We Are...

Chapter One- Cadets

I held back a smirk as I dodged the foot sent toward my head, my fist swinging with perfect aim and connected with his cheek. My mind and body acted as one, my foot following closely to connect with his cheek. I finally rendered him off balance, if only slightly, and in a fluid movement, he was on his back. Here, in the hidden base, he may be the best thing to send out into the war after he has grown, the scientists molding him into the Perfect Soldier, but I am still the best when it comes to hand-to-hand combat. I flashed him a smirk, triumph rolling off me in waves as I stepped back, letting him get to his feet. The irritation that flowed off of him was so little, but enough for me to be proud.

"Looks like I won, again, Yuy," I shot at him with a grin.

His glare leaves me unaffected as Dr. J walks into the training room, "Good work, 01. You faired a full thirty-seven minutes against 00."

The chocolate-haired boy glared at the older man, "I shouldn't have lost."

"Face it, Yuy, you're lucky to have lasted that long. Most soldiers either wear out in ten minutes of fighting, or loose before then," I snark out, arms crossed over chest.

The dark, Persian blue eyes glare in my direction, "I'm suppose to be perfect. Losing to you of all people means I am weak."

"Oh please, I'm no where close to being the soldier you are. I'm just a better fighter," I snap in annoyance at his underlying self-pity.

"Then why are you here?"

My body froze up. That is a question I can never answer. I glare at the floor as Dr. J informed us both to clean up and be in the conference room in thirty minutes. I could use a shower anyways. I shoot a glare at the fourteen-year-old boy before walking out of the training room. His footsteps followed me as I made my way to the showers. I entered, hearing the steps stop at the door. I wait. I'm not sure what I'm waiting for, but whatever it was, didn't happen as I hear the footsteps walk away.

"Jerk," I snuff out before stepping into the warm waters.

I made it to the Conference room twenty-nine minutes later and sat down in one of the leather seats. I leaned back in the chair just as Dr. J entered, followed by Heero. Heero took the seat across from me as Dr. J sat at the head of the table. I glared at the Perfect Soldier, who sat straight in his chair, no signs of relaxation. This would be harder than I thought. I turned my eyes to Dr. J.

"Tonight is going to be your final test. You both are to infiltrated this base," Dr. J said as he pressed a button on the projector, a 3-D graphical display appeared on the desk. "Inside the base there is information that I need. I want 01 to get to the main frame of the base and download information from a file tagged DstrktvWng01. Meanwhile, 00, I want you to download a file tagged ShdwSldr. Once downloaded, I want you to crash the computer. I want minimal deaths and no trace of either of you. If one is injured and falls behind, the other is to continue. This is your test, so under no circumstances are you to help each other. Mission accepted or declined."

I closed my eyes as I heard Heero mutter, "Mission Accepted."

Ignoring the forboding knot in my stomach, I simply nodded before standing up and leaving the conference hall. I move to my room and strip out of my baggy black cargo pants and tank top. Entering my closet, I quickly slip into my black, full-body lycra body suit and soft souled boots. I strapped on two semi-automatic hand guns to my hips and my muliple holster for my throwing knives around each of my thighs. I slipped on my black arm guards, with hidden daggers, and made sure to attach extra cartridges. I stared at myself in the mirror as I pulled my long black hair into a thick braid, and then pulling the braid into a bun. The bun was held securely by a pencil-thin dagger. Glancing once more in the mirror, my violet eyes peering back coldly, I can't help but sigh inwardly before leaving my room.

We arrived at the base, Heero not even glancing in my direction as we scouted out the entrances. I glared at the back of his head briefly before making my way toward the base, leaving him to watch from the brush. I approached the two guards, feigning innocence as I caught their attention. I looked at them fearfully as they pointed their guns at me, only for them to drop their guard. That one mistake cost them their conscious state as I rendered them unconscious to the ground. I glared in the direction of the bushes before rushing into the base.

Ten minutes of pure stealth, I found myself at the main frame computer. I was already typing when Heero took to the computer beside me, stepping over the unconscious bodies of the base soldiers. I found the file and began downloading it to the disk. I glanced over at Heero to realize he was already downloading. Once done, I pulled out a red disk and slipped it into the computer. The lights flickered off and a red alarm light sounded in the base. I swore under my breath as I followed Heero out of the room.

I cursed as Heero took to the ventilation system, but a bullet that wizzed by my head and hit his leg. I heard a grunt leave him as he pulled himself completely into the vent. I turned and drew out my twin semi-automatics, letting bullets fly. Every bullet hit the mark, the limp cold bodies falling to the ground. I glanced in the vent, noticing a small trail of blood.

"Hey, you!"

