The damage wasn’t as much as she had feared when Melody saw the smoking hole Heero had left in the front yard. Naturally, he was nowhere in sight. Quatre was happily trotting alongside her. Some of the Maguanacs who were not engaged in helping to get the smoke under control came up to her, took her brown paper bag into the house and then went, as she had instructed, to Pierson’s Hardware Store to pick up the necessary shop vac she had purchased just minutes ago.

Rashid came over and stood next to Melody and Quatre.

“Queenie can have a nuther swimmin’ pool now, right Melody?” Quatre asked hopefully. “One in the front and one in the back.”

“Actually, I don’t think the damage is sufficient for a pool to be put into its place, Webmommie of Quatre-sama," Rashid gave his opinion, "but this location in the front yard would be ideal for a beautiful fountain.”

“A fountain,” Melody considered.

“It would not be difficult for us to make,” Rashid told her.

“How on earth did this happen?” she asked.

“We found out too late that Heero had received a package from Chemicals R Us while you were gone," Rashid started to explain.

"Is that like Weapons R Us?" Melody interrupted. "He likes to order from that company."

"Yes, Chemicals R Us and Weapons R Us are both divisions of Mass Destruction, Incorporated."

"I see," pondered Melody.

"He took advantage of the fact that Tegan, Milliardo and Treize were cleaning up the vinegar-and-baking-soda volcano mess in the kitchen and that we were in the very back of the back yard supervising the other chibis and Queenie in her swimming pool,” Rashid enlightened her. “He received enough explosives to do this damage. The contraband has been confiscated, what is left of it anyway, and Tegan is in the kitchen scolding him.”

Across the street, Tricia Elric was standing in her doorway with a dishtowel in her hands, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open as she saw the chaos unfolding in her new neighbor’s yard. Edward and Alphonse came running up behind her.

“What happened, Mama?” Alphonse asked.

“I don’t know,” she answered.

“Whatever it is, it’s real COOL,” Edward said and tried to squirm past her so he could go take a first-hand look at “whatever it is.”

Tricia blocked him with her arm. “You are NOT, NOT, do you hear me, going to go over there until I say so,” she said sternly.

“Aw, man,” Edward complained, his arms crossed in front of him and a scowl on his face. “You never let us have any fun.”

“But Mom, big brother could probly fix it,” Alphonse said with confidence. “He could at least try.”

“No, there will be no alchemy outside the house, you know that,” Tricia reminded them with the serious look on her face that they knew she meant business. “We don’t want to upset the neighbors. There is nothing wrong with alchemy. Alchemy was normal where we came from but it isn't here so not everybody understands that. We want to try to fit into our new neighborhood so I don’t want you to do anything that might make them think we’re a weird family or something.”

“Can we at least sit and watch?” Alphone asked.

“As long as you stay on the front steps. I don’t want you going any closer than that.” Tricia could imagine Edward creeping slowly closer and closer to the edge of the front lawn if she didn’t give specific instructions about staying on the porch.

The two brothers sat down on the top step, one grumpily, as was his nature, and the other happily, as was his.

Tricia went back to her kitchen duties, frequently glancing at the open front door to make sure her boys stayed put.

Howard rode past Ed and Al to his own house on his motorcycle with his niece Hilde in tow, who was wearing her own custom helmet. He parked it in his driveway and leisurely strode over to see what the fuss was all about. Hilde was hurrying right behind him.

“I see that somethin’ new happened here today,” he remarked. “Well, this is somethin’ my shop vac can’t clean up.”

Relena and Hilde held hands and were dancing and chanting, “A fountain! A fountain!” Obviously Hilde had been informed of the suggested solution for the disaster.

“What’s this? A fountain?” said Howard.

“Relena says Rashid says they can make that into a fountain.” Hilde informed him, pointing at the crater Heero had made when no one was around to stop him.

“A pretty, pretty fountain,” Relena chimed in. “The most be-you-ti-ful fountain in town.”

“If the idea suits you, we can talk to Webdaddy of Quatre-sama when he gets home from work,” Rashid offered, addressing Melody.

“Well, it can’t hurt. I think I should talk to Heero now that everything is under control. Thanks so much for taking care of all of this so well.”

“It is our great pleasure to serve the family of Quatre-sama,” Rashid said with a bow.

“We’ll be leavin’ ya now,” Howard said. “Come on, Hilde, gotta take care a our pets, ya know.” He was referring to Martin, the blue-tongued skink and Maggie the boa constrictor.

