Fitful Wishing
Sequel to "Inside the Forbidden"
Prologue- If Only Stars Could Choose
Makaro Hashiba looked up at the stars. One more year, she thought. One more year... then it'll happen. I'll be sixteen!
"Maka-so! Maka-so!" Her cousin ran out of the back out of the house. "Maka-so, you can't be out here. It's your birthday! Come on!"
"Seneca, give me a second to think here. It's my birthday. Let me some peace," she said. At her friend's look, she smiled. "I'll come in a minute, alright?"
Makaro-chan, is something wrong? She jerked, but hid her surprise. What the-
"Okay," said Seneca, brushing her red hair over her shoulder. She went back in the house. "But you'd better hurry! Your dad already lit the candles!"
"What?! Why didn't you say something?!" Makaro turned and ran into the house, the voice forgotten. "Sene-ko, you idiot!"
"Come on, Makaro," laughed her mom, who was standing over the cake. "Make a wish." Makaro sat down at the table and looked at the flickering lights. What should she wish for? There were so many things that she wanted... She looked up and at her family. Her friends- Seneca Mori, Caia Ruen Fei, Nicca Sanada, and Lee and Alex Date- Her parents, their friends, all people she had known since the day she was born. If I could have one wish, she thought, grinning. It would be that we stay together. But nothing can tear us apart. So I wish... that just once, I can do something incredibly purposeful and dangerous without my mom finding out.* She took in a deep breath and blew out all of the candles. One year... and I'm sixteen!
Chapter 1 - Secrets on Fire
"What's wrong, Makaro-chan? Do you think that you're life is simple fun and games??" Makaro tried to run from the voice that taunted her with its sing song tone. "Makaro, Makaro, death runs in your blood. Your 'happy' little family has a 'happy' little secret. I can tell you, yes, I can. But I'd rather you die unknowing."
"Leave me alone!" she screamed, covering her ears. "Stop it! My family wouldn't hide anything from me!!"
"Of course not, Makaro-chan. They all love you, don't they? They love you soooooo much. And it makes me wonder: how much would they miss you if you say... were 'poof?'" It cackled evilly. "Poof! Poof! POOF!" Shouting, she bolted up. Thin early morning sunlight poured from her window and onto her bed.
"Oh, man..." she muttered. "That made no sense. I shouldn't have had that extra piece of cake last night." She kicked the blue comforter off her legs and let her feet settle on the cold floor. Her clock flashed twelve. "The power must've died. But why didn't Dad wake me up?" Something was wrong... She walked out into the hallway. "Mom? Dad?" No answer. "Maybe... maybe they're still asleep..." What are you?! yelled a voice in the back of her head. Stupid?! Hello! Does the Dynasty ring a bell to you?!?! "Mom?!" she asked more urgently. "Dad?!" Still no answer. "Damn it!" There was a fervent ringing at the doorbell.
"Maka-so! Maka-so!" yelled Seneca, pounding on the door. "MAKA-SO!"
"What, Sene-chan?" asked Makaro, opening the door.
"Tell me my parents are here," said Seneca in a small voice. "Because they're not at my house."
"Mine are gone too," said Makaro. "I wonder about the othe-"
"Maka-so! Sene-chan!" Nicca and Caia ran up the street. "Are our parents here?" Makaro shook her head.
"No. Ours are gone too. Where are Lee and Alex?" They all looked at each other.
"Asleep," they decided together.
"Those lazy... let's go get them up," said Caia. Nicca jumped at the chance.
"Let me!" she said excitedly. "*Please*?" Makaro shook her head sadly, then nodded. "Yeah!" She ran off.
"I think you've lost it, Maka-so," said Caia. "You know what's gonna happen, right?" Makaro shrugged.
"They're the ones that didin't-"
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH! NICCA-CHAN SANADA, GET YOUR BUTT BACK HERE!"
"NICCA-SO, YOU IDIOT! I'LL KILL YOU!" There was the sound of a loud crash from the house nearest Makaro's and Nicca came flying out the front door. She ducked behind Makaro.
"I didn't know!" she said. "Lee and Alex are supposed to lik-"
"NICCA-SO!" Lee came out of the front door, her blonde hair soaking wet. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" Alex was right behind her, dark purple hair hanging in half frozen chunks.
"I'll kill you, Nicca-chan!" she said angrily. Seneca grabbed her arm.
"Chil- er, uh, calm down, Lex-chan, Lee-so. We've got a problem."
"Can it wait?" asked Lee coldly. "Until Nicca's six feet under the ground?"
"Yes, can it?" agreed Alex. Nicca shrunk down behind Makaro.
"You guys are supposed to like water," she said. "I thought it'd be the perfect way to wake you up."
