I don't own Gundam Wing's characters. So don't sue me. Enjoy a little tale of reflection.
Gundam Wing: Raptures of Paradise
Chapter 1----------Stargazer
By Sailor Celaeno
It had been three months since Mariemaia Khushrenada had been defeated and adopted by Lady Une. Our heroes had slowly rebuilt their lives. Most of them had joined the Preventers, an agency dedicated to preventing the future devastation of war. The few exceptions were Relena, Heero, Dorothy Catalonia, and Catherine Bloom. Relena continued on to become Vice Minister and Ambassador/liaison between Earth and the colonies. Heero was nowhere to be found. Dorothy tried to move on with her life. Catherine continued working in the circus.
Moving on in life would be a difficult journey. There were no guarantees of an easy road ahead. They couldn't see the danger ahead.
Lurking in the darkness of outer space, there were a pair of eyes that stared hypnotically to the silent void. The sparkle of joy had long since vanished and her heart was cold and dark. Voices echoed in her mind. "When will those voices ever shut up?" she held her hands against her temples.
She walked towards a mirror in the living room of her colony house. She stared at her shapely figure. Her dark hair was in a braid and she stared at her tanned skin. Suddenly, the reflection warped into another image. The face looking back at her was a pale skinned woman with cat-like eyes that glared back at her with a twisted, sinister smirk. "What is the matter Avatar?"
"I hear those voices in my head again," Avatar groaned.
"Well, you have failed me again! As long as you have not succeeded in my plans, those voices will stay within your head!" shouted the evil reflection.
"But Lady Tempest..." she began.
"Silence!" commanded Tempest has she held up her hand. After she calmed down, she spoke in a more serene voice. "Would you like me to take those voices away?"
"Yes, mistress." Avatar kneeled humbly. "I beg of you."
"Very well." A red light glowed from Tempest's hand through the mirror. Avatar was enveloped with the garnet light and relief was on her face.
"I am eternally grateful to you."
"The time shall come soon when I shall be released into this universe and no one will stop me. And you will gain more power than you could have dreamed. All of your enemies will be crushed as painfully as you could desire. And I..." cooed Tempest, "...I shall be empress of this pathetic universe." She cackled heartily.
"But how can I release you, ethereal one." Avatar bowed.
"As you well know, I feed off of the anger and emotional energy of other beings. You will provide me with the energy I need."
"I have given you so much already. How much more will you need?"
"A great deal more than you can possibly imagine. I need such power that will be difficult to obtain, but it CAN be done."
"I will triple my efforts," bowed Avatar. The image disappeared and Avatar's image reappeared. She turned towards the window to stare at the stars. She soon saw the Earth in the view. That blue and green orb that floated in space along with the other giant bodies. Filled with so many other living beings on that large planet. She glared with her eyes that glowed red with evil. "I will destroy you all."
Noin and Zechs shared an apartment together. Noin stared into the night sky and searched thoughtfully. Zechs walked around behind and gently kissed the back of her neck. He wrapped arms around her waist and sighed into the back of her shoulder. He looked at her and said, "Lucrezia?"
"Yes?" She said without even turning to face him.
"You have something on your mind?"
There was silence as she thought about how to respond. "I have a lot of things on my mind."
"You worried about the wedding?"
"Oh course." She gently twisted her diamond engagement ring set in white gold. "I have a lot to think about. After all, we're having it next month."
"I know you very well Lucrezia. You have something else on your mind." He walked in front of her. "What's bothering you?"
She was reluctant to look at his face. 'Wonder how you're going to react.'
He held her shoulders firmly. "Please. If something is really bothering you, then say it. There should be no secrets between us."
She glanced up into his face. "Alright. It's just that, well... I think I should see my doctor."
He started getting a little worried. "Why? Are you sick?"
"No..." she started getting a little nervous. "I... well... remember when you proposed last week and we... made love all night?" she said slowly.
