Night had fallen on the house like a dark veil of evil. No one wanted to talk about the coming of the patrol, but each time Duo rolled over in his bed, someone was whispering about it. He cursed silently, not knowing weather he hated the Federation or the servants, that couldn't relax, more.

The children were a bit calm now. They had settled into that state of mind where all is lost, but to wait. They played absentmindedly with their toys in some corner of the room. Their eyes haunted.

The servants and the children had putten everything back on its place. The rooms looked normal again, except the sadness and gloomy thoughts that hung in the atmosphere, on the walls. Enough to make anyone mad.

Duo' s eyes flew open. The maid was crying again. Her whimpers traveled though the carpeted rooms, loud in his ears. He'd have to get up, he'd have to say something to her, to make her stop. Her whimpering was driving him crazy. He can see the other kid's are feeling this as well. He was about to descend the stairs, when suddenly, the window latch flew open. He gasps, turning around.

The smallest child let out a cry. Duo held his breath. The curtains danced madly in the cold wind that came in. Like wicked ghosts. The oldest boy went over to the window closing it forcefully. Duo could see that he was afraid as well.

"Cursed night wind," the boy said. "I though it was them."

Duo's nails dug into his skin, hard. From downstairs, there came a knock on the front door.

Duo closed his eyes. The maid's wails became louder. This was it. The Fed Patrol had returned for this house. Now, Duo would loose his home again. All of them would. It was not fair. He felt his eyes water, but he shook his head. He wanted to see. He went down the stairs, not caring for the small boy that called to him. He ran downstairs maddened by grief. he wanted to see the face of the soldier that came to take his happyness away.

The matron had not opened the door yet. She was adjusting her hat, fidgeting nervously, wanting to hold the inevitable for a bit longer. Duo looked at her, his anger making his violet eyes black. She gasped, not knowing the turmoil the boy was in.

He opened the door.

Duo blinked. There was nobody there. The Matron stepped outside. Surely someone had knocked. The soldier may be waiting for someone else. Duo frowned. He could see nothing.

Then, out of the grey darkness, there came a shape. A small moving person, coming closer. The Matron drew Duo inside. She would face the soldier alone. He protested, showing her hand slightly aside. He gasped as he saw the shape come into the light.

"Duo Maxwell..."

The boy blinked. The figure in the dark was wearing a hood over its face, its body draped in long robes. The Matron raised an eyebrow, worried. The stranger removed its hood, her long braids falling over her chest graciuosly.

"Kukuri san!"

The girl made a bow, her hair bouncing. She tapped the long stick in the wall, smiling. Duo rushed to great her, pushing past the old woman. He embrased the little girl madly. Kukuri laughed as he tackled her down.

"Who did you think I was, some soldier?" She smiled at him warmly. "The wicked soldiers are gone away. They are asleep in their machines."

Duo put his hands on his hips. "They went to your house and trashed it, didn't they?" He showed her inside. He blushed suddenly. The matron was giving him a very funny look. He cleared his throat, tossing his long braid over his shoulder.

"Mama," he said. "This is Kukuri. She helped me get home the other day." The little girl bowed graciously. The old woman smiled.

"Pleased to meet you, Kukuri" The girl smiled. She was taking in the room wis curious eyes. The place appeared gloomy to her, unfit for children to live. Like a prison, but she shoved those thoughts aside. This was a home to keep children off the streets, and maybe that's all it has to be. Not some fancy hotel.

She removed her cloak, handing it to Duo. He put it on a rack. She was wearing the funniest costume he'd ever seen beneath it. He almost laughed, but held himself. The Matron closed the door, sighing. It had not been the Feds this time, but they could still come. She drew the children to the living room. Kukuri looked at her with sad eyes as the old woman offered her a refreshment. Kukuri accepted her offering, glad to see her off to the kitchen. Duo looked at her from the corner of his eye. He can see the uneasyness the girl is going through. She turned towards him, smiling once more.

"She is so sad," Kukuri said. "Like an old tree with no hope."

"She can't help it, I guess," Duo said. "This house is always sad. It's walls are memories that reveal terrible pasts. I want to break free from them, but it's the only home I have."