"It was half frozen!" shouted Alex. "And stop playing innocent!"
"Guys!" said Makaro. "Chill! And I mean that literally! Our parents are gone!"
"Huh?"
"What?" Nicca chuckled.
"See what you slept through?" she asked. "You should be thank-"
"NICCA!" Makaro sighed in frustration. "We don't have time for this. We've got to figure out what's going on."
"I say it was that demon thing," said Nicca. "From my dream. The one that likes the say 'poof'."
"You saw it too?" asked Seneca. Lee yawned.
"Yeah. That was annoying," she said. Alex leaned against her back. "Don't go to sleep, Lexi."
"Too late..."
"I know..." Caia through her arms up in the air.
"They're hopeless. So all of us had that dream?" Everyone nodded. "That's it then. It's the Dynasty."
"So we've got to get them back."
"How?! Is it possible?! The Ronin armors, the Soul Bearer armors, and the powers of the Descendents were all lost in the last battle," said Makaro. "No, we can't free them. It's hopeless. We'll have to find some other way of... doing things." Suddenly, the ground shook. "What the-"
"Holy- what is that?!" A huge robot looking thing was coming towards them. A darkness flashed through Makaro's mind.
"Get down!" she hollered. The thing fired a missile and it hit the ground, shattering the earth. Someone screamed, someone that wasn't one of them. Fire licked the sky when Makaro's vision cleared. "Is everyone alright?!"
"Yeah! Sort of!"
"Lee?! Lee?!" Alex's frantic voice cut over the sound of more explosions. "Lee! No!"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"She'll be fine," the nurse assured Alex. "She was hit pretty hard, but she'll be fine with some rest. You could all use some too." She straightened and disappeared back into the emergency ward. Alex sniffed, then buried her face in her hands.
"Alex," said Makaro, putting her arm around her friend's shoulders. "You heard the nurse. Lee'll be fine."
"What was that thing?" asked Nicca. "I've never seen anything like it before. Where are we anyway?"
Makaro-chan, does it hurt? The feeling of hopelessness? She won't live, you know that.
Who are you?!* she asked. *What do you want with us?!
Revenge, Makaro-chan. Pure, simple, revenge. You're loving parents are the only people to ever defeat me, even if they didn't kill me. By killing all of you, I can get my ultimate revenge on them.
Why don't you just kill us then?! Why take us one by one?!
Well, I have to have some enjoyment, don't I? Taking you one by one, making you suffer... what play this will be! Makaro shook her head free from the images that came to her and held Alex's shaking shoulders tighter. She was gonna protect her friends, no matter what. And that demon... he could just take his plan and shove it. Nothing would ever get to them while she was around.
Chapter 2- Mobile Suits, Gundams, Talents of the Past
"Look, I've been doing research," said Nicca. "That thing that attacked was a mobile suit or a mobile doll-"
"What's the difference?" asked Seneca. She tasted the sauce. "It's still missing something..."
"Mobile suits have human pilots and dolls are basically over sized robots of destruction. From what I can tell, there was a huge war. It just ended and now something's threatening to start another one."
"Shisama?" asked Caia. "Sene-ko, try adding some of that garlic and herb stuff. It might help."
"Thanks for the idea, Caia-so," said Seneca. "Okay, so they had a war and it ended. Now it might start again because of Shisama."
"Exactly," said Nicca. "The suit slash doll that attacked us was a Virgo, one of the more advanced versions. But even more then that are the Gundams."
"Gun... dam?" asked Makaro. "What's that?"
"Very highly advanced. They're pilots were war heroes and they're now being studied at a military base."
"What about the pilots?" asked Alex quietly. She was curled up in a chair, her dark hair limp and thin, like the rest of her. "Where are they?"
"They've basically dropped from the face of the planet," said Nicca. "And the space colonies too. No one's seen them since the end of the war. Shisama will go after them too."
"We can't let that happen," said Makaro. "We'll have to-" The building trembled. "Uh-oh."
"Uh-oh's right. Look!" Another Virgo was just outside the window. "Let's go!" Makaro grabbed Alex and dragged her down the stairs and out the door. The Virgo attacked the building half a second later. Amid the debris and running, she caught site of a jet flying towards them. It became a suit, but nothing like the Virgo it took down without a problem.
"The Wing Zero!" yelled Nicca. "It's a Gundam! Move, dumbass, before we get caught in the cross fire!"
"We've got to split up!" said Makaro. "It's our only chance! I'll take Alex and we'll get Lee! Everybody else... good luck!"
"Right!" said Nicca. "Be careful!" They broke apart as the battle began. Makaro supported Alex on her right shoulder while they went towards the west. Alex was exhausted, but they still had to get Lee.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The nurse backed out of the room slowly. Poor girl. She was almost completely gone. And the child's sister and friends...
