Disclaimer:  I don't own 'em and I'm not making any money off of them.  The song '99 Red Balloons' belongs to Nena.  It was originally a German, but I like the English version as well.

Warning:  Well, I guess it's PG13 for violence.  No language, no sex (I know, I know, no lemon!).  This could be taken as yaoi, seeing as how that's what I want to view every GW fic, Wiess Kreus fic, and DBZ fic! Oh yeah, and watch out for angst.

Auhoress' notes:  This is a lot of firsts for me- first Gundam Wing fic, first angst fic, and first songfic.  So I want lots of feedback.  I'm writing this at two o'clock in the morning, my writing hour, so if the grammar isn't right then you'll just have to deal with it. 

For those who want to know about The Warrior and the Mutant, I'm having some trouble with it.  I know how I want it to end, but I can't seem to get there.  I'm expecting to have the next chapter (or part of the next chapter) up in a few days.  Be sure to review!  I won't write unless you give me something to snack on!  Flames will be used to burn all copies of Britney Spears cds.  Thank you!

~lyrics~

99 Red Balloons

~You and I in a little toy shop

Buy a bag of balloons with the money we've got

Set them free at the break of dawn

'Til one by one, they were gone~

"Duo!  Stop running around the store."

Sister Helen laughed as a chibi Duo ran from toy to toy, unable to pick just one.

"Are you sure I can't have two?"

He asked holding up a small stuffed bear and a tiny toy car.  His bright violet eyes sparkled with hope as he smiled.

Sister Helen laughed to herself.

"Duo, the church only has enough money for each of you to buy one toy.  I'm sorry Duo, maybe next year you can buy the other one."

Duo looked down, wishing he could have both, but looking around the room at all the other orphans in rags with bright faces as they looked at the toys, he realized it wasn't so bad.  Hey!  If he was lucky maybe they could share.

With this in mind, Duo put the tiny toy care back ont eh shelf and hugged his small brown bear gently.

~Back at base, bugs in the software

Flash the message, "something's put there"

Floating in the summer sky

99 red balloons go by~

"Hey Wufei!  Will you really buy all those balloons for me?" asked Duo satring at a large bundle of red balloons.

"Baka."  Whether this reply came from Wufei or Heero was hard to tell.

Duo went on as though he had heard nothing.

"No one had ever given me a present like that before!  Hell, I've only gotten one present in my whole life!"

The gundam boys sighed.  They could never deny Duo anything, even if it was ridiculous.

"Duo, it's going to be very expensive," told Quatre as he started to reach for his credit card.

"Oh…well, you don't really have to.  It's stupid anyways," said Duo, looking depressed so suddenly.  His eyes cast downward to look at his shoes; A small pebble now fascinating.

"No, no.  It's nothing," smiled Quatre.

~99 red balloons

Floating in the summer sky

Panic bells it's red alert

There's something here from somewhere else~

"Duo are you sure you want them to fly away?" asked Trowa, shading his eyes from the glare of the midday sun.

"Oh, of course!  Come on you guys.  It'll be great!"

The boys each took hold of as many as they could carry then…let go.

Dozens of balloons filled the air, floating higher and higher.  In the middle of war it was good to feel free, and Duo was right.  It was great.

When they returned to their safe house Heero had received a mission.  It would be difficult, and would require all five gundams.  The mission was to blow up Base 6 in the Nevada Territory; a facility known for the manufacturing of newly designed MS.  A suit completely different from those in use- or so they were told.  The boys packed their gear and were on duty in the next 24 hours.

~The war machine springs to life

Opens up one eager eye

Focusing it one the sky

As 99 red balloons go by~

The incessant beeping was all Duo heard as he took yet another hit.

/ Geez! Where are they all coming from?/

His thermal scythe sliced through more and more metal.  His blaster shield deflected more and more fire.  He could hear Deathscythe groan under the intense barrage of bullets jetting this way and that.

/ Come one baby, hold together!/

As is spurred on, Deathscythe's eyes glowed green and it plunged into battle with more ferocity Duo had ever seen.