He had a grin on his face. "Yes I..." suddenly he finally added two and two together. "You mean... you're..."
"I bought a home pregnancy kit... and..."
"And what?" he asked anxiously.
"Well, I'm going to the doctor on Wednesday to be 100% sure. But the test said it's positive." A funny look spread across Zech's face. "Milliardo?" Noin started calling him by his real name.
"A baby?" He gave her a deep, passionate kiss. "Do you think you're ready for this?"
"Well, it seems I don't have much of a choice do I?" Noin smirked a little.
"I'm sorry I did this to you."
Noin looked at him reassuringly and hugged him tightly. "No. No. Don't think that." She buried her face into his strong chest. "I'm glad actually. I'm glad that it's yours. It's a part of you and me. That will never change."
"No, it won't." They stared at each other and enjoyed another loving embrace.
"Hm."
"What?"
"Poor Relena. We already shocked her with our engagement. We're gonna give her a heart attack when she finds out she's going to be an aunt so soon," Noin laughed.
"I guess so." And the two lovebirds stared into the starry night sky. The warmth of the evening was blowing on their skin in an endless sea of bliss and hope. Waiting for a new generation to be born into an uncertain world.
She stared into the night sky and saw the brilliant stars. "Where can you be now, Heero?" she asked those shining stars. Her fingers lightly touched the smooth glass of the window. Always wondering about the pilot of Wing Zero. She never forgot him. Heero Yuy. He had disappeared for the last three months. That name echoed in her mind as she sat at her desk. Miss Relena Peacecraft Darlian. Vice Minister.
She sat quietly gazing at those stars and longed to see Him again. Her tears for him had been shed long ago, but she never did again. Not for him. "Where ever you are, I will wait. I will wait, Heero."
"Miss Darlian?" knocked a woman at the door.
"Yes, Miss Eddy?"
"You have a visitor. A young lady..."
"Send her in." Relena longed for some company to make her forget her melancholy reflections. She was even more surprised to see who her visitor was.........
"Dorothy Catalonia..." Relena said as she stood up to greet her unexpected guest.
"Hello, Miss Relena." There was a great change in Dorothy. She had a gentleness that was surrounding her being. Such peacefulness followed her as Relena closed the office door.
"I didn't expect to see you here. Dorothy," replied Relena.
"I'm sure you didn't. I didn't expect to be here, but I find myself drawn here. I wanted to see you," Dorothy said as demurely as could be imagined. Relena couldn't believe the young woman sitting opposite her was the same woman who had a code of war and conflict so deeply imbedded into her consciousness. The ruthlessness of Dorothy Catalonia of the Eve Wars was like poison to the heart of any pacifist.
"I must confess I didn't expect to see you again."
"I know, Miss Relena. I see that you have been doing well for yourself. You are a famous negotiator throughout the Earth and all her colonies. I am glad to see that your values still hold true."
"I see that you are well yourself. You have become a business woman I heard," replied Relena.
"Yes, I must confess that after the Eve Wars ended, I felt a little out of place. That is... until I heard about the new scientific research founded by the Pleiades Coalition. I read up on their work to explore the universe by producing supercomputers and intergalactic probes. I was fascinated and saw that humanity would benefit greatly with the expansion of outer space. So I invested some of Grandfather's money to the Coalition."
"Impressive Dorothy. I have heard of their work, although I'm not too familiar with its inner dealings."
"Well, perhaps, I can show you around, if you ever leave Earth to the Pluto Research facility. The best research facility they have is there and I consequently have become a member of their board of Trustees," said Dorothy.
"Perhaps, some day soon. I'm curious why you are here."
"I have thought about this meeting for quite some time..." Dorothy said calmly and thoughtfully of her words. She clearly planned to see Relena for quite sometime. "I don't know where to begin now. I have never been quite certain of what to do when I did see you," Dorothy said sadly.
"Well, what ever it is, you can just say it. I won't judge you in any way. Just say what you feel. There is no need for formalities or rhetoric. We are two women, equal and no status separating us."