"Nurse! Nurse! We've got lots of people coming in! There was an attack on the city!" The nurse ran to the front desk.
"What?!"
"Some Virgoes attacked the city," explained the doctor. "We've got lots of wounded and dying people coming in. Clear out all unnecessary rooms, including 14D."
"But doctor-"
"Nurse, that girl's as good as dead. It would be better to end her life now then to let her suffer." She hesitated, then nodded and walked back to the room.
The curtains billowed in the night wind. Odd. The window had been closed. Lee Date's bed was empty and suddenly, a faint hope came over the nurse.
"Whoever took her," she whispered. "Please, watch her."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Alex, you've got to take Lee and get her someplace safe," said Makaro. "I'm gonna find the others."
"But Makaro... what if they're..."
"They're not. I know they're not. Have more faith in them. Now hurry! Those men are coming this way!" Alex lifted her still unconscious sister and disappeared into the night. Just as the soldiers came around the corner, Makaro leapt up into a fire escape and pressed herself against the wall. They walked by, unknowing. I've got to find them, she told herself. Before something happens.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you it's not polite to stand outside people's windows?" She jerked and stepped back. There was a kid, sitting on the stairs right next to where she had been and she hadn't even seen him.
"I- I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't know anyone was here."
"Neither did I," he said. Then he grinned. "Were you hiding from the soldiers?"
"Ye... Yeah. With this whole war about to start, the last thing I want is to be seen by them."
"Why? Are you some sort of prison breakout?" She shook her head and leaned against the brick.
"No. Just throwing caution into the mix of stupidity and death that war becomes early on. So. if I may, what are you doing up here?"
"I live here. Sort of." He looked up through the next level at the yellowish glow coming from the window. "I'm staying with a friend of mine, Hildi. You wanna come up?" Makaro nodded, considering the choices: Go with a perfect stranger, or risk the soldiers. He stood and started up the stairs. She followed.
Alex, be careful. Lee's not going to be helpful. And I hope you find the others. she thought. I'll pray for your safety, I promise. Soon as I can shake these guards, I'll find you. And we'll find a way to free our parents.
"Hey, Hildi, this is..." He looked at her.
"Makaro," she said. "Makaro Hashiba."
"Makaro," said Duo. The girl rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"I caught that, Duo," she said. "Hello. I'm Hildi." Makaro shook her hand and smiled. "So, Duo, what's up with bringing a random person into our apartment?"
"She was hiding from the soldiers on the fire escape," said Duo. "I thought she'd like it up here better." Hildi nodded grimly.
"There's another war coming," she said. "And we're still not recovered from the last one."
"This is all my fault..." muttered Makaro. "It wouldn't be starting if I hadn't made that damned... sorry. I know I'm going on. I'm just worried about my other friends."
"The two girls with you?" asked Duo. Makaro nodded.
"Those were Alex and Lee. Lee was injured when a mobile suit attacked a suburb. She hasn't woken up, but we weren't gonna leave her. There's still three others."
"You know how fate can act," said Hildi. "They'll all meet up and you'll be the last one to know." Makaro smiled, her first time in days.
"Yeah. That's how it usually goes," she said. "I'm always the last one to know."
"Join the club," said Duo. There was a beeping sound from out of the room. Hildi and Duo exchanged a glance, then he walked off, leaving Hildi and Makaro.
"Do you want something to drink?" asked Hildi. Makaro nodded and followed her into the kitchen. "So you're not from around here?"
"Not even close," said Makaro. "My friends and I come from a ways away. There was an attack and Lee was badly injured. We rented an apartment near the hospital, but there was another assault and we had to separate."
"That doesn't make sense," said Hildi. "Why did you separate? You should've stayed together. People don't work well alone." Makaro took a drink of the tea and leaned against the back of the chair.
"In truth, we're being chased and it's not total coincidence that innocent lives are being killed. That's why I'm trying to find my friends, because you're right- People are stronger as one, but when the whole is being hunted, it can make them weak."
"You sound like a guy I knew, Wufei," said Hildi. "He was a lot like that. Probably still is."
"I've got to go," said Duo, coming back in. "There's someone working the missions again. I'm going to meet the others."
"Be careful," said Hildi. "Don't get killed. Something doesn't feel right." He nodded as he grabbed his jacket.
"I know," he said, walking out of the room. "I sense it too." For the first time, Makaro realized the full extent of what was going on: Shisama was after another world, one more advanced, one stronger, and one less likely to fight back if it didn't know. He would win, if she didn't do something. But what...