Kukuri banged her stick on the floor. He gasped, taken from his moody thoughts. She laughed shaking her head. "Iie!" she said. "I've come to make you happy." He rubbed his head, blushing. He smiled feeling stupid. He had been worried for her for no reason. She shoved a hand at his face. He drew back surprised.

"The magic stone, Duo?" He laughed. She had come back for that thing? He reached into his back pocket. She smiled as he gave it back. "It worked, didn't it? I told you, silly."

Duo surpressed a laugh. "Like a charm, Kukuri." She beamed happily. The truth was he never really gave it much thought. He crossed his eyes. She laughed at his funny face.

A soft gasp threw him off his guard. The small kid coughed as he turned aroud to meet him. Duo smiled as the kids stared at Kukuri with wide eyes. He beamed up proudly. The small child came closer to the girl.

"Did they take your house and you came to live with us?" he said. "That's not a good idea, because our home may be taken too. We're waiting for the soldiers to come."

Duo gagged. "Nanda to?!"

Kukuri laughed freely. "Honto?" she said between tears. She poked the kid's nose. "Baka, no one's taking your home away. No one's taken mine either."

Duo nodded. He fixed the kid's a long stare. "Oi!" he said. "Minna, the soldier isn't coming. I think we're gonna be fine." He smiled. "They'd be here if they were coming, ne?"

"No," Duo turned around to face the black maid. She was trembling, her eyes wide with fear. "They can still come. Look outside and you'll see them a few blocks farther down, taking teh families."

Kukuri followed Duo to the window. The boy pulled the curtains away savagely. The houses had their lights on, their occupants exiting, as the soldiers told them to. Duo bit his lip. Kukuri looked at him, worried.

"Lord have mercy, " the black maid said. "They're taking those people away. Where are they taking them?" Her voice trailed off. Duo gripped the curtains rougher. His mind was going insane.

Kukuri watched as his eyes became clouded with tears. She banged her stick hard on the floor. Duo startled. The kids looked at her. Kukuri smiled at the maid. The woman closed her eyes.

"Minna," Kukuri said. "Kukuri is here to make you forget such sorrows." She swinged her stick above their heads. Duo frowned at her. She laughed. "Just because those soldiers out there are coming, it doesn't mean that it's the end of our world."

Duo gasped as her stick sweeped through the air, magical stars showering through them. She laughed, letting the magic stick sweep though the air again. Silver shards sprikled over them. Duo raised an eyebrow. Kukuri laughed.

"Goodness, child," the black woman said. "What is this?" She held out her palm to catch some of the sprikles. "Magic?"

Kukuri smiled. "Magic!" She reached out to touch the maid's messy hair. On her head, much to her surprise, there apeared a huge flowered hat. Blue and violet. The Negro laughed, tears flowing from her eyes.

"How beautiful!" she said. "I always wanted a flowered hat." She reached up to touch the thing, amazed at it's concreteness.

The children gasped. The drew closer to the maid their eyes huge, sparkilng with light.

"Nany?" They looked at Kukuri amazed at her trick. She smiled. Duo's mouth hanged open for quite some time. He raised an eyebrow, puzzled by the trick. No way. Has to be some parlor trick. He drew closer to her, looking hard at the stick. Something inside the thing must be spitting those stars. But what? He can see nothing.

Kukuri laughed, sweeping her hands over them. "It's magic, minna san!" A shower of golden flowers fell on the kids. The black maid yelped in glee. She reached foward to catch them. The kid's laughed, trying to eat the raining golden shower. Duo crossed his arms, still not beliving it. He crossed his eyes staring at a small golden flake landing on his nose. Dare desuka, Kukuri san?

Kukuri laughed as she ran through the room, the kids following her, swinging her arms. She produced candy for them, each special, and a flavor none of them had ever had. Duo watcehd her jump on the table, smiling down at them, as she made her stick into a colorful snake, then a hose, then a cane, then a feather. Then, she stretched it out and it became a broom. Duo let out a stupid laugh. He caught himself. The children were laughing uncontrolably. The maid was giggling liek a child. Kukuri tossed the broom at Duo, who gasped and caught it ackwardly.