As Webdaddy John hadn’t see any harm in the Maguanacs installing a fountain (“Might as well, what else could we do with it?” he had said, being a practical man) the project was underway the next morning as soon as the materials could be bought.

All of the chibis were up bright and early, wearing their little yellow hard hats. Hilde wore her motorcycle helmet, onto which Relena had taped a lopsided green hair bow with duct tape. The girls were very happy with the “effect” when they were finished decorating it. Relena felt that Hilde shouldn’t have just a plain helmet when her own was so be-you-ti-fly decorated with lace, and the silk flowers she had pilfered from an arrangement in the living room glued onto it.

Heero sat on the front steps with a notebook and a huge red kiddie pencil, writing his sentences for punishment. “I will not order from Mass Destruction Incorporated, nor any of its subsidiaries, without permission” he slowly wrote one line below another.

Melody saw Tricia planting flowers next to her porch and went to try to explain the situation to her. She was worried that her new neighbors would think they had a weird family or something, which was true, but she didn’t want it to appear to be so obvious.

“Good morning,” Melody greeted her, and Tricia said the same in return. “I thought I should try to explain what’s going on over at our house. I hope the noise isn’t disturbing you too much.”

“Oh, no,” answered Tricia. “As the mother of two active boys I’m completely used to noise.”

They laughed because they both understood what mothers have to tolerate when raising "active" children.

“Our little Heero, unfortunately, has a fascination with explosives and he was able to order some from an online catalogue called Chemicals R Us one night while we were sleeping. Of course he used my credit card. I had to change the password again because this is not the first time he’s made online orders, though he usually orders from Weapons R Us.” Melody was trying to make what she was saying to seem less bizarre, but was afraid that she was failing miserably. She was, but Tricia was too nice to say so. “The package arrived when no one was looking so he tried out his new stuff in the front yard, making the hole that you see over there. So the Maguanacs are making a fountain out of it.”

“Maguanacs? Is that what they’re called? I’ve seen them around your house and around town. Strangely they disappear completely at night, but I never see them leave.” Tricia was puzzled by the numerous men in Arabian clothing, and rightly so. How many of them were there, she wondered.

“Oh, that’s because they sleep in their underground base in the back yard,” Melody explained as though that were a normal thing. “There are sensors and motion detectors on the outside of the house which they use in case of intruders at night. That way no one has to stand guard duty.”

“I see,” Tricia said strangely, not knowing what to say. “That sounds convenient.”

“Oh, yes, they really are,” Melody responded brightly. “They are so much help.”

Tricia wanted to ask about the mobile suits she saw occasionally but she didn’t want to seem too nosy. Surely they couldn’t put them into their, what was it--underground base?--at night.

“So anyway, I thought I’d clear that up for you.” Melody didn’t realize she was leaving more questions than answers in her attempt to explain the goings-on at their house. “I’d better get back now. ‘A woman’s work is never done,’ she quoted. “Oh—and if your sons want to come over they can if they wear bicycle helmets.”

Edward and Alphonse, who had been secretly listening to the entire exchange, shouted and jumped for joy, speeding toward the garage to get the proper headgear.

When the Elric boys arrived they saw up close the “real COOL” activity that was going on and decided to stay out of the way. Well, to be truthful, it was actually that Alphonse dragged Edward by the arm to the front of the house. Duo, however, inquisitive as he was, was not as conscientious.

“So what’s it gonna look like when it’s done?” he asked several of the Maguanac until Abdul stopped while holding a piece of pipe and answered him.

“Melody wants a Victorian-style fountain with an angel on the top. The only part we couldn’t get was the angel.”

“What’s a dictorian-style like?” Duo wanted details.

Abdul realized that he should have known that Duo, being Duo, wouldn’t have only one question. “It’s a fancy kind. Just go over there and watch us put it together so you won't get hurt.” He nodded toward the front porch.

Duo realized that he had gotten as much information as he would probably get, even though he wanted to ask what was the fountain made of, how did the water get to it, how long would it take before it’s finished, were the parts really heavy, how big was it gonna be, etc., etc., etc. Luckily for the Maguanacs he went obediently to sit on the porch steps, where Alphonse and Edward were already sitting on either side of Heero, watching him write. Heero would rather be left alone to do his punishment by himself but he figured that one boy on each side was better than Relena on either side. Relena and Hilde were conspiring on the porch swing, since they arrived after the Elric brothers took their places and the little princess knew Melody wouldn’t like it if they told “company” to move outta their spots and go somewheres else, even if she was royalty. Relena consoled herself with the thought that at least if they sat on the swing they could have some private ‘girls talk’ and she could watch Heero at the same time.

