like I said, there aren't many Darlians out there."
"Thank God," Duo muttered, bumping a shoulder against Heero's as they walked across the quadrangle.
Rev jogged by on his way somewhere, waving a quick greeting to Duo, and Heero glanced aside at his lover a bit jealously. "Who's that?"
"Told ya yesterday," Duo reminded him. "That's Rev...the kid I met at check-in. And he introduced me to his friend Cooper, who's in my dorm."
"He's not the only one," came a familiar voice, as Austin came striding briskly up to join them. "I'm in Mercury too, Maxwell."
Duo smirked over his shoulder. "I take it that means Jase'll be stopping by a lot..."
A faint blush colored Austin's cheeks, and he glanced down at the ground as they walked. "We kinda hang out together," he shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
"Hey, that's cool," Duo assured him. "You don't have to hide anything from us four, ya know."
"Just everyone else here," came the rather surly reply.
"Ah," Quatre spoke up, his aquamarine eyes bright with understanding. "Not a lot of tolerance around here?"
"I'm sure there's some," Austin hedged. "But until we get to know a few people, I wouldn't recommend being too--obvious."
"Understood," Heero said simply, giving Duo a brief, reassuring glance. "You okay with that?"
"Don't have to tell me to keep a low profile," Duo said wryly. "I mean, at boot camp folks picked up on it...but then, that was a different world."
He had a point. The boys had been quartered together and done everything in large groups at boot camp. There hadn't been a single place they might not be observed by either guards or other inmates. Here at the Academy, they had a lot more privacy. There was no need for stealing a kiss in a public place when they each had a private room to go to.
Jase, Ben and Adam met them at the entrance to the dining hall, and it was only with a supreme effort of will that Duo resisted the impulse to hug his former comrades-in-arms. He settled for a beaming smile. "God, it's great to see you guys!"
They shook hands all around, and it was Heero who gave Jase a quick once over glance. "Good to see you without the crutches, Carroll."
Jase smiled back warmly. "Feels good to be on my own two feet," he asserted. His gaze traveled irresistibly to Duo. "So how was your visit to L2, brat?" he teased.
Duo shrugged. "Tolerable." He fell in step between Jase and Heero as they headed into the building, discussing how they'd spent their past few weeks.
Once inside, the boys from boot camp dropped the reminiscing and focused their conversation on the Academy and what they'd discovered so far. Apparently they'd all gotten the word to keep quiet about having entered the military school via Camp Peacecraft, so any further discussion of their shared past would have to be done in a more private setting than the mess hall.
Ever the consummate strategist, Quatre spent most of the meal watching the tables around them, noticing which groups seemed well-established, and which were comprised of boys just getting acquainted.
In fact, he was so busy with that pursuit, that he missed Duo sliding over next to him, leaning closer to lower his voice. "Hey, Quat...still got the old habits, don't ya?"
"Meaning?"
"I'll bet you already figured out all the cliques in this place...who's new and who already knows the ropes...where the top of the pecking order starts and ends..." He raised an eyebrow knowingly.
Quatre smiled, looking down at his plate. "I can tell you this much...Darlian's near the top of the food chain."
Duo chuckled, shaking his head, and lowering his voice. "For someone who didn't spend his entire childhood in and out of detention, you sure know how the game's played."
The blonde boy looked frankly at his friend. "I had to learn fast," he said darkly. "My first time in, before I knew who and what to watch out for, I had a pretty rough go of it."
From Quatre's other side, Trowa looked over with a frown, and Duo quickly surmised that his two friends had never discussed their previous incarcerations. He took a bite of his food to hide a grimace. A week-long road trip and they never even got that far in conversation? Either they'd been too busy having sex, or Quatre hadn't wanted to discuss it. Duo made a mental note to drag details out of his buddy the next time he got him alone.
Apparently Heero hadn't yet been able to abandon his role as team leader, because his attention was now focused on his three friends, and it was obvious he'd picked up on the change in tone. "Everything okay?"
Duo smiled disarmingly at him. "Sure. Quat's just sizing up the opposition hereabouts."
"It's not supposed to be that way," Heero muttered, his dark gaze wandering across to the rather loud group of jocks at Reginald Darlian's table.
"And yet, it still is," Duo reminded him. "Everywhere you go, it's the same, Yuy. It'd be naïve to think otherwise."
"But it would be nice to find more camaraderie than competition," Quatre sighed.
"There's good competition and bad competition," Heero noted. "The kind between Carroll's group and ours was good." He slid a glance to Austin, and gave a slight smirk. "Even Pritchard's team gave us a fair enough challenge."
