*The Bushido Dojo, after class. All five of the would-be Chibi Karate students are lined up on the bench on the side wall of the dojo. Chibi Relena is on the verge of tears as TJ paces back and forth, her voice raised as she reads them riot act after riot act. Chibi Wufei is gritting his teeth openly at the fact that this GIRL has the gall to yell at him. Chibi Hilde sits with her head bowed, her eyes to the floor as she listens to what TJ has to yell. Chibi Heero's expression hasn't changed in the slightest as he sits with his arms folded, watching TJ pace despite a slight shake he has developed from the ingestion of the coffee. As for Chibi Duo, he looks to be quite interested in the floor, but inwardly he is far more concerned about what Sam or, worse yet, what Melody will say.*

TJ: ... disgracing our dojo with your behavior! You should all be ashamed, and I've never seen anything so irresponsible in my life! How can you...

*A calm voice from behind her silences her tirade.*

Sam: TJ! ... That will be enough.

*With a huff, TJ storms off.*

*Each of the Chibis looks up at Sam, wondering what he could possibly have to add. Wufei looks less infuriated.*

Sam: Please explain yourselves.

*Chibi Duo pipes up.*

Chibi Duo: I was sent to live with Melody about three years ago, an' --

*Sam puts up a hand.*

Sam: I mean about your behavior tonight. Explain why you did this. Why you felt it necessary to cause such trouble.

Chibi Duo: Oh... *Apparently he doesn't have much of an explanation.*

Chibi Hilde: I don't unnerstand why I need to get yelled at! I didn't do anything!

Sam: These are your friends, correct?

Chibi Hilde: Uh... *Her eyes travel over the group* Sorta... I only came here for Duo.

*Amidst it all, Heero manages a snicker. It's not as hearty due to the fact that Relena might burst into tears at any moment.*

Sam: But you were each brought here by the same circumstance. As you witnessed what they did, and did nothing to stop it, you bear the responsibility just as much as they do.

Chibi Hilde: *mutters* I don't bear the respondisility of drinkin' other people's coffee...

Sam: *having heard her* Speaking of which... *eyeing the group* did your guardians not ever teach you that it isn't safe to go about drinking other people's drinks? Or climbing on walls? Or running in a room full of sharp objects that could fall off the racks and hurt someone?

*None of them say anything for a moment.*

Chibi Duo: *eyes downcast* I just wanted to fight like you do.

*Sam's expression softens.*

Sam: Duo, is it? ... Learning this art takes time. Despite what the Sobe drink commercials might tell you, ingesting something won't make you learn to fight like Jackie Chan instantly. It's like learning to dance. Or ride a bike. You have to practice and work at it. Watching other people instead of taking the time to learn the basics won't help.

*TJ utters a "Hmph!" from the corner.*

Chibi Wufei: So does this mean we can't come back? You're kickin' us out?

*Sam purses his lips.*

Sam: In your case, that isn't my decision to make. I'm going to leave it up to your guardians to determine if you can come back on Thursday.

*Duo's and Wufei's expressions give a clear indication that they are toast; they had made a promise to Melody, and Melody doesn't like it when people break promises. As they briefly contemplate what they're going to do in their eternity of Time Out, Relena is led out of the room by Hilde as she breaks into an open sob.*

*Sam's eyes turn to Heero.*

Sam: And I suppose you have nothing to say for yourself.

Heero: Hn.

Sam: ... Fine. I guess all is said that needs to be. *He returns to his gym bag and slings it over his shoulder. TJ follows his lead annoyingly closely.* Your guardian will be here soon. I suggest you come up with more to say.

Chibi Wufei: He doesn't say nothin' much anyway.

Sam: That goes for the two of you as well.

*As Sam and TJ exit, Melody appears all too soon for them, with Hilde and a teary-eyed Relena in tow. One LOOK is all it takes to express her disappointment in each of them.*

Melody: Well, well, well... we ARE in trouble.

*One painfully silent car ride and long-winded discussion later, the Chibis have been sent to bed early, without dessert, and with a rather unnerving task set before them in the morning. It doesn't take much explaining to tell Chibis Quatre and Trowa their situation as they sit up in bed.*

Chibi Quatre: *holding the flashlight* You havta do what?!

Chibi Duo: *sighing* Apologize to him, an' ask if there's anything we c'n do to make up for it.

Chibi Trowa: That doesn't sound so bad. *He shrugs.*

Chibi Duo: Yeah, but what if we have to clean his house? Or mow his lawn? Or do push-ups? Or eat bugs, worms, or Hamdingers?!

Chibi Wufei: C'mon, Melody wouldn't let him do anything THAT bad to us.

Chibi Duo: *calming down* I know... but...

*Chibi Heero cuts in with a bemused snort.*

Chibi Duo: *turning to face Heero* What's so funny to YOU?

Chibi Heero: *grinning* He might have you cut your fingers off.

Everyone else: WHA?!

Chibi Heero: It's the terditional Japanese apology. When someone in the Yakuza fails, they cut off their own fingers. It was all Duo's idea, so...

Chibi Duo: Yer crazy, Heero. He'd never make ME do that. 'Sides, if he did, you, Wufei, Relena, n' Hilde'd have to too! We share the respondability!

Chibi Wufei: That's RE-SPON-SA-BILL-ITTY. An' it's like I said, Melody wouldn't let him make us do that. Even if he did, Melody'd prolly make him stop at Relena, 'cuz she's a girl.

Chibi Duo: I know... it's not fair! *He scowls deeply.*

Chibi Quatre: Well, if you really are sorry, he should be ok with takin' you back, right?

Chibi Wufei: Yeah, long as he's really drinking milk next time... coffee is awful stuff!