"Makaro," said Hildi. She turned around, but the other girl was gone. There was a silver and gold twisted star earring on the table and somehow, Makaro had managed a note on a napkin: Thanx for the tea. I'll watch him, don't worry. I feel it too. The window was open and a cold breeze blew in. Hildi walked over and leaned out, listening into the night. There was the sound of a car and a scarping of metal as the fire escape ladder was pushed back up. "You're nuts. Believe me. I know."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Watch your step, miss." Nicca pulled the cap low over her eyes and watched the girl walk up the steps into the plane. Damn, this chic was hard to track. Almost constant security up the ass, twenty four seven. But now, they didn't know who she was. And people never suspect the maintenance person.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Nicca froze. "Didn't you hear that the stewardess is sick? Get in the uniform!"
"Excuse me?" she asked, turning around.
"You're filling in today. Go!"
"Damn it," she swore. "I'm not trained to be a damn stewardess."
"Well, you are now. Hurry. You can't keep Miss Relina waiting."
"Damn it." But she knew she had no say in the matter, so she climbed the stairs to the plane.
"Wait a minute!" yelled the guy. "You don't have your uniform!" Too late. The plane was already taking off. "Damn it!" He ripped his hat off and threw it on the ground. Relina looked out the window and saw him throwing a fit. She sat up straighter and looked around. From the back shadows emerged a girl with long black hair that rested on her shoulders in waves.
"Who are you?" she asked. The girl smiled gently.
"I'm not here to hurt you," she said. "I'm here looking for information you have."
"Who. Are. You?"
"Nicca Sanada. I give you my word. I won't hurt you. But I need to know where the Gundam pilots are. And you're going to meet them."
"How... how did you know that?"
"Miss Relina, if I can find even one, then I can stop this war. They're gonna be killed. I can't explain much more then that." Relina stood up.
"Please, sit down," she said. "And tell me what's going on. Why are they in danger? And from who?" Nicca sat down in a chair across from Relina and closed her eyes.
"I just need to know where one of them is," she said. "And then I can hopefully keep Shisama away... Miss Relina, this is going to sound weird, but this war is not the fault of humans."
"Then who is it the fault of?" asked Relina, sitting down again.
"A demon by the name of Shisama. He's kidnapped my parents and killed the soul of my best friend. Her body lives, but it's empty and I don't know about my other friends. We've all been separated."
"By the demon?" Nicca nodded.
"By the demon. I don't know where they are." Relina sat back thoughtfully.
"I know what it's like to not know where your friends are," she said slowly. "But I can't guarantee that the Gundam pilots will believe you." Nicca lifted her head.
"I don't care if they believe me," she said. "Only if they live."
Chapter 3- Seneca's Undoing
"So you're okay?"
"I'm fine, Maka-so..."
"Sene-chan, what's up?"
"I've enrolled in a local military school. With the war coming, I'm gonna need all the training I can get. But it's just so different here."
"Stick with it, Seneca. If you've started something, you can't give up. Even if it gets tough. Remember that, okay?"
"I hear you loud and clear, Makaro. Take care of yourself. I have a feeling we're walking into something bigger then even what are parents dealt with."
"Shisama's out for revenge. Of course it's bigger. Call me soon, Sene. I mean it."
"Don't worry, I will. Bye, Maka-chan." Seneca froze, trying to remember how to turn it off, then did and turned it off. "Damn technology. I'll never get used to it." She stood up and walked around the chair so the next person could use the phone.
"Did you get through to your friend?" Seneca nodded to Nick, the young aspiring pilot she had met even before school. "What'd she say?"
"That I've gotta stick with this," she told him, flipping her black hair over her shoulder. "Did I miss anything in class?"
"Not really. New kid, but not much else."
"New kid?"
"Yeah. His name is Heero something. He's over there." Seneca looked where he was pointing. A kid with dark brown hair was leaning against the wall, looking incredibly on his own. He lifted his head and steely blue eyes met with hers.
"Whoa," she muttered, a cold feeling washing over her. "He's intense."
"Yeah. Should've seen him earlier. You wanna go to the training simulator?" Seneca shrugged.
"Alright. And this time, you're going down."
"You wish, Tiger Lily. You'll never beat me."
"Watch me." They both grabbed helmets and walked into the simulator. "So where are we going today?"
"You wanna try space?" asked Nick as they say down. She shook her head.
"I don't think I'm ready yet. Let's go to Siberia, since this is just for fun. I like it there."
"You and the snow..."
"Wait until you meet Alex and Lee. They're weirder then I am when it comes to snow." She raked her fingers through her hair and pulled the helmet on. "Seneca Mori, issuing level four training exercises in Siberia scenario for students zero-zero-two and zero-one-three. Ready, Nick?"