"Alright. You are correct Miss Relena. Being a diplomat has certainly made you see the pointlessness of grand speeches. You must hear them all the time," smiled Dorothy.
"Yes. That is true." Relena smiled as she thought of the over winded speech made by Senator Depaucho at the conference last week.
"Well, then I will simply say it. I came here to ask for your forgiveness."
"My forgiveness? For what Dorothy?" asked Relena.
"I had seen your work as a princess of the Sanc kingdom. You were a born leader, a true symbol of peace and hope for the future. Meanwhile I was doing what I could to undermine you. Spying for grandfather, and being a harsh critic. I was a fool, because deep inside my heart, I knew that you were right. I had seen my grandfather's way of thinking for so long, I had forgotten how beautiful peace could be. I see that in your own way, you were trying to make me see that. I wish to apologize for my cruelty, and to thank you for your kindness..." Dorothy began crying. They were not forced, or false. But they were real warm tears of truth and honesty. Relena could not doubt their sincerity.
"I don't know what to say..." Relena said in politely, though clearly stunned at the revelation brought by Dorothy.
"Then say, you accept my humblest apologies." Dorothy wiped the tears from her eyes, and looked at Relena with desire of hope.
"Of course Dorothy. How could I ever refuse?" said Relena.
"Thank you." Dorothy curtsied. "I must leave now. I have an appointment to Pluto in three hours. I must hurry for the transport plane. I hope to see you again, Miss Relena."
"Good-bye, Dorothy." Dorothy nodded and left the room.
Relena was very much surprised by the appearance of Dorothy Catalonia. "She really has changed. But I wonder still, who changed her so much. As much as I would like the credit, I know I couldn't have been the one. Someone else got through to her. Someone made her see peace. After all she thanked me for my kindness, not for changing her. I wonder..." Relena turned to stare at the starry sky. "Heero... maybe you might have known."
She didn't see that outside of her office window, there was a figure in the shadow of the building watching her. Looking at her face, staring into the starry sky...
Gundam Wing: Raptures of Paradise
Chapter 1----------Stargazer
By Sailor Celaeno
It had been three months since Mariemaia Khushrenada had been defeated and adopted by Lady Une. Our heroes had slowly rebuilt their lives. Most of them had joined the Preventers, an agency dedicated to preventing the future devastation of war. The few exceptions were Relena, Heero, Dorothy Catalonia, and Catherine Bloom. Relena continued on to become Vice Minister and Ambassador/liaison between Earth and the colonies. Heero was nowhere to be found. Dorothy tried to move on with her life. Catherine continued working in the circus.
Moving on in life would be a difficult journey. There were no guarantees of an easy road ahead. They couldn't see the danger ahead.
Lurking in the darkness of outer space, there were a pair of eyes that stared hypnotically to the silent void. The sparkle of joy had long since vanished and her heart was cold and dark. Voices echoed in her mind. "When will those voices ever shut up?" she held her hands against her temples.
She walked towards a mirror in the living room of her colony house. She stared at her shapely figure. Her dark hair was in a braid and she stared at her tanned skin. Suddenly, the reflection warped into another image. The face looking back at her was a pale skinned woman with cat-like eyes that glared back at her with a twisted, sinister smirk. "What is the matter Avatar?"
"I hear those voices in my head again," Avatar groaned.
"Well, you have failed me again! As long as you have not succeeded in my plans, those voices will stay within your head!" shouted the evil reflection.
"But Lady Tempest..." she began.
"Silence!" commanded Tempest has she held up her hand. After she calmed down, she spoke in a more serene voice. "Would you like me to take those voices away?"
"Yes, mistress." Avatar kneeled humbly. "I beg of you."
"Very well." A red light glowed from Tempest's hand through the mirror. Avatar was enveloped with the garnet light and relief was on her face.
"I am eternally grateful to you."