"You make it into anything you want, Duo chan," She smiled as he stared at the thing wide eyed. The kids were looking at him. He shrugged, and held the thing up, his face red with embarracement. Of course, the thing didn't become anything.

Kukuri laughed, landing next to him. "Here, let me show you." And Kukuri's magic took over them, her eyes shinning beautifully, her smooth hands weaving illusions in the air. The maid felt her tears fall unheaded, her heart touched by the beauty of her desings. The other servants came out of their hiddings to look at the child. Kukuri, wrapped in her spells, didn't see them all too well. She moved around the room, trailing a gift of flowers, and rainbows, of tiny golden elephants, and drops of rain. Her fingers weaved dragons in the air, their flames enveloping the book shelves. Kukuri shone with a strange light, that Duo could not get off his mind. Her eyes sparkling like suns, the gloomyness out side reseding as she made figures in the air.

The pictures dissapeared into darkness adruptly, as the loud scream of a woman pierced the house. Duo rushed to the window, followed by the children. Kukuri stood by him, looking back at the servants who stayed behind.

"Stay away from the window," The Matron's hand shoved Duo back from the window, as she closed the thing. Duo looked up at her, her eyes darkened. Kukuri put a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to face her. She lowered her eyes slightly. He bowed his head understanding her silent words. The Matron ushered the children away from the window, into the parlor. She frowned back at Duo, as the protesting children wailed in fear. The servants helped her take them away. Once she had ushered them away, letting the maids take care of them, she returned to the place where Duo had not moved from. He was angry at her. Kukuri looked at him silently.

"I told you to stay in your room, young man," she said hotly. "What was all that nonsense about?" She turned towards Kukuri, the child drawing away slightly. "Child, what in Heaven's name were you doing? Have you any idea about the suffering going on outside?"

Duo opened his mouth to protest, but Kukuri talked before him. "There is enough pain outside to have even more inside this home." She folded her arms over her chest. The Matron looked at her sadly.

"Are you one of those children that live in some fantasy world to save yourself from cruel reality?"

Duo gave her a furious look. Kukuri smiled with her eyes at him. She faced the Matron evenly. The old woman let out a sigh.

"Don't you belive in magic?" Kukuri said. Duo looked away ashamed. He didn't belive that much either. He looked at the old woman, searching for a sign that revealed her opinion.

"No," the old woman said. "Magic left this colony when the Federation's peaceful terms ended. Young girls like you should not go about encouraging little children who have no real home about magic. It is a dream, just like the end of this abuse is."

"Mama, " But Duo was cut off by The Matron's hands, as she ushered him and the young girl up the stairs to the children's room.

"Stay there, kids," she said her voice dead and tired. "It is way past bedtime, and it doesn't look like this night will ever end." She crossed herself, reverently closing her eyes making a prayer. The sounds of footsoldiers outside mingled with her voice.

"Hai, Mama," Duo said, his head dropping sadly over his chest. Kukuri walked up the stairs before him. She turned around, her braids hitting his face, and took his hand. He gasped, and slimed faitly. He looked back downstairs where The Matron had turned away and returned to her study. Her steps slow, her back hunched. Death walking side by side with her.

"Duo," Kukuri said. "Yamete." He looked at her. "I'll stay with you and make you feel better." He smiled happy that atleast she was happy. It was getting hard for him to smile, as if something inside was dying.

He had leaned back on his arms, looking at the ceiling. She looked down at him. He sighed. The night had droned itself into endless pain. The household had gone to their rooms, and locked themselves inside. The old woman had lockd the door, making the soldiers stay outside in her mind. The world outside quieted down, but inside. Inside it was always dark.

"I used to belive it would be," Duo sighed. "I used to."

Kukuri swinged her legs outside the small window in the room they were in. They had sneaked up to the highest room in the house, what was used as the attick, and sat there overlooking the city. None of them had gotten any sleep, talking about nothing, and letting time pass by.