Chibi Duo: *making a face* I know... why's he drinkin' that anyway? I'd give anything to keep girls away from me!

Chibi Heero: *grinning sardonically* Like a finger?

Chibi Duo: Shut up!

*Chibi Trowa shakes his head.*

Chibi Trowa: Look, you guys better get to sleep. Melody said she'll be getting you up earlier so you can be ready to tell him sorry.

Chibi Duo: *another sigh* I guess...

*The Chibis say their goodnights, and Quatre turns off the flashlight. Shortly thereafter, he pops up with another question.*

Chibi Quatre: Heero? ... What's a Yakuza?

Everyone else: Goodnight, Quatre.

*Quatre sighs in exasperation.*

*Later that night, everyone in the house sleeps soundly in their beds, except for Chibi Duo who can't seem to get comfortable after many tosses and turns. He grumbles to himself as he sits up in bed, his palate parched, and climbs down to the floor, the only sound in the house being his little cow pajama-covered feet pattering softly to the door as he slips quietly up to the slightly open door. Carefully he pushes it aside and tiptoes down the moonlit hall, stepping ever so lightly to avoid waking Relena as he passes by her room. He then inches down the stairway, careful to avoid the steps he remembers creaking and telling on him before. As he finally reaches the bottom step, he breathes a sigh of relief.*

Chibi Duo: *whispering to himself* Jeesh, my throat's dry...

*He walks quietly by the living room to the kitchen, carefully opening the freezer door. A yellow box seems to beckon to him with its illustration of juicy popsicles on the side. With a grin, he stands on the tips of his feety-jammied toes and reaches for the box, managing to slowly remove a popsicle from the inside. He sniggers to himself and savors his victory as he slowly closes the door to the freezer, carefully opening the wrapper and dropping it into the trash can on the way out.*

Chibi Duo: Fruit juicy goodness. A cure for nights without sleep.

*He is lifting the popsicle to his lips while slipping back through the living room when suddenly the television activates of its own accord. Static blares across the living room softly, making him stop dead in his tracks. He turns to see the TV on and carefully walks over to the coffee table where the remote lies undisturbed. With his free hand he picks it up, and turns off the TV. The room falls dark and silent once again. He sighs softly and turns back toward the staircase.*

Chibi Duo: *taking a stab at the cause* That's not funny, Heero...

*Only silence answers. His night vision wrecked and the moonlight only playing across a space behind the TV, it is hard to see if anyone is hiding. He takes another step toward the staircase when the sound of static announces that the TV is on again. It fades away as Duo turns to the screen. There is no static, but a picture of a stone well surrounded by trees. Confused, he steps back toward the TV.*

Chibi Duo: Heero? ... Conan's not on, you can turn it off now.

*No sound but the electronic hum of the TV. The picture of the well flickers, issuing slight blips of static.*

Chibi Duo: *lip trembling* H-Heero? ...

*Something is moving inside the well on the screen. Frozen to the spot, Duo watches as a hand grips the edge of the well, and another.*

Chibi Duo: *his voice having left him with only a squeak* Heero...?

*A head covered in long black hair emerges, the hair draped so that it covers the face of the figure crawling from the well as it steps over the edge, both feet on the projected ground in front of the well as it begins to lurch toward the screen. Is it looking at him? It's hard to tell, but the body seems built similarly to Sam's...*

Chibi Duo: *squeaking* H-Hee... *swallows hard* Mel...

*As the figure draws closer it becomes more recognizable despite the curtain of hair blocking its visage... Sam is creeping from the well, edging slowly toward the screen. Duo tries to comfort himself with the knowledge that this is on TV, that nothing on TV can hurt him, and that if he would just turn it off, everything will be all right. But he can only stare fearfully as Sam lurches slowly out of the screen, his head coming into view through the glass as he pulls himself through. Soon his hands palm the floor, gripping with bloody fingernail stubs at the carpet as water drips from his clothing to form a puddle on the floor. Duo's breath comes in short gasps as he begins to back away from the apparition in front of him, trying to yell but failing.*

Chibi Duo: Mel-- *swallows again, whimpering* Melody!

*Sam slowly draws himself to full height in the puddle he has left on the floor, still dripping from his hair and clothing as he begins to walk slowly toward Duo, who is taking steps backward. Suddenly Duo's knees give, and he falls to the floor on his back, staring up into the figure of Sam lurching his way to him, a trail of well water behind him. He draws ever closer, until he is standing directly over the little Chibi on the floor. He lifts his gaze slowly, and through the thick, matted hair over his face, one piercing eye seems to stare into Duo's soul. Chibi Duo seems almost ready to scream, when Sam reaches for the melty popsicle gripped in Duo's hand and snatches it away. He then speaks in a gruff voice.*

Sam: Don't you know these things make you restless at night?

*Sam turns away, lifting the popsicle to his mouth and licking as he walks back to the TV.*

Sam: Bah... orange flavor again...

*Tiny splash noises are heard as Sam re-enters the TV. In absolute confusion as to what has just happened, Duo stares into the screen as a smaller head peeks from the corner, its long hair concealing its face in a similar fashion to Sam's.*

TJ: *whispers* He never sleeps.

*The TV flickers off, and Duo sits bolt upright to find himself in the nursery, his cow pajamas soaked to his chest as he sits in a cold sweat, breathing heavily as he takes in the fact that it was all a dream.*

Chibi Duo: That's it... *pant* ... from now on, I'm only getting ice cream cones!

*Duo flops back onto the pillow, taking a deep breath. But he doesn't sleep again that night.*

E-mail the author!

GO BACK TO CHIBI FANFIC!

GO TO THE MAIN PAGE OF THE SHOOTING STARS COLLECTION: A GUNDAM WING IMAGE ARCHIVE