"You talk too much, Seneca-chan," he said. "Yeah. All set."
"Starting... now!" Several kids gathered outside the training room. It was always interesting to watch Seneca and Nick. Neither gave up until the very end, no matter what the outcome. Among them today was Heero. He hadn't been training in the three months since the end of the war, but enrolling in a military school was a good way to catch up.
A screen lit up next to the window. Nick had chosen the Vay 8 for his suit and Seneca a Taurus. She dodged one of his attacks with amazing ability and fired her beam cannon. It was too slow.
"Damn!" came a voice over the speakers.
"Is she nuts?" asked one of the students. "She'll never win in a Taurus. Not against the Vay 8."
"She's gotten through worse," said another. Heero watched her with a new interest. If she gave up on the beam cannon and switched to the sabre, she could win. If she was fast enough to get through the Vay 8's shields.
"Come on, Sene-ko. You're holding back!" said Nick. "I know you're better then this. Stop thinking so hard!" Seneca stopped and dislodged the cannon. It fell in the snow and landed, causing a cloud. The cloud gave her an extra two seconds to get her sabre and attack. The Vay 8's shields activated, but she was too fast and sliced through them, then through his suit. The simulation ended right then, without an explosion. Seneca ripped off the helmet and tossed it at him.
"You're not supposed to help me!" she said, angrily walking out of the room.
"Seneca, wait!" said Nick. He went after her, but Heero stopped him. "What the-"
"She had it on her own," he said. "You didn't need to help her." Nick glared at him.
"Fuck off, Yuy. Mind your own business." Nick walked around him and chased after Seneca. He caught up to her just outside the building. "Seneca-san, I'm sorry if I made you mad."
"How the hell am I supposed to be a good pilot if I don't learn on my own?" she asked. He put his arm on her shoulder and she lifted her eyes to him.
"A good pilot knows when to accept help," he said softly. "We're all still learning, Sene-chan. It's not just you. We've got to work together to stop this war from killing everything."
"Did... did I overreact?" He chuckled.
"Not anymore then me. I was so worried about you, I actually told Heero to fuck off. He was trying to stop me from coming after you."
"Maybe you should've listened." There was a click and he felt cold metal pressed into his side. "Because I'm not Seneca."
"Where is she?"
"Somewhere. Not here."
"But I am here, daemon." Nick turned his head and saw a girl with blue eyes and red hair standing with a gun leveled at the other girl. "I knew it seemed weird that I was supposed to start school over two months later then everyone else. Who sent you? Shisama?"
"Lord Shisama didn't send me. I came here to help his plan. And you should be dead."
"What? Oh, you mean that little toy you left in my hotel room? Sorry, hon, but I've seen better disguised cross dressers." She threw a thick black book on the ground. There was a distinct beeping sound. "Oops. I restarted the countdown. When was it stopped? Thirty? Guess it's twenty now."
"You fool! You'll kill us all!" said the daemon. Seneca grinned coolly.
"Does it look like I care?" she said. "Your 'Lord Shisama' kidnapped my family. I'm gonna get my revenge. Let him go and I'll let you stop it."
"No. You stop it. Or he gets his head blown off." Seneca's cool faltered. She hadn't expected Nick to be there. He wasn't supposed to be there. She stuck the gun in her back pocket and knelt carefully on the ground. She slowly opened the book and- "No!!" screamed the daemon, seeing only a plain alarm clock, like those in hotels. She shoved Nick down and fired at Seneca. The bullet hit home in Sene's side, but she didn't notice. When the smoke from her gun cleared, the daemon was lying dead. Seneca dropped the empty gun and turned around. Heero lowered his gun.
"Daemon's don't exist," he said coolly. "But corrupted people do. And those who need to die."
"You'd be surprised what exists," muttered Seneca. "I've seen some weird ass stuff that can't be explained. But you're welcome to try."
"I don't try to explain things I haven't seen." Seneca rolled her eyes and walked over to Nick. He groaned and opened his eyes.
"What... Sene-ko? What's going on? My head hurts..."
"Shh..." she said. "You just hit your head. Did you get hit with the bullet?"
"No. Seneca, what's going on? Who was that?"
"A... girl named Daemon." She shot a look at Heero, who was still standing there. "She's been playing me, trying to get in at the school and at something it has, but I don't know what. But she's dead now. I can't believe you bought her trash."
"She slash you said that you got your hair dyed. I wasn't going to ask."
"You should've. Come on. Let's get you inside. Your head's bleeding." She helped him up and he leaned on her shoulder. Heero watched her face for any signs of pain, but she showed little to none. "I could kill that... that... I'm gonna kill Shisama when I get my hands on him."
