Title: Alternate Choices
Author: Miishii
Category: Gundam Wing AC
Main Pairing: Solo x 02
Disclaimer: GW and characters are not mine. I tried to steal them once…but after an incident involving spaghetti and a flamingo suit I have never really been the same since….
Warning: Swears are here of course and there will eventually be some killing and gore but not much (heheh gore…) also some other nasty stuff like a few character changes (aka OOC's but not to much) and different technobibble then in the actual series…
AN: Yay! Second chappy ish up! And a special thanks goes out to Anonymous Void for being my very first reviewer! Yays for AV~!
In response to your review Anonymous Void you would be correct in assuming that I will not be going into the others reactions for Duo's disappearance, I thought about it and my brain melted so after reconstruction I thought otherwise. I just kinda wanna get into the main story ya know? And as for my name you may find that I have reviewed your stories and also marked you on my favorites repeatedly…heheheh.
As for holding my fic hostage it was mainly just an excuse in case I couldn't get on again….I don't actually own a computer yet you see and although I try hard to get onto one at my school/at a library It may take some time. I would and always will update all my fics to completion even if they are hated or ignored. They ish my creations!… -hugs fics to her and snuggles them- …and although ideally I would like to finish each fic before beginning on a new one I may end up posting other stories before I manage to finish. If this happens flames are actually encouraged for it will get my lazy ass moving on updates…
To everyone else out there reading scroll down cause I ish done talking now.
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Duo screamed and felt it get caught in his chest as the air was seemingly sucked from him, the ship going silent in it's await for death. He was thrown back in his seat and the lights flickered, sparks flying from the console and various controls of the ship as the entire craft vibrated so hard Duo was sure she was going to fall apart as she was dragged into the black hole.
With blood running from a head wound Duo gritted his teeth and his muscles strained as he fought against the forced pull holding him down reaching towards the controls that had been forced from his grasp when he was thrown back.
His hand shook in the air and just as his fingers brushed the control unit something seemed to implode and air returned to his lungs enough for him to curse as he was once again thrown forwards. Darkness consumed his ship in degrees as the flickering lights and sparks were the only source of light left in his vessel.
Gasping in air Duo wiped a shaking hand across his head wincing slightly as he brushed over a rather large head wound and hoped he didn't have a concussion. Fiery violet eyes scanned the skies and Duo breathed in a sigh of relief when he recognized the area. He must have been tossed away from the hole somehow for now he was spiraling towards earth.
"Oh crap." Duo dove towards the controls as what his ship was doing sunk in and he tried to fix her course. The 'lost soul' was heavily damaged and may not survive reentry into Earth's atmosphere, she would break up and landing would be a bitch…
He was also sure to get into shit with the authorities if he crashed into something important, like a city or miss pinks limo….actually the last one would be funny as hell.
Duo cursed at his ship as he burned his hands trying to stop her from spiraling into the blue planet but failed as the console exploded in front of him as if telling him to fuck off.
"Bitch!" Duo yelled kicking the control units as he unstrapped himself to be able to reach the back up drive in the co-pilots seat. He coughed heavily from smoke filling the cabin and had no time to strap in as his ship jerked and groaned as it hit earth's atmosphere. The ships movement sent him sprawling and something jabbed into his side cutting through cloth and skin.
Duo ignored the pain in order to crawl over to the co-pilots seat, gripping it hard in order not to get thrown about the cockpit and killed as his ship decided that it didn't like him anymore. Duo grinned in a feral way and his eyes hardened in determination as he managed to get himself safely back into a secure seat. Controlling a ship that was spiraling out of control while breaking apart and exploding around you is not an easy feet , even for a former gundam pilot. Cursing up a storm Duo managed to stop spinning in time to see the ground coming up fast. He was on an angle that would give him a fifty-fifty chance of survival, not that he wanted to try his luck but figured at least he was going to die in style…the engines he had tricked out would make very nicely colored explosions.