"The time shall come soon when I shall be released into this universe and no one will stop me. And you will gain more power than you could have dreamed. All of your enemies will be crushed as painfully as you could desire. And I..." cooed Tempest, "...I shall be empress of this pathetic universe." She cackled heartily.
"But how can I release you, ethereal one." Avatar bowed.
"As you well know, I feed off of the anger and emotional energy of other beings. You will provide me with the energy I need."
"I have given you so much already. How much more will you need?"
"A great deal more than you can possibly imagine. I need such power that will be difficult to obtain, but it CAN be done."
"I will triple my efforts," bowed Avatar. The image disappeared and Avatar's image reappeared. She turned towards the window to stare at the stars. She soon saw the Earth in the view. That blue and green orb that floated in space along with the other giant bodies. Filled with so many other living beings on that large planet. She glared with her eyes that glowed red with evil. "I will destroy you all."
Noin and Zechs shared an apartment together. Noin stared into the night sky and searched thoughtfully. Zechs walked around behind and gently kissed the back of her neck. He wrapped arms around her waist and sighed into the back of her shoulder. He looked at her and said, "Lucrezia?"
"Yes?" She said without even turning to face him.
"You have something on your mind?"
There was silence as she thought about how to respond. "I have a lot of things on my mind."
"You worried about the wedding?"
"Oh course." She gently twisted her diamond engagement ring set in white gold. "I have a lot to think about. After all, we're having it next month."
"I know you very well Lucrezia. You have something else on your mind." He walked in front of her. "What's bothering you?"
She was reluctant to look at his face. 'Wonder how you're going to react.'
He held her shoulders firmly. "Please. If something is really bothering you, then say it. There should be no secrets between us."
She glanced up into his face. "Alright. It's just that, well... I think I should see my doctor."
He started getting a little worried. "Why? Are you sick?"
"No..." she started getting a little nervous. "I... well... remember when you proposed last week and we... made love all night?" she said slowly.
He had a grin on his face. "Yes I..." suddenly he finally added two and two together. "You mean... you're..."
"I bought a home pregnancy kit... and..."
"And what?" he asked anxiously.
"Well, I'm going to the doctor on Wednesday to be 100% sure. But the test said it's positive." A funny look spread across Zech's face. "Milliardo?" Noin started calling him by his real name.
"A baby?" He gave her a deep, passionate kiss. "Do you think you're ready for this?"
"Well, it seems I don't have much of a choice do I?" Noin smirked a little.
"I'm sorry I did this to you."
Noin looked at him reassuringly and hugged him tightly. "No. No. Don't think that." She buried her face into his strong chest. "I'm glad actually. I'm glad that it's yours. It's a part of you and me. That will never change."
"No, it won't." They stared at each other and enjoyed another loving embrace.
"Hm."
"What?"
"Poor Relena. We already shocked her with our engagement. We're gonna give her a heart attack when she finds out she's going to be an aunt so soon," Noin laughed.
"I guess so." And the two lovebirds stared into the starry night sky. The warmth of the evening was blowing on their skin in an endless sea of bliss and hope. Waiting for a new generation to be born into an uncertain world.
She stared into the night sky and saw the brilliant stars. "Where can you be now, Heero?" she asked those shining stars. Her fingers lightly touched the smooth glass of the window. Always wondering about the pilot of Wing Zero. She never forgot him. Heero Yuy. He had disappeared for the last three months. That name echoed in her mind as she sat at her desk. Miss Relena Peacecraft Darlian. Vice Minister.
She sat quietly gazing at those stars and longed to see Him again. Her tears for him had been shed long ago, but she never did again. Not for him. "Where ever you are, I will wait. I will wait, Heero."
"Miss Darlian?" knocked a woman at the door.
"Yes, Miss Eddy?"
"You have a visitor. A young lady..."
"Send her in." Relena longed for some company to make her forget her melancholy reflections. She was even more surprised to see who her visitor was.........
"Dorothy Catalonia..." Relena said as she stood up to greet her unexpected guest.