I glanced over my shoulder to see a band of soldiers standing at the end of the hall. If I followed Heero up the vent and out of the base, we'd be followed easily back to the base. Of course I could easily outrun Heero, leave him behind, but then I would get no where. I cursed at my prediciment. If I went up the vent Heero would be an easy target. If I didn't I could die.

"Yuy, you better get out of here." I muttered, knowing he would hear the words before I ran off down the hall, my mind set. I moved as quick as my training built me for, dodging bullets and fighting off any soldiers in my way. Daggers flew as I turned down a hall. I may have taken the wrong hall because a round of curses strung from the lips of soldiers behind me as I ran deeper into the base.

"Yuy owes me," I mutter out as I led the soldiers away from Heero's position.

I ran into a room and slammed the door shut behind me. I held my breath as the footsteps of soldiers ran past the room. I let out a sigh and was about to relax when I felt another presense in the room. I wasn't alone. I whirled around, unsheathing the daggers from my armguards, only to freeze at the sight before me.

The small form of a five year old girl sat curled up against the corner of the darkened room. I glanced around me and realized I was in a prison cell. I looked back at the girl before kneeling before her. Her small frame tensed up and my outstretched hand snapped back to my body. I felt the maternal side of my mind soften as I stared at the spooked girl.

"I'm not going to hurt you. Come, I'm getting you out of here."

The small blonde uncurled herself from the curl and I found my arms filled with her small frame. I heard a bang on the door and without a second thought I hugged her tightly to my body before throwing myself out the window. Shards of glass flew as the door opened, gunshots sounding and I hid her body from the onslaught of bullets. I hissed as a bullet pierced my shoulder, my legs shaking from the impact of the ground. Without thinking, I ran toward the wooded area surrounding the base, the small girl in my arms.

I walked down a deserted road and was surprised to find a ranch just a few feet away. I muttered an apology to whoever lived there as I hotwired their motorcycle and sped off, the small girl seated in front of me. I made my way to the base and to my room, lying the child on the bed, her green eyes closed as she slept. I was jerked back to reality and left the room.

"So she never made it out of the base?" Dr. J's voice sounded from the conference room.

I growled and shoved the door open, "So am I considered dead?"

Both Dr. J and Heero glanced up, surprise briefly flickering in Heero's blue eyes as I leaned against the doorway. I pulled the disk out of one of my pockets and tossed it to Dr. J. The man asked for a report from me and I sighed closing my eyes.

"Well, I couldn't follow Heero, simply because the onslaught was too strong, so I booked it. I soon found myself to a prison cell, where I found a five-year-old girl and I did what would be expected of me," I said, my eyes closed as my body slowly succumbed to the pain of my shoulder.

"So you killed the little girl?" Dr. J said with surprise.

I felt my lips pull into a frown, "Well, that would be expected of the Perfect Soldier. I'm a thirteen-year-old girl, who actually has some humanity left in her mind. So no, I didn't kill the girl. She's asleep in my room. She was pretty much sleeping the whole time. Malnutrition I'm sure."

I knew what would come next when Dr. J told Heero to leave us. I didn't open my eyes until the Perfect Soldier was gone, my eyes glaring at Dr. J. He opened his mouth and I knew what he said, without having to hear it. I sighed at his decision, but it was probably for the best. I nodded to the old man and bid him good-bye before making my way to my room.

With my things packed and the small girl standing next to me, her small hand tightly grasping my own, I sighed. I stared at the reflection in the glass, my braid loose from the bun, my violet eyes peering back at me. I sighed again before turning to walk off.

"You're leaving."

The monotoned voice said it so much like a statement, that there was no point in answering, "I broke the rules, Yuy. I allowed someone to see me, and let them live."

"You didn't tell Dr. J the truth about the mission."

I glanced back at him, his eyes boring into mine. I nodded, "This operation is too important to you. I'm sure you would've done the same for me."

Heero stared, his silence giving me time to study him for once, without thinking of him as a fellow cadet. I'm sure he will be handsome when he's older. His cold, but beautiful eyes held so little, but held everything at the same time. For the first time, in a long time, I smiled at him. Just a small, soft smile. I didn't realize I would miss him. Sparring with him. Training. Fighting. Healing. I'd miss his curtness and blunt responses.

"I'll miss you, Yuy. Try not to lose yourself while I'm gone."

"Mission Accepted."

I smiled again, feeling a burning sensation behind my eyes. I leaned forward and kissed the fourteen-year-old boy's cheek. Acting as if I don't notice the faltering mask on his face, I nod curtly before walking toward the shuttle pad. As I climbed aboard the shuttle, the small girl at my side, I knew I couldn't look back. I knew, if I risked glancing over my shoulder, I'd be lost. So, I took my assigned seat and let out a sigh as I left my heart behind in the hands of the Perfect Soldier.