12-Apr-2000
A Fuyuka story
After an hour of terrorizing the ducks at the local lake and seeing if grass could be stomped to death, Fuyuka had flopped down on the ground in her white summer dress, her hat lying on top of her face. Then she quickly went to sleep in the filtered sunlight under the cherry tree.
"I thought she'd never stop running around," said Heero as he sat down next to Duo.
"Oh, you know Fu. She's just recharging. She's solar powered."
Heero narrowed his eyes. For some reason, he'd never been able to break Duo of the habit of shortening their daughter's name, but he let it go... this time. "I don't see what's so fun about running up and down and around a hill, then pelting ducks with rolls of bread. They probably thought she was trying to kill them instead of feed them."
"Oh, Heero, she's just showing her enthusiasm."
"You didn't give her any candy today, did you?"
"No, just some soda."
"That's just as bad."
Duo sighed. "Lets just enjoy this day, all right. Why don't you take a nap while I unpack the picnic basket, OK?"
Heero nodded, then put his hand on top of Duo's and said, "I'm sorry I'm such a grump."
"Go and take a nap. You'll probably be less cranky."
"I'm not Fuyuka."
"No, you're worse."
"Hn." Heero gave him a light punch in the arm, then settled down on the blanket and began to dream.
He was fourteen again, and running, but not because there was anything chasing him. He was running because he was filled with boundless energy and he could do anything he want because there was no mission he had to do today. He was filled with the kind of joy any teenage boy feels when the sun is warm and no demands are made on his time. Perhaps later, he could go and buy something sweet even though Dr. J disapproved of it. Money was no problem, he could always hack into the system to get as much as he needed.
He quickly scaled over the chain link fence with ease, then laid down on the grass and laughed because he felt his heart would burst. Suddenly, he saw two purple eyes looking down at him. Then the smiling nameless girl with the hat said, "You're not lost any more."
He frowned in surprise. That's not what she said before.
"Dad, wake up!"
Heero opened his eyes to see a girl with purple eyes with a hat smiling down at him. A weird feeling of deja vu hit him, but then he noticed the differences as well. Her eyes were much more blue and her hair was a darker brown. She was younger than the girl in his dream, but the smile was the same.
"I made you a flower necklace, see?" Fuyuka said, putting it around his neck like a lei. Then she noticed a tear going down Heero's cheek. "Dad, why are you crying?"
"Because I'm happy."
The End
(:./mk/fym6)