"What happened?!" asked the nurse in the infirmary.
"We were caught in the middle of a fight with some random punks," lied Seneca. "He got slammed. I don't think there's any problem, other then a gash."
"You let the worrying be done by me." The woman led Nick over to the table. "Were you hurt?"
"No," said Seneca. "I wasn't. Just him."
"Still. Go back to your room and rest. I'll sent your teacher a note that you won't be in classes the rest of the day."
"Yes'm." It's not like I was in a class anyway. Seneca walked out of the door into the hallway. The few people that had gathered to see what was up wandered off to get to class. Only Heero stayed. She started towards him, to thank him for what he had done, when the ground suddenly seemed very inviting. Her legs collapsed underneath her and she fell to her hands.
"You were hit," said Heero, kneeling by her. The hall started to swirl.
"Please... not the nurse... parents... don't... exist..." The rest of her fell into darkness.
Chapter 4- What's Behind the Masking Call
"Has anyone figured out who sent us here?" asked Duo, leaning back in his chair. No one answered. "Man, the last thing we need is another war."
"What could have started it?" wondered Trowa. He leaned against the wall thoughtfully. "There's something missing."
"I met some girl the other night," said Duo. At his friend's looks, he sighed. "Not like that. She was hiding on the fire escape from some soldiers. But she seems to think that the war is her fault."
"Did you think to put two and two together?" asked Heero. "Maybe the soldiers were chasing her for a reason."
"Like what?" countered Duo. "She didn't even seem like someone they would chase."
"Do we?" asked Wufei. "That was the whole reason we were chosen to be Gundam pilots. Because we seemed so innocent."
"Seemed," said Quatre softly. "Maybe... no, that doesn't fit. How could there be new Gundam pilots? We're still alive, aren't we?" Suddenly, there was a creak on the roof above them. It gave way and they all jumped back. When it cleared, there was a girl laying dazed on a pile of rubble. She groaned and pushed herself up, only to be met with the click of a gun.
"Who are you?" asked Heero coldly. She rose slowly and Duo recognized her.
"It's you!" he said. "Margo or Marako-"
"Makaro," she snapped. "My name's Makaro."
"What are you doing here?" said Trowa. She looked at Heero, matching his coldness bit for bit. But where his was normal, hers was angry. It shone in her eyes like green fire.
"I was only following him," she said, wiping blood from her lip with her sleeve on one hand and indicating Duo with the other. She glared at the streak angrily. "He's not that hard to track, but I didn't think the roof was that weak."
"First of all, how could you follow me and secondly... why?" asked Duo. She lifted her eyes to him.
"For Hildi," she said. "Because she was worried about you and I wanted to make sure you didn't die."
"You're nuts-"
"How did you follow him?" asked Heero. He still had the gun leveled with her chest.
"Like I said, it was easy. He leaves a trail a mile wide, if you know where to look." She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at the gun. "Will you put that thing away? Before it goes off and you kill someone?" He pulled the safety back.
"I might kill someone," he said. She only rolled her eyes.
"You men are all alike. Thinking with your brawn instead of your brains." There was a knock at the door. Makaro took the distraction and whirled around, grabbing the gun. Now the tables had turned, to everyone's astonishment. "Well? Open the door." Trowa opened the door and Relina came in, followed closely by another girl with long black hair. Makaro's mouth dropped. "Nicca-so?"
"Maka-chan, only you would manage this," said Nicca, rolling her eyes. "Relina, meet Makaro. One of my friends I was searching for." Makaro loosened her hold on the gun, but not before slipping it into her back pocket.
"Nicca, I won't ask how the hell you managed this, but it's great to see you. Have you found anyone else?" Nicca shook her head and Makaro collapsed against the wall with a sigh. "Damn. I was hoping..."
"Makaro, we need to talk. Now." Nicca grabbed her friend's arm and yanked her out of the room, shutting the door behind her. "They're the Gundam pilots."
"Them?" Makaro laughed. "I can understand the others, but Duo..."
"He is too," said Nicca grimly. "They all are. And they're Shisama's targets. So..."
"Like hell," said Makaro angrily. "He's not gonna get them. Not while I live." The way she said... Nicca knew her friend was confident in her path.
*"I wonder how long you'll last in this harsh world."* Both girls stood their ground and didn't falter. A large, imposing man appeared before them. "Do you like this form? My powers may be limited, but I don't need mystical powers to eliminate you and those boys. That girl too, since she has to mettle so severely."
"You won't," said Makaro. "Not while I'm here." He pulled a small device from his chest pocket and held it tightly in his fist.