~99 decision street, 99 ministers meet

To worry, worry, super-scurry

Call the troops out in a hurry~

Une was running frantically around the bridge of her Oz ship.  She yelled at any poor soul who dared cross her path in this heated battle.

Why aren't the mobile suits holding up like they should?  They are designed to stand much more fire, and yet they are being blown down like sheep from wolves!"

No one dared to tell her of the faulty wiring systems designed and put into the Dolls.

~This is what we've waited for

This is it boys, this is war

The president is one the line

As 99 red balloons go by~

"Alright boy this is our chance to show 'em what we're made of!"

Sergeant Latner* rallied his troopes and climbed into his MS cockpit.  He knew his team was up against the best, the gundams.  Howeveer, their orders were to concentrate their attack on only one of the gundams; the gundam they deemed most disabled and to exploit its' weaknesses.  gundam 02 and its' pilot had been taken down before, why not again?

"Alright troops!  Let's head out!"

~99 knights of the air

Ride super-high-tech jet fighters

Everyone's a superhero

Everyone's a Captain Kirk~

Quatre heard a loud beeping coming from his right panel.  As he turned to look his eyes grew impossibly wide.

/ Oh Allah, be merciful./

"Trowa, Duo, Wufei, Heero!"

Heero beeped through on radio, sternly lecturing only to use their assigned number when communicating on an open frequency.

"Never mind that!  Look to the east quadrant of Base 6!"

Heero quickly go rid of his remaining two suits and turned to look toward the east.  He could clearly make out 200 MS suits of a model unknown to him. He knew more were undoubtedly behind them.  He rapidly began calculating his next moves and as he did so he realized this was a battle that needed to be fought on a later date.

/ Outcome of success is questionable, possibly zero.   A strategic recess is needed to access the situation properly.  Objective: Retreat. /

~With orders to identify

To clarify and classify

Scrambling in the summer sky

As 99 red balloons go by~

Duo heard the order to retreat but he couldn't believe it.

/ Heero?  Ordering a retreat?  Well, if he wants to then I'm there!  I've had enough fighting for one day./

He had just destroyed his last suit when he felt it- A hard blow to the back of the right shoulder blade on his gundam.  He swore under his breath as he was thrown to left from the force of the impact.  The safety strap was digging into his arm as he radioed for help.  He surveyed the battlefield.  Heero was already making his way through the suits, preparing to leave.  Quatre was having some difficulty moving the left side of his gundam, but Trowa was there to help him.

/ Well, they all have their hands full so I guess I'll bug Wu-man.  He's closest anyway./

"Hey, 05! *static* …some flies…*static* …won't buzz off.  Need some…*static*…Thanks…*static* …backup…*static* out. "

Just as he finished his call he was violently thrown forward as he took more and more hits.  He reached up to touch his forehead when he felt something hot and thick start running down his face.  When he pulled back, his fingers were coated in blood.

Deathscythe was getting harder and harder to control.  The fire would not let up and he was tossed back and forth in his tiny cockpit.  When one of his safety harnesses broke, he was thrown out of his chair and atop a flashing panel.  He thought he heard Heero's voice, but all was forgotten as he depressed a little red button.

~99 dreams I've had

In everyone a red balloon

It's all over and I'm standing pretty

In this dust that was a city~

Heero had never been to L2.  He had never imagined what Duo's life had been like.  He stood in front of the ruins of Maxwell Church.  The life Duo once had before he became a pilot seemed happier in this place.  Duo always spoke so fondly of it, and so briefly.  Duo always said he was Death.  But Heero knew better.  Wherever he was, Duo was an angel.  A heaven-sent.

~If I could find a souvenir

Just to prove the world was here

And here is a red balloon

I think of you and let it go~

Heero kissed the top of a brilliant red rose and laid it down upon the rubble.  He stared up at the sky.  In the far off distance he could see a small red dot.

A balloon.

/ Duo Maxwell.  We will never forget you./

He walked away in silence, never having learned how to cry.

Well?  What do ya think?  Was it a good first attempt?  Did anyone get my FAKE reference?  Is anyone actually going to answer all these questions?  Please review!