"Unlike Norton's underhanded tactics," Duo reminded them, scowling briefly as he recalled the boy who'd very deliberately injured Jase Carroll's knee during a sparring match, causing the other boy to miss more than half of the training. Only a prompt trip to an MSC hospital had repaired the damage and enabled Jase to recuperate in time to start the Academy along with his friends.
"Ah, but he got what was coming to him in the end," Austin reminded him. "Last I heard, he won't be showing up here this semester, if ever." He gave an appreciative smirk to the braided boy who'd ended up breaking Kyle's elbow in an all-out brawl during a baseball game. There'd been more to it than just revenge, though, as Kyle had threatened and harassed Duo--essentially goading him into taking the action he did.
"Too bad his teammates made the cut." Heero looked over to a corner table where four other boys from Camp Peacecraft were seated, none looking in their direction. Three were from Kyle Norton's team and one was a boy named Tom, who'd quietly propositioned Heero once during boot camp. "Looks like they want nothing to do with us."
Duo scowled in Tom's direction. "Good," he growled, jealousy coloring his tone.
Trowa couldn't help smiling. The rocky start to Heero and Duo's relationship had been quite fascinating to watch.
"You never had anything to worry about," Heero told Duo quietly, his blue eyes intense.
"But I didn't know that," Duo reminded him.
"You would've if you'd pulled your head out of your ass long enough to look," Trowa teased.
"Hey--if you recall, 'Ro had just humiliated me in front of the whole camp," Duo shot back with a glare. "An' next thing I know there's someone else hitting on him. I mean, shit. What was I supposed to think?"
The debate that might have ensued was cut short as Rev and Cooper walked up to the table. "Hey, you guys heading over to the auditorium soon?" Rev gave Duo a rather snide look. "I heard Major Merquise is giving the orientation speech."
Cooper glanced from Rev to Duo and the others. "Is it true that you've met Major Merquise?" he asked the braided boy.
Duo grinned wickedly. "Hell, yeah." He almost added that the handsome man had flirted with him at their first meeting, but decided it wasn't appropriate bragging material until he knew how his new acquaintances viewed homosexual relationships.
Rev raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Guess you'll have a chance to prove it."
"Duo doesn't lie," Heero said flatly, turning a wrathful gaze on the two newcomers.
"'S okay, 'Ro," Duo said, his calculating gaze still fixed on Rev. "These two don't know me well enough to know that yet. But they'll figure it out eventually." He gave a cool smile. "Rev...Cooper...these are some of my friends. Heero, Trowa, Quatre, Austin, Jase, Ben, and Adam." He gestured in turn to each of his companions. "Still want to stay neutral?"
Rev smirked back and shrugged, his glance roaming over the formidable group. "I wouldn't mind seeing Darlian taken down a notch or two," he admitted.
"Well then, stick around," Duo suggested. "Me an' my friends are gonna show 'em how it's done around here."
Cooper laughed aloud, elbowing his friend in the ribs. "You were right, Rev. This is gonna be an interesting semester." He eyed Duo questioningly. "So, what're you good at, besides bragging?"
"Everything," Duo shrugged. "But I'm nothing compared to Heero. He's got soldiering down to an art form. You name it, and he can do it. Quat's a tactical genius...and Trowa can get in and out of any situation, no matter how precarious it is. He's an expert at infiltration."
Cooper nodded, accepting the information at face value for the moment. "Rev was near the top of the class last year in mobile suit piloting, and I'm about the best engineer and mechanic you're gonna find."
"Now who's good at bragging?" Duo teased. "Have you gotten to use the real suits, rather than simulators?"
"Nope--you have to be a sophomore for that," Rev replied. "We'll all get to try it out together--assuming you're all second-years?"
"We are," Heero said firmly, picking up his empty plate to take up to the front. "And I think we all need to get going to that orientation lecture," he added.
The group of boys handed in their dirty dishes and made their way across the yard, with Rev and Cooper added to their ranks.
~*~
When they got to the auditorium, they headed for seats close enough to the front so they wouldn't miss anything important. They were able to find enough empty seats in a group so they could sit together, and Duo found himself sandwiched between Heero and Rev.
He leaned close enough to whisper to his lover. "This is kind of like going to a movie, huh? Wanna make out when they turn the lights down?"
Heero gave a wry snort. "I'm pretty sure it won't get dark enough in here for that."
"But not positive."
The Japanese boy just shook his head, glancing fondly at his boyfriend. "I'll be at your dorm tonight, come Hell or high water, Maxwell."