"Hello, Miss Relena." There was a great change in Dorothy. She had a gentleness that was surrounding her being. Such peacefulness followed her as Relena closed the office door.
"I didn't expect to see you here. Dorothy," replied Relena.
"I'm sure you didn't. I didn't expect to be here, but I find myself drawn here. I wanted to see you," Dorothy said as demurely as could be imagined. Relena couldn't believe the young woman sitting opposite her was the same woman who had a code of war and conflict so deeply imbedded into her consciousness. The ruthlessness of Dorothy Catalonia of the Eve Wars was like poison to the heart of any pacifist.
"I must confess I didn't expect to see you again."
"I know, Miss Relena. I see that you have been doing well for yourself. You are a famous negotiator throughout the Earth and all her colonies. I am glad to see that your values still hold true."
"I see that you are well yourself. You have become a business woman I heard," replied Relena.
"Yes, I must confess that after the Eve Wars ended, I felt a little out of place. That is... until I heard about the new scientific research founded by the Pleiades Coalition. I read up on their work to explore the universe by producing supercomputers and intergalactic probes. I was fascinated and saw that humanity would benefit greatly with the expansion of outer space. So I invested some of Grandfather's money to the Coalition."
"Impressive Dorothy. I have heard of their work, although I'm not too familiar with its inner dealings."
"Well, perhaps, I can show you around, if you ever leave Earth to the Pluto Research facility. The best research facility they have is there and I consequently have become a member of their board of Trustees," said Dorothy.
"Perhaps, some day soon. I'm curious why you are here."
"I have thought about this meeting for quite some time..." Dorothy said calmly and thoughtfully of her words. She clearly planned to see Relena for quite sometime. "I don't know where to begin now. I have never been quite certain of what to do when I did see you," Dorothy said sadly.
"Well, what ever it is, you can just say it. I won't judge you in any way. Just say what you feel. There is no need for formalities or rhetoric. We are two women, equal and no status separating us."
"Alright. You are correct Miss Relena. Being a diplomat has certainly made you see the pointlessness of grand speeches. You must hear them all the time," smiled Dorothy.
"Yes. That is true." Relena smiled as she thought of the over winded speech made by Senator Depaucho at the conference last week.
"Well, then I will simply say it. I came here to ask for your forgiveness."
"My forgiveness? For what Dorothy?" asked Relena.
"I had seen your work as a princess of the Sanc kingdom. You were a born leader, a true symbol of peace and hope for the future. Meanwhile I was doing what I could to undermine you. Spying for grandfather, and being a harsh critic. I was a fool, because deep inside my heart, I knew that you were right. I had seen my grandfather's way of thinking for so long, I had forgotten how beautiful peace could be. I see that in your own way, you were trying to make me see that. I wish to apologize for my cruelty, and to thank you for your kindness..." Dorothy began crying. They were not forced, or false. But they were real warm tears of truth and honesty. Relena could not doubt their sincerity.
"I don't know what to say..." Relena said in politely, though clearly stunned at the revelation brought by Dorothy.
"Then say, you accept my humblest apologies." Dorothy wiped the tears from her eyes, and looked at Relena with desire of hope.
"Of course Dorothy. How could I ever refuse?" said Relena.
"Thank you." Dorothy curtsied. "I must leave now. I have an appointment to Pluto in three hours. I must hurry for the transport plane. I hope to see you again, Miss Relena."
"Good-bye, Dorothy." Dorothy nodded and left the room.
Relena was very much surprised by the appearance of Dorothy Catalonia. "She really has changed. But I wonder still, who changed her so much. As much as I would like the credit, I know I couldn't have been the one. Someone else got through to her. Someone made her see peace. After all she thanked me for my kindness, not for changing her. I wonder..." Relena turned to stare at the starry sky. "Heero... maybe you might have known."
She didn't see that outside of her office window, there was a figure in the shadow of the building watching her. Looking at her face, staring into the starry sky...