Mission One
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Sequel to The Perfect Soldier
A Gundam Wing Fan Fiction
Recorded for Posterity by The Manwell
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And now, a few friendly words from the author...
Greetings, all. Welcome to my little corner of Anime Land. Before your quest beings, there are some things that should be said.
First, do to a decided lack of space for an adequate summary, I shall take the opportunity to tell you a bit more about the tale you are considering before you actually wade through it. Mission One is a story about the things the five former gundam pilots come to treasure in their lives. The things they live for and, eventually, must fight to protect. The categories chosen for this story (Drama/Humor) are accurate. There is some action, a fair smattering of angst, and a moment or two of lust but the story is primarily a drama. So do not complain about the lack of bullets pinging about.
Second, this story contains original characters. Why? Well, because none of us go through life in a vacuum. Eventually, we meet new people who change our lives in unique ways. This is no exception for the G-boys. But don't worry; this show is definitely about Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell, Trowa Barton, Quatre Reberba Winner, and Wufei Chang.
Third, this story is rated PG-13 for a REASON... well, actually, several reasons: language, sexual innuendos, nudity, violence, and homosexuality. But don't worry; it's all very tastefully done (I promise). While I am quite capable of writing smut, I chose not to do so in this instance. (But if you enjoy a bit of good smut just as much as the next person, feel free to make a request because you never know... Does the phrase "side story" mean anything to anyone?)
Fourth, I am gaining nothing from writing this fiction except (reviewers willing) a nice ego boost. All standard disclaimers apply: the Gundam Wing characters belong to their respective owners, just as the original characters are mine, mine, mine, all mine.
There, now that we've cleared some things up a bit, you are now prepared to make an educated decision about whether or not you'd like to proceed...
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Prologue
A.C. 204
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A chair.
The whites of a man's eyes flash in the artificial light of the colony.
A smile filled with sharp, strong, white teeth.
The white.
Chiseled features.
The ice-blue eyes smile benignly.
"Zero-one," the man says affectionately. "You've come home. I've been waiting for you."
Yokaze's eyes snap open. She stares at the foreign ceiling for a long moment before remembering that she is no longer on L1, no longer in the shadow of him. The pale light that leaks into her hotel room through the curtain tells her it's nearly dawn here. L349. She can hear Jarret's snores through the wall. The rest of the band is sleeping soundly. They've earned it. Last night had been the final performance in a long tour and finally, after months away, she would be heading back to L2 this afternoon. Back to Kathy and George. Back to Trowa. Back to the children at the school. Back to teaching singing and self defense at Bloom's Academy for the Arts.
She leans back into the pillows, only then realizing that she'd sat up upon waking. She lays there, breathing. Thinking. Hating the dream. Hating the possibility. Hating him. Hating the chains that still cling to her mind, chains from which she will never truly be free.
Sleep will not visit her again tonight. Yokaze swings her legs over the side of the bed and scrubs her face with her hands. She glances around the room for a distraction. The light on her laptop is dark; she has no messages. But she approaches the machine anyway. Perhaps someone else is awake. She opens the computer and as the screen flashes to life, she dials the familiar number.
"Maxwell Mechanics."
"Hey, bro."
"Yokaze." Heero's image blinks at her from the screen.
"What's shakin'?"
"Duo's room."
"Is he snoring again?"
Heero takes a sip of his coffee and looks peeved in place of an affirmative reply. "What time is it there?" he asks, checking his own watch.
"Dawn. Couldn't sleep."
"Hn."
Yokaze runs a hand through her hair and sighs. "Do you still have dreams about the organization?"
Heero holds up his cup of coffee and nods to it. "Been up for two whole hours hating them."
Yokaze chuckles. "You've got a head-start on me, there." She eyes his cup of coffee enviously.
"Speaking of... Taki and Wufei showed up yesterday afternoon at the academy. Thought I'd better warn you."
"Thanks. I'll consider myself warned."
"Too bad you live there," he says lightly.
"I am absolutely, positively, without a doubt, never, ever in my life moving in with you and Duo," she replies firmly. "So quell it."
He shrugs. "The offer's always on the table."
Yokaze relaxes a bit. "I know. Thanks."
"Sure." Sip.
"Well, my shuttle gets in just in time for breakfast. I'll see you at the academy?"
"Yeah. I'll be there."
"Is George cooking?"
"I hope so."
"Hn." Yokaze smiles as a very rumpled-looking Duo wanders through the background, his hair fizzed out in an unmistakable Afro. "Didn't braid it before he fell asleep, huh?"
Heero glances over his shoulder and smothers a grin. "Looks that way."
Stirring sugar into his coffee, Duo catches sight of his reflection and yelps.
"Um, I think I'll let you go sort that out," she tells her brother.
His reply is far from appreciative.
Yokaze is still smiling as she terminates the call. The sunlight fighting its way into her room is a little stronger now. She stands and stretches, glad that she'd called. Glad that she'd had someone to call. As she wanders toward the shower, the dream is not forgotten but is pushed back into the shadows where it waits for another moment of weakness, another opportunity.
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~End of Prologue~