"You underestimate me, child. You won't be around for long to stop me." He pressed a button on the top. More darkness flashed across Makaro's mind. She grabbed Nicca and pulled her to the ground, at the same time, something inside of her exploded in anger at Shisama. Light hit her with rock and plaster. She floated through darkness for the longest time, wishing with every part of that was still living for the pilots and Nicca and Miss Relina to make it. They just had to...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Duo coughed and pushed aside some rock on his head off his head. He sat up.
"Heero?" he asked. "Quatre? Trowa? Wufei? Relina? Are you guys alright?"
"Yeah," came Trowa's voice. "I think we're all okay." Duo stood up and limped over the rocks into the hallway. Or what was left of it. Dusk and smoke still hung in the air and the two girls were nowhere to be seen.
"What a waste of good explosives," said Wufei. He pushed himself up, scattering rock and debris. "What happened to the other two?" Duo grabbed a piece of rock and pulled it aside. A hand was right underneath it. A few feet away, Makaro struggled to wake up, but failed and sank further.
"I found Nicca!" said Duo. He dug the rock away from her and lifted her carefully onto flatter ground. She groaned, swore, and opened her eyes.
"Damn that fucking lousy excuse for a son of a bitch," she said, rubbing the back of her head. "I'll kill him and string his body up by his toes to a damned shipmast."
"Who?" asked Duo.
"Shisama. Wait a minute, where's Makaro?" She pulled from Duo's arms and dug through a pile of rock. She found Makaro alright, her head gashed by a rock and her blood covering the floor and debris around her. "Damn it! Makaro! Don't leave me, kid!"
"Nicca, calm down," said Relina. "She'll live." She tore a strip from her skirt and held it to Makaro's head. "She just needs rest and a hospital."
"No. No hospital," said Nicca. "We tried the hospital. They couldn't do a damn thing for Lee. They'll be able to do less for Makaro. There's got to be another way."
"I can take her," said Trowa. "It's been quiet at the circus. She'll be able to rest there."
"I should go with her," said Nicca. "I can't..." She paused and looked around at the destruction that surrounded them. They were alive... all except Makaro. Somehow, she had been the only one injured badly enough to make her bleed. Everyone else had minor scraps and bruises, a couple of burns from being too near the blast powder. "Damn... I want to, but..."
"She'll be fine with Trowa," said Duo reassuringly. Nicca realized that almost everyone was gone. A medical team had arrived, treated Makaro, then been knocked unconscious. They were still out and Trowa had taken Makaro with him. "Come on. Before they wake up."
Chapter 5- In the Night of Death
Caia looked up at the sky and pressed her hand to her temple. Damn headaches. It wasn't bad enough every part of her had to hurt like hell. Now she was getting a migraine. So she lowered her gaze back to the ground and looked around. Where was he?
"Caia." She turned around and forced a smile, despite the dizziness threatening to take over her.
"There you are," she said. "I was wondering when you'd show up. Come on." She sat down in a chair at the outdoor table and rested her chin on her hands. "What did you find out?" He sat down across from her and the waitress brought out some drinks. Caia simply moved hers to the side.
"One of the girls you're looking for is at a military school with Heero. The other... sort of dropped in on us." She groaned.
"Let me guess: Makaro." He nodded.
"Another came in with Relina. But that's all I know."
"Where'd they go?"
"Makaro went back with Trowa for no apparent reason and Nicca left in the middle of the meeting and didn't come back." Caia folded her arms on the table and laid her head down. "Caia?"
"I don't feel so well," she muttered. She heard the scraping of metal against cement as darkness swirled and closed in.
When she opened her eyes who knows how much later, she was in a bed with the moonlight streaming onto the floor. She started to sit up, but someone grabbed her shoulders and gently laid her back down.
"You have a fever," said a familiar voice. "Get some sleep." Caia closed her eyes and smiled gently.
"Thank you... Wufei-chan."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Master Quatre, welcome back," said Rasid. Quatre forced a smile and nodded. "But there is something I must show you. While you were gone, we discovered two girls wandering in the desert."
"What?!" asked Quatre in astonishment.
"One of them is awake but the other... her body isn't that injured, but there's still something wrong with her," he explained. As if on cue, a girl with dark purple hair and brown eyes came around the bend.
"Master Rasid," she said, giving a quick curtsey. "Good morning. I'm looking for Ahmed. He seems to find it funny my watch has disappeared." Her eyes locked with Quatre's and she smiled warmly. "I don't believe we've met. My name is Alexi Date, but most people call me Alex. Most." The last part was directed at Rasid with a small grin.
"Quatre Raberba Winner," said Quatre. "I think I saw Ahmad on my way in." Her smile grew bigger and she grabbed her skirt in one hand.
"Thank you, Master Quatre," she said. "I'll get him for this." She disappeared down the hallway. Quatre looked at Rasid, slightly confused.
