KeyQuis: A quick two-part series inspired from a gift I got from a friend. T'was a GW Cell with an image that I never saw before. It had Relena wearing a night gown, with her holding the infamous teddy in her hands. The title of the cell was 'A Treasure.' At that moment, I knew it was inevitable that I was going to end up writing something. Enjoy.
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Her Treasure
Relena lay on her bed, weary after a holiday's work. Christmas for her meant an early exit out of the office and more hours of rest at home. It was on such a day that she could clear her mind of paperwork and focus on the feelings in her heart and make resolutions for the new year. As she held the teddy in her hands, she knew she could not ask for more from him. It wasn't a Christmas present that waited patiently underneath the ornamented tree. It was a birthday present that waited on her seat on her first spacecraft flight as Vice Foreign Minister. That was several years ago and the day seemed like it was just a dream.
Sometimes she asked herself whether or not any of it had been real. The shooting star, the mysterious young man, her father's death, the death threats, the gundams, her long lost brother, her coronation as Queen, the war and this peace. Memories faded with time leaving only traces of emotions in the heart as proof of existence.
She gave her teddy bear a gentle squeeze and felt its fake fur with her thumbs. The fur was no longer tidy and soft and the red ribbon around its neck seemed to have lost its original shine. She stared at it some more, wondering when it began its tattered condition. She smiled as she caressed it. The remarks from others when they entered her office were always the same. Her teddy was the first object of attention for newcomers.
"My, what a cute little fellow here."
"Ah, I see the Vice Foreign Minister is fond of teddy bears."
"Was this a gift from someone?"
"I shall remember a gift of a stuffed animal for our next acquaintance, should I have the honour of visiting again."
Her reply was simple. "It was a birthday present from someone very important to me." She would politely shake her head as a refusal to give details about the sender. Hardly anyone other than the media pressed on for the history of the teddy bear. It was only out of curiosity that they asked. Was the answer going to be important to anyone other than herself?
To others, it was probably a keepsake item. To her, it was a reminder of everything precious in her life, the preservation and prosperity of peace…and the one who changed her life. She could never forget him. Her visual memory of his face faded after being years apart, but she knew she would recognize him from his eyes from anywhere if they should ever meet again. She cuddled her teddy close to her chest, making it feel the warmth of her body. There had been times in the past when she wished to feel the warmth of his body in an embrace, but their encounters were all of fleeting moments.
He had countlessly left
her for the battlefield's calling.
He left her with glimpses of
his hidden heart.
He left her with a few sentences that spoke
everything he needed to say.
He left her with a hope for his
safe return.
He left with a promise
to protect her.
He left her with bittersweet memories.
Those were her thoughts after their departure in AC197. She had wanted him to stay, but he had left without even saying good bye. She remembered crying herself to sleep, while clutching her teddy to her chest.
Heero Yuy had left her with a broken heart.
She had gotten over it quicker than expected. After all, she couldn't let her personal life affect her political position. She had harshly wiped her tears and diverted focus back to the needs of the colonies. Billions of people entrusted their future to her – a responsibility she would complete. It was a mission she needed to complete.
The teddy bear accompanying her in the desolate office was proof of his existence. On odd occasions, Lady Une would subtly mention an undercover mission for her protection in the upcoming colonial visits. She never dared ask if Heero was involved, knowing it would only unlock memories kept secured in her heart. She would be strong and show her determination to make a successful visit.
Tonight, she unlocked her heart to herself. She loved and continued to love him. The teddy bear was proof of his love, though she had only discovered it just a few days ago. She had been idling in her office and absentmindedly pulled the red ribbon off her companion's neck. Carefully scribbled on a section of it were a few words. The ink had faded, but she could still read his message. At that moment, she wished nothing more for herself this Christmas. Nothing could compare to his words. Relena dwelled in her thoughts, letting her emotions embrace her to sleep.
I don't know where he is or what he's doing.
I know that my heart desires too much.
What I really want is something I can't hold
in my hand.
I'm more than grateful…even indebited.
I already have more than enough.
I already know what's precious to me…what's
most irreplaceable to me.
I don't need what money can buy this
Christmas.
I don't need presents from anyone.
I already found my eternal treasure.
Heero, you are my treasure.
It'll be so much simpler now.
…I believe that if people find what's most
precious to them…peace will be maintained
…because war takes away what's most
precious…our treasures….
…people are treasures to each other
…am I wrong, Heero?
I'm certain that we were created into this
world to change each other.
Heero, you are my treasure because there's no
one else I want to cherish more than you.
There's no one else who can replace all that
you've done for me.
There's no one else who protects me because
of love.
There's no one else I'd rather be killed
by.
There's no one else I trust and believe in
more than you.
You're not here by my side…
But it doesn't matter because you don't
need to be.
I've passed much time without you.
Things have changed.
And I guess I'll continue as it is.
With you as a treasure meant for me.
My most precious person…
The teddy bear lay still, with its owner resting her face on its stuffed body. Its fur slowly absorbed her tears of joy and grief. If perchance someone caught a glimpse of the sleeping princess, they would see a mere teddy bear kissing her forehead, acting in place of the knight who she dreamed of.
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Author's Notes: For me, the definitions of words are unique to the user. Simply meaning, words will mean differently between all of us. A question I've been asking recently is: "What is important to you?" and "What is precious to you?" My brother replied, "What's the difference?". For me, important defines something generic. I.e., school, family and friends are important in life. And precious? For me, it hints at something unique, having significant importance only to me. I.e., the friend whom you can entrust all secrets and feelings to; that friend is of no significant importance to the John Smith living down the street. Money is 'important' (well, this can be argued), but it's not precious (this can be argued too for some people…).
Debates are won and lost based on subtle differences in a word's meaning. In my written piece, a treasure was defined as something of irreplaceable value. For Relena, memories and a human life cannot be replaced or bought. Heero's existence could never be bought, thus making him precious to her. Knowing that she met and love someone like him is very important to her (and not to the politician sitting in the next seat). The capacity to treasure him was overwhelmingly comforting and for her, that was enough. Well, if Heero were with her, she'd be able to treasure him even more.
My Christmas wasn't grandiose. I spent my time playing video games with my brothers and cousins. Time with each other is our present to each other. Since I'll be leaving home in 2 weeks for an international internship, I need to treasure the good times I have with my family…in case the worst should happen and I won't be able to reunite with any of them. Abnormal weather activities do claim lives in coastal areas.
Part 2: His Treasure. I will write a respective POV of a treasure in Heero's heart.