Duo wiggled slightly on the seat. "Not sure I can wait that long, 'Ro."
"What did I say about self-control?" teased Heero.
Duo sat up straight at the sight of Major Merquise and Captain Chang striding out onto the stage, amid their instructors and staff. "Well, well...if it isn't the big blonde badass himself," he said with a grin, relieved at how much better the officer looked than he had when they last spoke by vid-phone. He didn't fail to notice the way Wufei stayed close to Merquise's side, though he couldn't tell if it was worry over the man's welfare, or perhaps a sign of affection.
"They had their dinner date about a week ago," Heero said in an undertone, having followed Duo's gaze as well as his train of thought. At a questioning look from the indigo eyes, he gave a hint of a smile. "I heard it went well."
"Good. 'Fei's great. He deserves to be happy," Duo replied, settling comfortably into his seat and letting his gaze wander around the auditorium.
The last of the cadets had sprinted in and taken seats, when Major Merquise went to the podium and tapped the microphone for attention. "Good morning, cadets...instructors," he said, including everyone with a cool blue glance. "For those of you who don't know me, I'm Major Zechs Merquise, Director of the Mobile Suit Corps Academy. First and foremost, I welcome you here. I'm sure you are all well aware that not just anyone is admitted to this facility. Those who come here have undergone testing to determine their abilities. They have also attended a boot camp at one of several training centers. There is not a single one of you out there who doesn't possess the qualities and talents necessary to be a mobile suit pilot. Nor is there an idiot in the bunch--each of you has a superior IQ, a great deal of raw talent, and the desire and ambition required to excel at this endeavor." He squared his broad shoulders and a faintly mocking smile touched his lips. "For those very reasons, the training program here is both challenging and grueling. On top of that, we've stepped up the pace to cover as much as possible in the shortest time. You'll work long hours, study advanced material, and have to pass numerous tests each step of the way. It will not be a cakewalk. I'm sure many of you have cruised through your previous institutions, excelling without half-trying. You will not be able to do that here. If you don't give one hundred percent effort, you'll fall flat on your face, and we'll show you the door without hesitation. There are no second chances...no do-overs. You'll excel or leave."
Duo felt Heero tense slightly beside him, and glanced over to see his lover dart a concerned look his way. He returned the look, putting all of the reassurance he could into his expression. He knew he'd fumbled a lot at boot camp and made a million mistakes. But he wanted Heero to know he wouldn't do that here. He'd already decided to make the most of the opportunity, and had no intention of failing.
Seeing something in those indigo eyes that calmed his fears, Heero gave a small, warm smile and turned his attention back to the speaker.
"I have only a few points to cover here, and then I'll dismiss you cadets to enjoy your last free day," continued the Major. "This Academy covers nearly five square miles of land. There are secure and non-secure areas. You may consult your orientation manuals to locate them--though the presence of fences and armed guards will make the secure areas quite obvious. The dorms and classrooms are, of course, in a secure area. The mobile suits are in an even more secure area. During the week, no one is permitted off Academy grounds, but you can go outside the secure areas for hiking or other recreational activities; though I expect you'll find little or no time for that. On the weekends, you are permitted to go into town, or elsewhere, though you are required to check out and back in when you do so." He smiled wryly. "There's not much to do in town...trust me on that. However, from time to time, we hold joint activities with the girls' Academy in the next town over." He raised an elegant eyebrow in a slightly sardonic gesture. "For obvious reasons, a military institution such as this is not co-ed. Aside from days that we hold social or sports events, the only females you'll see on this campus are instructors or staff. Again, you are not here for recreation. You are here to become the best mobile suit pilots and soldiers we can make you."
He paused, taking in the serious expressions of his audience. "I'll level with you all for a moment, as I want you to clearly understand what we're up against. I'm sure you've heard rumors of unrest among the colonies and skirmishes between our peacekeeping forces and rebellious factions. Well, they are not just rumor. There is, indeed, a growing opposition to the idea of a single governing body for Earth and all five colonies, and there are organizations out there trying to amass weapons and troops to bring about civil war. No one knows if and when it will actually come to pass--if we maintain the status quo long enough for negotiations to resolve some of the major issues, it might never happen. But I wouldn't count on that. Thus, it's supremely important to me that each of you is prepared for that eventuality. I want you mentally and physically equipped to survive and accomplish your missions if you are called upon. And while I'd like that to take place long after your graduation from this facility, I can't promise any such thing. If and when you are needed, you will be deployed."
He glanced back at Wufei with a slight frown and then looked back at the young faces of the cadets. "I wish you could all serve out your enlistment during peacetime; but I'm not naïve enough to count on it, and neither should you be."