Kukuri put her face on her hands. Duo smiled softly. "Someday it might. When i'm too old to remember." Kukuri laughed, her croaking sleepy voice echoing in the empty room.

"Someone has to stop those men," Duo said. Kukuri looked at him. His face was serious, dark. "I keep hoping someone will rise up and protest."

"I wonder who that person will be," Kukuri said. She reached out to remove a small cobweb on the window glass. Duo rose up, and stared down at the street. He frowned. The night rain had made huge puddles where the Mobile Suits' huge legs had trampled. Hideously gapping at them.

"I would," he said. Kukuri closed her eyes, a soft smile on her lips. Duo laughed. "If I did it, it would be one hell of a revolt."

Kukuri rested her head on his shoulder, her eyes staying on the street lights, their bright yellow hurting her. "You'd have to be ready to die," she whispered.

Duo smiled grimly down at her, his eyes passionate. "I'd be vicious mercy," he said. "Always ready to die, but i'd like to take as many of those monsters with me." Kukuri lowered her eyes, wishing his melancholy would leave. Wanting to take it away.

Duo picked up a short stick that lay next to the window. He swung it slowly, pocking at the webs on the window. "Kukuri, tell me how you did that magic."

Kukuri smiled, her eyes happy, glad that he had left such thoughs. "You have to belive in magic, Duo. It really is easy. Just let your self go into that world where magic is real. Once there, you are master of illusions."

Duo blushed. "I'm afraid I don't belive in magic, Kuki," he said. He leaned staring down at the city, at the rain drizzling down the roofs. "The reality of this hell home has taken it from me. How can I belive in such things if the world I live in is such missery?"

Kukuri tapped her magic stick on his bare feet softly, its coldness startling him. "Mo, Duo," she said. "No one ever forgets magic."

"I'm an exception then," he said. She shook her head. His eyes grew wide as she leaned over closer to him. Her face was closer now to his own. He wanted to draw away, scared of her, but the wall was in the way. She smiled.

"Remember the magic, Duo Maxwell," And she kissed him. Softly, her lips like flowers on his. He felt his face color. She drew away, blushing. He smiled like a sily boy, his long hair dropping over his eyes. He swallowed hard, hoping she didn't see the way his hands shaked. Kukuri smiled, a small chukle excaping her.

Duo laughed, his eyes almost pink in happyness. He hugged her. Small fragments of light, like butterflies, began to circle in the air. They floated up from the dust on the floor, colored sparkles. Duo smiled, as Kukuri hugged him tighter. The sparkles glowed pink and yellow, almost white. They danced on the window, floating of into the street. Duo watched as they flew over the roof, over the fence, over the Mobile Suit puddles. He smiled, glad to be alive.

"We'd be two," Kukuri said, playing with his braid. He laughed softly, the echoe hitting the walls softly. "Two young heroes for the colony." Duo looked at her.

She looked out into the streets, away at the distance where the colony's dome ceiling rose to encircle itself. "Two crazy heroes," Duo said.

"I'll stand by you, Duo Maxwell," Kukuri said. "I'll fight along with you against them. We will put their injustice to an end." She brushed the end of his braid on her face, smiling.

Duo smiled widely, his hands wrapped behind his head, his legs hanging from the window. "That would be a lot of fun," he said. Kukuri dangled her feet next to his, hitting hers with his playfully. In silence, both children watched the dark sky dome.

He skipped from the green shore to the stone pathway across the river. The water made his feet slide, but he caught himself. He was sure that he remembered the way to her house.

He gripped the small box in his hands tighter. Wouldn't want a wet gift. It was small, but he hoped that she'd like it as the symbol of their true friendship. He smiled as he ran up the hill of trees, headed for her house.

The soldiers had not come. Dawn had met the house in silence and had given it new hope. Kukuri had gone home when her guardian came to pick her at 3:00am. She was happy to go, knowing the house was safe. Duo shook her hand, telling her he'd go visit tomorrow.

Early in the morning, The Matron had removed all the white sheets from the seats, and had returned the statues to their places. The servants made the house look new. It was safe now. Sure, their minds were ready for the next time the soldiers came. There will always be a next time.