"They're playing... practical jokes?" he asked. "That doesn't sound like them."
"Mistress Alexi has changed a lot around here since she woke up. She's quite energetic and stubborn. Would you like to see the other girl?" Quatre nodded and followed. A few doors away, laying very still, was a girl that looked nothing like Alexi. She had short blonde hair that fell in her face and a pained look. "Mistress Alexi told us they were involved in a bombing on a division of houses. Miss Lee hasn't woken up since then, but it's not her injuries keeping her down. It's almost as if a part of her spirit is missing."
"She'll wake up," said Quatre. "For her sister's sake, she will." There was laughter from outside. Quatre walked to the window and saw Alexi, in the yard, trying to retrieve her watch from Ahmad. But she was laughing too.
"She has made them stop worrying about the past," said Rasid. "She was sent here for a reason, but it was not to make the men happy." Quatre nodded as Alexi finally got her watch back. She shook it in Ahmad's face half-angrily, then stopped and put it back on her wrist.
"Stop taking this thing!" she said firmly, turning her back on them.
"Come on, Miss Alex. Don't be mad." She turned back and smiled.
"You know I can't stay mad at you guys," she said. Quatre couldn't help but smile. No wonder everyone liked her so much. She was beautiful, charming, and had a great smile on top of that. Not to mention her whole attitude was enough to make anyone smile. Suddenly, Alex turned around again. She saw Quatre up in the window and waved. The others saw him now too.
"Hey! Master Quatre!" said Auda.
"Master Quatre, we should talk to the men about what you learned at your meeting with the other pilots." Quatre straightened and nodded, looking back at Lee.
This is what war does to people, he thought. I won't let another war get out of hand.
Alex stayed outside while the others went in to meet with Master Quatre. He was... amazing. There was something about him. He was hiding the worst of his feelings, like they had all been. She owed the Maguanac Corps her life and the life of her sister, if she ever woke up. She owed Quatre nothing. But at the same time... she was going to help him.
If what my dreams tell me is true, then not only does their balance matter, but so does his. I won't fail them. She gathered her skirts in one hand and looked at her watch. I don't know why getting this back was so important. It doesn't even work anymore.
"Miss Alex, don't wander far," said Ahmed. He was still outside. She nodded.
"I won't. I promise." He turned and went inside. After a moments thought, she decided to go to the gardens and meditate. It would help her pass the time, because she doubted their meeting was going to be short.
The flowers were all in bloom, giving a rainbow of colors to walk through. She paused near a rose bush and picked a dead bloom, carefully to avoid the sharp thorns. It had once been yellow, but was now a light brown. Still, her finger caught on a briar and she switched the flower to her other hand to look at the blood on her finger.
A rose is a thing of beauty, she thought, walking over to a spot near the fountain and sitting down. The blood spread out and disappeared in the cool water as Alex carefully arranged her skirts around her with the other hand. And a thorn can always ruin the effect. But without the thorn, the rose would have no protection from animals that would eat it. One cannot live without the other, just like humans cannot live without some form of destruction in the world around them. Her thoughts floated along. She tried to focus on one thing. Her sister, her friends, but everything kept going back to Quatre. So she focused on him instead, all the while going through the things she had been taught to keep her void strong around her. A flower bud, a rose, opening slowly. The red flame didn't match the yellow petals around it. Like war doesn't match the people in it. Suddenly, something blocked the sunlight that had been warming her face. The flame grew cold and died, along with the void. Alex opened her eyes and looked down at the flower still in her hand. It was still dead. Damn. I'll never be as good as you, Dad.
"It's time for dinner." She looked up and saw Quatre standing over her. Despite herself, she scrambled to her feet quickly.
"I hadn't realized it was so late," she said, seeing the sun disappearing over the top of the house. "I'm sorry, Master Quatre. Did your meeting go well?" Her hand tightened on the rose stem in the silence that followed. The thorn dug into her skin, so she let it go quickly with a wince of pain. Quatre caught it and handed it back to her. She reached for it and her fingers brushed his. An entirely new feeling rushed into her body. It was only when the shadows of the house reached them did Quatre snap out of his own trance. A blush grew in both their cheeks. He turned away quickly and started towards the door.
"It went very well," he answered. Alex stood by herself, clutching the rose. What in the name of heaven had that been? There was warmth in her now, a new energy she had never felt. Smiling, she glanced back down at the rose. There were no brown petals now. Instead, a small bud, still green.
So there is more to you then meets the eye, she thought, slipping the bud into her pocket. And there's a reason for my existence here. We'll find it together, Master Quatre. And we'll defeat Shisama.
Together...
The End.