Taking a deep breath, and pulling himself from the bleak mindset, he turned a sterner gaze to the boys. "The final topic I wish to cover pertains to certain rumors that have come to my attention. As some of you know, the Peacecraft Foundation initiated a new program to rehabilitate troubled teens. Working in conjunction with them, the Mobile Suit Corps acted as the catalyst, weeding out unsuitable youths and finding those with the necessary qualities of intelligence and determination to complete the program. Their reward was a chance to enlist in the Mobile Suit Corps and attend this Academy." His ice-blue eyes had gone cold. "The rumor to which I'm referring, is that there are students here who are opposed to the admission of students through the Peacecraft Intiative. In fact, I've heard there's talk of starting a 'club' of sorts, consisting of cadets intent on ostracizing or sabotaging those students." He narrowed his eyes menacingly. "I'm here to state clearly that if any one of you so much as looks the wrong way at another student you think might have come through that program, you will be disciplined. First off, all records of all students are classified material. And even if they weren't, you'd find nothing about any incidents in a student's past that occurred while they were juveniles. Furthermore, our classes are a mixture of students from many colonies, schools, and recruitment points. It's no one's business where anyone else came from. All that matters is what you do here." He gestured over his shoulder to include his staff and the officers and instructors. "If any of us catch wind of harassment or intimidation towards another student, regardless of how he got here, we will act. Discipline, demotion, or dismissal; take your pick. Because if you are found to be acting against your fellow cadets, you'll most likely receive all three. Do I make myself clear?"
There was a murmur in the crowd, and the boys from Camp Peacecraft exchanged glances, impressed by the extremely severe warning.
"Do I make myself clear?!" Major Merquise demanded in a fierce voice.
"Yes sir!" came a chorus of replies.
"Good," continued the officer. "We have no time for petty differences here...and no patience for them, either. You are all here to train and learn necessary skills that will hopefully keep you alive through whatever the next few years bring. I want each of you to take a good look around--any cadet you see might one day have the opportunity to save your life. You have to learn to work together and trust one another; that will never happen if there's prejudice within your ranks. Get over it--now!"
His expression softened fractionally. "By the same token, the staff and instructors are here to educate and train you; but they are also here for support. If any of you have problems, of any sort, feel free to confide in an instructor, your advisor, or the base doctor." He glanced back at Captain Chang. "Anything to add, Captain?"
Wufei shook his head, a hint of a smile on his lips. "I think you've covered it all."
"Very well then." Merquise turned back towards the assembled cadets. "You're free to tour the grounds and familiarize yourself with the layout today. Staff will be available at the administration building to answer any questions that aren't covered in your manuals. Classes will begin first thing in the morning, and you are expected to be on time. Don't even try saying you got lost. It will not go over well." He gave a curt nod. "Dismissed!"
As he turned back to his officers and staff, the cadets stood up and began to disperse.
"Hey, are we allowed to go see the mobile suits?" Duo asked, turning to face his friends, and half-sitting on the back of the row of seats behind him.
"It's a restricted area," Heero told him. "But we're supposed to get to tour it in mobile suit class this week."
The braided boy gave a frustrated huff, but his pout was interrupted by a familiar voice. "So, Maxwell--how'd I do?"
Duo spun around, grinning in delight at the sight of a familiar tall, broad-shouldered blonde officer striding down the aisle towards him, Captain Chang close behind. "Major Merquise! It's good to see you on your feet, sir." He gave a somewhat sloppy, but nonetheless respectful salute.
Zechs smirked over his shoulder at Wufei, and then brushed Duo's salute aside, and grabbing his hand to shake it warmly. "Maxwell, that uniform suits you perfectly," he said with a smile, his gaze sliding from head to toe. "And are you ready to get down to some serious training now?"
"For you, sir? Anything," Duo said cheekily, resisting the impulse to wink at Captain Chang's stern expression.
Zechs looked past Duo to the others, including Rev and Cooper, who stood slack-jawed near the back of the group. "Yuy, Barton, Winner...still sticking together, eh?"
"Always, sir," Heero said firmly.
"And I see you've expanded your circle." He nodded to Jase, Austin, and the others. "I'm expecting a lot from you boys."
"You'll get it," Quatre asserted on behalf of himself and his companions. "We're all pretty excited about being here, sir. It's an honor."
Duo was close enough to lower his voice a little, running a critical gaze over the officer. "You back to a hundred percent yet, sir?"
Major Merquise's back stiffened, and he gave the braided boy a defiant look. "I'm on my feet, aren't I?"
