Disclaimers: Don't own any part of Gundam Wing nor its characters. Merely borrowing them for a little torture.

Warnings: Shounen-ai 6x2, other het pairings, possible mpreg but very minor, angst??

Notes: Yup, I'm back. There is just this little story left that I had in my hard drive which I refused to complete. I shall try now. Beta'ed by Annie Maxwell. Thank very much hon.

Faith Has Its Reasons

Prologue

Vincent stared at the birth log in sorrow.

Five births in ten years, two of which were stillborn.

It was a sad day for the Ai'mendre, the Wish Seekers.

"People are losing hope," a deep voice jolted him from his reverie.

Vincent swung around, bowing to acknowledge the new arrival. "Elder Masith."

The Elder of the Wish Seekers took the birth log from his hands. "Our people are dying, a testament of the dying faith of Man."

"There is just too much strife and violence these days. It's no wonder the people are losing their faith in something so simple as a prayer or a heartfelt wish."

The Elder nodded. "Soon, we shall disappear from the Earth, and Man will truly be on their own."

Vincent sighed sorrowfully. The Wish Seekers were a race of people older than mankind itself but it was Man and their awakening consciousness that brought about the actual existence of the Ai'mendre. In the past, Man clung to hope and faith so hard that the Wish Seekers, once nothing more than insubstantial magic took on a corporeal body. They grew in tandem with the growth of Man throughout time. With the advent of war, strife, science and technology, faith started to wane and Man believed themselves to be all powerful.

Without Man's faith, the Wish Seekers' magic slowly waned, for it wasn't in Man to hope for something so hard they believed it would transcend reality.

"But there is still hope," Elder Masith rested a hand companionably on the young Wish Seeker's shoulder. "Your son."

At the mention of Vincent's two and a half year old mischievous son, a smile broke over his face. His birth had been completely unexpected, making Darien the youngest member of their race. From the day he was born, Darien was a complete replica of his mother, having almost no physical resemblance to his father. He had his mother's impossibly violet coloured eyes and the most glorious head of golden brown hair. He also had his mother's way of wrinkling his pert little nose in distaste and her bright sunny smile when she was happy. He also had the most inexhaustible energy which was quite normal for a child his age, but for this, Vincent was blamed. He found it completely unfair that all blame was placed on him in that respect. Apparently, all good traits made Darien his mother's baby boy, but when the boy started screaming and running around like a chicken with his head cut off, he was suddenly Vincent's son. Sure, Vincent himself was an almost hyperactive toddler, but that was years ago.

"He's a hellion," Vincent said, resigned but his joy for his small son was clear in his expression.

"And we all love him," the Elder said, an indulgent expression on his face. Children were so rare and precious amongst their society that every single one was treasured and spoiled within an inch of their lives. "However, his magic will be manifesting itself soon," Elder Masith warned. "Have you been teaching him our Rules?"

Vincent frowned in worry, nodding his agreement at the same time. The time when a child's magic started to form was a dangerous one. They were too young to control it and might be swept along with the particular strong wish – even one that they should not fulfill. There were four rules that govern Wish Seeker magic and they must be followed or else risk exile or even death. Wish Seekers were able to grant any wish, no matter how trivial but they also learned to ability to ignore some. However, a child would not have mastered that ability.

The Rules were set in place to ensure that no Wish Seeker can go about destroying what was supposed to be.

All wishes must be made from the heart.

Wishes that defy nature shall not be fulfilled.

Wishes that defy death shall not be fulfilled.

Wishes that defy life shall not be fulfilled.

Every single Wish Seeker would be able to recite those four rules that made up their entire lives. They were vital to their existence.

Both Ai'mendre shuddered violently as their magic was called forth by what appeared to be the wish of hundreds. Vincent clamped down on the awakening power forcefully, his teeth grinding painfully. It was hard to resist such instincts but they had to be done. The wish, though heartfelt, cannot be fulfilled. It was one to end the violence that would soon lead to a full-blown war. It was too big a wish, too general and there was nothing any Wish Seeker could do. To end it might very lead them to end the lives of those leading in the atrocities and that was something they couldn't do.

"A war will start soon," Elder Masith predicted.

Vincent nodded. "Yes, it will. And I don't think we can stop it."

"We cannot." It was a warning to all. The Wish Seekers now may try to stop the war by human means but if magical means were employed, there would be retribution by the council of Elders. "We must not."

"Vincent!"

The younger Wish Seeker swung around at the sound of his wife's panicked cry. Talia burst into the room, terrified. She ran towards him, grabbing him by his arms and started pulling him towards the door.

"Come, please come. I don't know where he is, I don't where what happened. He disappeared, he just disappeared!"

"Who?" Vincent resisted, holding onto his wife. He felt dread build slowly in him. Somehow he knew…

"Darien!" Talia screamed. "That last wave of magic, he felt it and he disappeared!"

XXxxXX

Duo Maxwell was someone with no past, no family; or at least none that he could remember. While everyone else had someone after the war to be with, to treasure; Duo remained steadfastly alone. Deep within, he knew that he belonged somewhere, but he couldn't for the life of him remember. Perhaps he wanted to believe so badly that he had a family out there, somewhere.

He couldn't even count the number of times he wished so hard that he would find his parents, or perhaps know who they were, but it was always for naught.

Then again, he was too old to believe in wishes.

Tbc…