Heero was not only quiet but anti-social to the new neighbors; they were a bother at the moment whether they were company or not. Duo could see that so he took the opportunity to enlighten them as to what Heero was doing and "rub it in" that the Japanese boy was in big trouble. He liked to irritate Heero whenever possible.

“Heero’s gettin’ punished for blowin’ up the front yard,” he said glibly.

“It was only part a the front yard,” Heero corrected him. “Go ‘way, Duo.” Being rude to Duo was normal for Heero.

Duo ignored what he said, which was normal for Duo. “An’ now he’s gotta write sentences as a punishmint. Melody gets mad when he uses her credit card an’ makes orders from Weapons R Us 'n stuff without askin’ first.”

“Like she’d let me if I asked her,” Heero grumbled. “It was only a few ‘splosives. I don' know why she made such a big deal outta it. You’d think I’d blown up the house or somethin’, she was so mad. I know better’n to use ‘splosives in the house a course. Not that she said that I would, but anyway.” Heero was losing his patience. “Why don’t you guys all go over where Trowa an’ Quatre an’ Wufei are an’ leave me ‘lone?” He looked at Duo but included all three boys.

“Come on,” Duo said to their neighbors, “there’s no dealin’ with him when he’s in a mood.”

“I’m not in a mood!” Heero shouted after the braided boy rather than saying what he really wanted to say because he knew he would get into more trouble if he yielded to that temptation. He wished he had something heavy enough to throw at Duo that could do some actual damage but his notebook and pencil wouldn’t do the trick. “Wish I had my beam saber,” he grumbled. “That’d shut Duo up real quick.”

The three boys sat on the grass well out of the way with the other three boys. They all sat in a row so they could watch the construction.

“What’d Abdul say when you asked him?” Quatre was dying to know. “What’s it ‘sposed ta look like when it’s done?”

“He says it’ll be dictorian-style—that means ‘fancy’—with a angel on top but they can’t find a angel for it.”

Edward looked thoughtful and Alphonse looked expectantly at his older brother.

“I think I could make a good ‘nough angel for it. I know how ta do that kinda stuff,” Edward offered.

“He’s gettin’ real good at makin’ things,” Al bragged; he idolized his big brother.

“I dunno,” Wufei said slowly and apprehensively. “Maybe the Mog-a-nocks wouldn’t want someone to make a angel for it. They might want to buy one.”

“That’s true,” Trowa agreed.

“Ah, that’s no problem,” Duo dismissed their doubts with a wave of his hand. “Ev’ryone knows that the Mog-a-nocks will do ENYTHIN’ that Quatre asks ‘em t’ do, so Quatre, you just ask ‘em.”

Quatre looked thoughtful, thinking that allowing Edward to help would be being polite to company and Melody was always, ALWAYS reminding them that they need to do that. So obedient and polite little Quatre stood up and brushed the grass off his shorts. “I’ll go ask Rashid,” he told them cheerfully.

“It’s a cinch now,” Duo winked to Ed as they watched Quatre talking to Rashid. “They do any little thing Quatre wants. Quatre isn’t ‘ware of it much, though. That’s how he got his baby circus effelent, Queenie, without even tryin'. Alls he said was that it might be fun to have one and then they got her for him for Christmas.”

“Quatre has a effelent?” Alphonse asked incredulously. “Where does it live?”

“With the Mog-a-nocks in their secret underground base in the back yar—“ Duo was interrupted by an ecstatic bouncing Quatre.

“Rashid says, ‘Yes, a course Ed can make the angel if he wants to. After all, he’s comp’ny, as you say, Quatre-sama.’ And Ahmed said that’d be real helpful too ‘cause then they don’ have to go look for one.”

Edward beamed.

Tegan called from the front door, “Everyone, come get your lunch boxes. You’re having a picnic outside today.”

Trowa said, “Ed an’ Al, you go get some lunch too an’ then you can join us. We’ll be in the back yard.”

The chibis all trooped into the house, washed their hands as they were told to and got their lunches from Tegan. No one was happier than Heero, who was so glad to get away from his sentence writing that he ALMOST SMILED. Relena, of course, noticed it.

“Did ya put Heero’s fav’rite samwich that I made him this mornin’ in his lunch box?” she whispered to Tegan.

Tegan nodded.

Relena skipped happily out of the kitchen, convinced that it was her samwich that was making her Heero so happy. Heero always enjoyed his peanut butter and grape jelly samwich with a slice of cheese and a slice of raw onion.