Duo rested his hand on a tree. Things will change soon.

He gasped. Something had happened to Kukuri's house. He frowned as he came closer to it.

The outside looked burnt, the walls torn by flames. Dead trees hung from the ceiling, their huge branches hollow. Smoky wind wrestled in the trees, the door fallen on its hinges. It swung from side to side, sadly.

Duo ran inside, his mind in pain. The floor crakled under his boots. He breathed harder, his eyes wide with fear. The house was burnt terribly, each leave dead, each wooden wall black.

"Kukuri!"

No one answered. He came closer to the stairs. "Kukuri!" the house echoed his call. The walls shook with the stress of his cry. Duo ran outside again, his face torn. He looked about the place. There were no tracks, no things that anyone had been there, or left.

He felt his eyes water, his mind screaming softly. Where is she? Did the soldiers take her away? Why? He sunk to his knees, small tears falling over his hands.

"Why?!" He was screaming like a lost child, alone and scared. His voice broken with grief, his hands clawing the earth. "Where are you, Kuki?!"

The forest trees swayed in the wind. No answer. The house stood silent behind him.

The soldiers had taken her and her family. They had made her go, after saying that her house was not to their liking. The Fed Patrol had been searching for rebels, for enemies to the regime, and they had found them.

Duo banged his fists on the floor. Not Kuki. Why her? Not Kuki.

He felt his chest explote, his breath gone. His tears fell down to the floor, his face flushed horribly. He tasted blood on his lips, where he had biten them.

Why? Why was the Lord punishing him like this? He had wanted a friend so bad, a family, a home. He had wanted to be happy, and she had made him remember. He had remembered the magic. Duo sobbed, the trees swaying over him.

He stopped sudenly. Someone had spoken.

"Kuki...?"

He turned his head looking for the source of the voice. He saw no one. He got to his feet, rubbing his nose and his tears away.

He gasped, as he saw her.

She was by the tree, her long braided hair flowing in the breeze. She was smiling, her dress flowing. Duo walked over, his mind still hurting. She smiled. There was a strange light around her, a green glowing.

"Kukuri," He looked at her sadly. "You have to go, don't you?"

Kukuri smiled sadly. He was now standing next to her. She took his hands. "Duo," she said. "My destiny calls me."

Duo grasped her hands rougher. "Please, don't go, Kuki. I am alone here without a father or mother. Without friends.Don't you leave me too."

Kukuri shook her head. "Where I go you cannot follow." He groaned. She pointed to the sky. "Listen to what my magic stones told me,Duo. Beyond that dome, there lies a world where your own destiny awaits."

Duo looked up at the sky. He was crying again. She smiled, her eyes lovely. "Your home and your best friends are out there. You'll meet them, when the time comes."

Duo raised an eyebrow. He didn't understand her words. "Kukuri, what are you saying?"

"Trust in me, Duo." she said. "In the prophesy I have told you. Belive in it, like you belive in magic. There will come a time when you will understand."

Duo nodded. She hugged him, holding him for a long time, not wanting to let go. A soft sob excaped him as she drew away. No, don't go

Kukuri smiled, brushing the tears away. She took the box from his hands. "Yatta! For me, Duo?"

He smiled, his red face cringing with his smile. She tore open the cheap, childish wrap. Her face lighted up. She held up the small collar, the green stones shining in the sun.

"Don't forget me, Kukuri," he said. She pressed it to her face, her tears washing the green stones.

"I will always be with you, Duo. Just like you will be with me, both of us fighting for what we belive."

Duo smiled, the trees sang in the wild breeze. "Kukuri, I-"

She stopped him with a soft kiss. He smiled at her, her lovely eyes shining in the sun, with the stones. His violet eyes pink. He tasted his tears slided into his smiling lips. Her shape dissapeared into green mist.

Duo leaned his back on the tree she had been next to, his eyes staring beyond the sky dome. He smiled, his heart aching. His smile widened as small green and pink sparkles fell from the sky, landing on the grass, on the field before him.