Chibi Relena shuffled into the room Melody was in. “I’m BORED, there’s ‘nothin to do…and you said I can’t go play with Heero ‘cause of what happened las’ week…”

Melody looked up from her book. “And that still stands, if he doesn’t want to play you can’t force him to…” she said gently. “But I think I can cure your boredom.” She pulled a book of the shelf and showed it to the chibi.

Relena looked at it sadly. “Fairy Tales? But I know ‘em already!”

“Just try these. I think you’ll be surprised…”

So the chibi skipped down and outside to read the new book.

Heero sat looking at his now-doing-better parakeet. “The vet said you were just getting’ old…he said you were SIX! So I guess today is your birthday!” At this point, Chibi Duo came into the room, but Heero didn’t notice. “I guess I’d feel misr’ble too if they forgot when it was MY birthday…but I’ll make it up!” Heero continued. “We can have a big cake that says ‘It’s Mye’s Birthday!’”

“It IS?!” Duo stared at him, confused…missing most of the conversation, he thought Heero had said, ‘Its MY birthday’ and that everyone had forgotten and so he was miserable. He’d never seen Heero say so much at once though, and he was acting…..nice…..(at least, to his parakeet) so something HAD to be wrong, and everyone forgetting his birthday would do that to a person. “How old?”

“Six!” said Heero proudly; then he seemed to remember who he was talking to. “An’ why do YOU care?” he said with a glare.

Duo ignored this as he got a good idea and smiled. “Nothing! Gotta run!”

Heero paled…those words coming out of that mouth were dangerous, but he smirked. “If he gets me inta trouble maybe he won’t get dessert!!!” Cheered by that thought he went off to find the other chibi’s and challenge them to another game of battle robots.

But Duo found them first. Without pausing to take a breath he said hurriedly, “It’s Heero’s birthday an’ he’s turning SIX!” The other chibi’s stared at him as he continued. “But he thinks we dun know so we can have a s’prise birthday party for him!” The other chibis nodded excitedly…all except for Relena who was sitting outside completely submersed in her new book. Duo hurried off to tell Melody his great plan.

Before long, Duo, Wufei, Trowa, and Quatre were in the tent in the backyard working on plans, while Melody and Tegan were in the kitchen working on baking a cake. Relena was still reading.

Heero started to open the ‘door’ to the tent, only to blocked by Wufei. “You can’t come in.”

“Why not?”

Wufei couldn’t think of an answer “’Cause…’cause you just CAN’T.” After a few more minutes of this, Heero left- AFTER he got a glimpse past Wufei and saw everyone ELSE there… He eventually arrived at the kitchen and decided to get a snack, so he started to walk in, but Tegan saw him and quickly shielded the cake.

Melody walked over to him. “Heero? Why…don’t you go outside and play?”

Heero realized THEY didn’t want him around either so he sadly walked out and sat on the steps, head in his hands.

“Its not FAIR! Even Melody an’ Tegan don’t want me around...they were hiding something from me, just like Wufei!” He looked down sadly, then angrily. “Well if they don’t want me, I’ll run away!!!” He gathered his things and went outside again to leave, right as Relena closed her book and saw him- cheerfully running over and hugging him.

“!” Heero shoved her off. “Yuck! Stupid girl! Go away!”

“Why?” she asked, hurt.

“’Cause I’m leaving!”

“Can I go with you?” she asked happily, taking his arm.

Heero shoved her off and glared at her. “NO. I gottsa go ALONE.

“You mean on you’re leavin’ on a quest?” Now you must remember, Relena HAD just read all those fairy tales with knights and princes, dragons and princesses, magical swords and of course…quests. “Then you DO gottsa go alone…an’ I gottsa give you my ‘kercheif! That’s what they do in all the stories when the princess’ valiant knight leaves on a quest!” Relena had no idea what ‘valiant knight’ meant exactly, and neither did Heero. He decided not to correct her on the fact she was not a princess and even if she was he wouldn’t be ‘her’ knight; he was willing to let her think whatever if she wouldn’t pester him to let her come, so instead he asked-

“What’s a ‘kerchief?”

Relena paused…thinking. “I think its like a cloth Kleenex.” Heero wrinkled his nose in disgust, but before he could reply, Relena had rushed inside to go find one. Heero shrugged and began to sneak off, but before he got away Relena came running back out carrying a towel. Heero eyed it warily.

“What’s THAT for?”

“I couldn’t find a ‘kerchief, so I bor’wed one of Melody’s hand towels!”

“You sure she ain’t gunna be mad?” Heero said stubbornly.

“Not If we’re jus’ borrowin’ it!”

Heero gave in.

“What do I do with it?” he asked, hoping to get her to go away.

“You hold it next to your heart on your perilous journey!”

Heero looked at her blankly, then decided on the safest answer.

“No.”

He took his belongings and laid them out on the towel, then tied it like a bag and left, wishing he could have found his beam saber…

It wasn’t long before everyone was searching for him. Melody and Tegan were worried sick, and it was almost dinnertime. They looked all over town trying to find him--but no luck. Despondently, they arrived back home, all the chibis looking depressed…when sitting on the steps they saw….you guessed it! Chibi……….no not Heero, it was actually Relena, but leaning against the door was…Chibi Heero!

Before he knew exactly what was going on, he was swamped in a great big hug, …but he had missed home (even after only an hour or so).

“We were worried about you! Why on earth did you run away?” Melody asked.

Heero explained about ‘being ignored’ and Melody and Tegan exchanged looks when he gave his reasons for running away.

Tegan hurriedly led the other chibis inside to get in their places while Melody explained to Heero that they weren’t ignoring him.

“But we do have a surprise for you”

She opened the door and “SURPRIIIIIISE! Happy Birthday Heero!” everyone shouted. Heero jumped and looked at them oddly….the whole place was done up with streamers and balloons and there was cake! It was quite different from the punishment he thought he was going to get for running off. Only one thing confused him though….