In the back yard, Milliardo was spreading some blankets on the ground while Treize walked to the outdoor enclosed penguin play area with the penguins Chessie and Chester, one under each arm. He placed them inside it and switched on the snow-making machine. Two happy penguins stood enjoying watching the snowflakes and then started vying, as penguins do, to see which one would be the loser and go down the slide into the pool first.

“Let’s get the jalapeno lemonade,” Milliardo said to Treize and they were soon back passing out cups of the chibis' favorite beverage.

Alphonse came back alone carrying two lunches at the same time Hilde arrived with hers. “Big brother said he’d be here in a little while. He’s gonna try to make a angel.” He took an empty space on the blanket and opened his lunch bag. He accepted a glass of jalapeno lemonade and the surprised expression on his face was funny when he tasted it.

"It's jal'peno lem'nade," Hilde explained.

"It gots jal'peno peppers floatin' in it," added Relena. "They taste hot."

"That's what gives it the 'kick'," Wufei put in his two-cents worth.

"It's our very fav'rite thing to drink," chimed in Quatre, taking a big swallow.

"There's more in the kitchen in case we run out," Milliardo informed him.

"You'll get used to the taste in time," Treize said in a reassuring tone.

Alphonse decided that it actually tasted pretty good once the burning stopped. He was sure Ed would like it.

Everyone was talking about the new fountain, some excitedly and some normally, according to their personalities. Relena and Hilde seemed to be especially happy and smiled at each other frequently. When they were just about finished eating Edward showed up with a lump wrapped in a towel.

“This is the best angel I could make,” Edward said as he revealed his handiwork. It wasn’t perfect but it was definitely an angel. “But I think he turned out okay.”

“But she’s—ah, ah—NAKED!” Relena exclaimed, completely scandalized. “I’ll have to get some clothes for her.”

“Angels on fountains are always naked, Relena,” Treize informed her.

“But, but—it’s abs’lutely ENDECENT!” Relena insisted. “I’ll go get a dress for her.”

“It’s a boy so he can’t wear a dress,” Ed strongly objected.

“It don’t look like a boy. You can’t tell it’s a boy by lookin’ at it,” Hilde observed.

“It’s a boy because when I made it I d’cided that it’s a boy,” Edward declared. “It don’t have to look like one to be one, ya know.”

“Well I don’t have any boy dolls clothes so he’ll just have to wear a dress.” Relena ran off to her room and returned with a few frilly princess gowns of different sizes, all pink. She held them up to the angel and said, “This one’s best.” She tried to put the dress on the little boy angel but ran into trouble with the wings.

“I’ll get some sharp scissors and we can cut slits for the wings,” said Treize, and went into the house, knowing that it would be of no use arguing with her that angels on fountains, of either sex, do NOT wear clothes.

“Yay!” Relena clapped her hands, dropping the angel in her joy, causing the head to break off.

“Look what’cha done now,” Wufei said with his usual lack of sympathy for her.

Relena started to cry.

Alphonse put his hand on her arm consolingly. “Don’t worry. Brother can fix it. He knows how an’ is real good at it.”

Edward took the angel’s pieces to the driveway and retrieved a piece of chalk from his pocket. He drew a simple transmutation circle, placed the angel in the middle and fixed it good as new.

Well, ALMOST good as new. Edward was only a self-taught beginner in alchemy so the repaired angel looked slightly different than it had originally. One short leg with a big foot, smaller wings and a disproportionately large head, but it was a good attempt for a budding alchemist practicing at fixing things, even if it did look more like a gargoyle than an angel now.

“Oh, Edward, thank you!” Relena exclaimed, picking up the somewhat altered angel. Treize had brought the scissors just in time to see the angel be "fixed." He cut slits for the wings in the fluffy pink dress and Relena lovingly dressed the boy angel in it.

“How’d you do that?” several chibis insisted, surrounding Edward. “Is it some kinda magic or somethin’?”

“It’s alchemy,” Edward said and then Al clapped his hand over his brother’s mouth, remembering that they were not to use alchemy outside of their own house. “It’s a secret. PLEASE don’t tell our mom. We’ll get in BIG trouble,” Al begged, with deep sincerity and some apprehension showing in his eyes.

Relena and Hilde made everyone pinky-swear to keep the secret. Treize, the moral backbone of the chibis because he was the oldest and most responsible, decided that it was okay because Edward had done it as a good deed, with only kindness in his heart.