"Yeah, and the fact that Chang allowed it tells me you're definitely well again."
The Major threw an arm across Duo's shoulders, leaning in conspiratorially. "Don't tell him, but I've kind of milked it for all the sympathy I can get," he whispered.
Duo laughed aloud at that. "My lips are sealed," he promised, giving Wufei a devilish wink. "God, it's good to have you back, Major."
Zechs tightened his arm in a brief hug, and then released the boy, squaring his shoulders and resuming a stern, commanding stance. "It's good to be back, Maxwell," he said with feigned gruffness. "Now, why don't you and your fellow cadets get the hell out of here and have a little fun on your last day off?"
"Ah, the kind of order I like best," Duo grinned.
~*~
The group of friends were barely out in the sunshine of an autumn morning when Rev made his way to Duo's side, and reached out to put a hand on the braided boy's shoulder. "Hey, Maxwell--I owe you an apology, I guess."
"Naw," Duo said dismissively, shrugging off the hand before Heero could get possessive and rip it off. "There was no reason for you to believe I'd really met Merquise before."
"Well now there is."
Cooper edged up beside him. "How did you ever get on a first-name basis with the Major?" he asked in almost breathless awe.
"He didn't," Heero said with a perfectly straight face. "Didn't you notice Merquise called him 'Maxwell?'"
"Very funny, Yuy," Duo said with a roll of his eyes. He smiled apologetically at Rev and Cooper. "So happens the Major and I have a mutual acquaintance, and I was in a position to, er, do some work for Merquise, kind of. We all did--Heero, Quat, Tro' an' me. Merquise is a great officer and a really decent guy."
"He seemed nice," Rev noted, sitting back and grinning. "He did know all of you, didn't he? We never even saw him on campus last year, except when he supervised some of the practical exams and demonstrations. And even then, he never really interacted with any cadets--just his officers. He's seriously like a legend around here."
"Huh," Duo muttered, leaning closer to Heero. "Guess we should've been more impressed when we met him, hm?"
Heero chuckled dryly. "I have yet to see anyone impress you, Maxwell."
"Not true," Duo said in an even quieter voice. "You do it every time you touch me." He'd moved so that he nearly whispered the last sentence in Heero's ear, enjoying the faint shiver that it evoked from his usually stoic partner.
Quatre was about to interrupt, concerned that Rev or Cooper might notice what he felt was a fairly obvious air of intimacy between his two former teammates. But Cooper spoke up first. "Hey, did I hear the Major say the name 'Winner' back there?"
Duo waved a hand towards Quatre, smirking at their new acquaintance. "Yeah, Coop. We've got the Quatre Winner in our little circle of friends."
"Duo!" Quatre blushed and ducked his head shyly. "It's not that big a deal."
"Big enough," Rev muttered. "Who'd have thought we'd get to meet Major Merquise face to face and hang out with the heir to the Winner Empire all in one day?"
Duo smirked and then gave a fake yawn. "Just another day," he said teasingly.
"So where'd you go to school last year?" Cooper persisted, his curious gaze on Quatre.
"Uh...well...it was on L4," Quatre replied truthfully. Before he was arrested, he had indeed attended one of the finest prep schools on his home colony. It wasn't one that would have led into the Mobile Suit Corps Academy; but there was no reason to share that tidbit of information.
"How 'bout you?" Duo cut in smoothly, turning towards Rev and Cooper. "Where're you guys from?"
"Well, last year we were both here," Rev told them. "Before that, I went to the Lake Victoria prep school, and Coop was on L1 at the pre-MSC training school." He swept the rest of them with a curious gaze. "I s'pose after Merquise's little speech none of that matters anyway."
"Not to us," Duo shrugged. "Like he said, we're all here for the same thing, right?"
Cooper gave a little snort at that. "Not to disagree with you...at least not entirely. But I'm here because my dad was third-generation military and decided nothing short of the MSC Academy would do for his only son."
Quatre laughed in response. "That's pretty funny, because my father tried to talk me out of coming here."
"So why did you?"
"Because..." Quatre looked around at Trowa and his other two teammates. "Because my best friends are here, and together we're going to make a difference in the world." His aquamarine eyes narrowed slightly. "Am I right?"
"Damn straight," Heero said quietly, giving one of those proud little smiles he'd given every time Team Wing was on top of the world.
Duo elbowed him teasingly. "You stole my line, Yuy."
Heero smirked inscrutably, thinking it was only fair for him to steal Duo's catch-phrase after the braided boy so deftly stole his heart. "Payback, Maxwell. Payback."
TBC...
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