Fighting against gravity and believing himself dead Duo was brought out of his reverie as a chopped and crisp voice rang through his control unit in a commanding tone that most likely was not one often ignored.
"Unidentified shuttle craft, You are not cleared for re-entry, please return to space and await authorization"
Duo barked out a laugh before hitting the com link, his vid was smashed but they would at least hear him. "Unidentified craft is too busy spiraling towards Earth in a burning ball of death right now, please forgive me if I cannot follow your request." He made sure to sound as annoying as possible to piss whoever was on the other end off, hey if he was about to die why not have a little bit of fun before he goes.
"Shit! Piece of GUaaa! You just bite me!" Duo started cursing at his ship as he hit the ground hard bouncing off a hill and entering through the top of a tree line. White knuckles gripped the controls and large eyes clenched shut as the shuttle scattered itself across the surface of the planet before splashing into a lake and sinking beneath the water.
Duo groaned lifting his head and blinking to clear his vision panting as the air slowly heated up. His shuttle was no more and he would have to get out of it before he joined her in death. Mewling lightly from the pain his body now endured he grabbed his pack and his duffle before yanking the door to other parts of the ship. It was fused shut.
"well shit, you really don't like me at all" DUo groaned in frustration and looked around for another exit.
Finding his oxygen failing Duo opened his duffle reaching in and pulling out a few explosives. Hey just because it was a time of peace doesn't mean he was going to give up all his toys. They come in handy every now and then.
Blowing open the glass shuttle window let in a crushing wave of water the knocked Duo back nearly knocking him out before his bruised and battered body was sucked right out through the hole and into the lake.
The water was cold and it stung Duo's skin and into his wounds like thousands of searing knives as Duo swam, lungs burning in his chest, towards the waters surface and much needed oxygen. AS his head broke the surface and he sucked in the desired air, the water under him warmed and shot up into towards the sky sending him flying as his ship exploded from beneath the water in an array of color and fire.
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A small child in scruffy clothes and a large well worn hat stared curiously at the entire squadron of alliance enforcement vehicles and foot soldiers wandering about. He was Earth bred and supposedly had nothing to fear from the government controlled units but he still had to tread carefully lest he too be placed on a 'work force' as it was called. No one was safe unless they had money and even then you were walking on egg shells.
Since the end of the wars it has been hell for all. After the plague and the bombings alliance soldiers took over L2 making the poor colony their strong hold while fighting off all resistance. They sent out the homeless in their war machines to do their dirty work. Expendable soldiers.
There had been talk of a plan called operation meteor but it fell flat as a group of scientists had been found and enslaved under alliance forces. Their work had always been secret but people disappeared repeatedly with no indication or suspect cause. It wasn't uncommon during the war for people to disappear but this was different and when those previously mentioned corpses where found it was clearly of unnatural and brutal deaths.
The small child shuddered at the memory of finding several men dumping one of those mutilated corpses; it had been then that he had joined the rebellion and Solo. The thought of their leader brought a smile to the young one's face for it had been Solo that stopped the men from silencing their witness and it had been the same man that gave him his name. He was Kip the best rebellion information gatherer out there.
Pulling his hat down tighter onto his head Kip got a determined look on his face as he followed the soldiers into the woods keeping low and to the shadows to remain out of sight. He had to find out what was going on and report back to base before Solo got worried.
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Commander Po directed her troops to search the area for the indentified space craft and where it landed, her blond hair tied up tight and her voice loud and commanding.
"I want divers in that lake yesterday! Scan the surrounding area in case there are any survivors! Be cautious! It could be one of those rebel bastards and If anyone gets themselves shot I'll kill you myself!!!"
Commander Po had been born earth side and had started out with a normal childhood, normal enough anyway. She had parents, siblings and even a dog all living in a modern home and going to school. She had wanted to become a doctor at first easily excelling in her studies and enjoying the thought of helping people.
That had been before. That was until she changed for the alliance, that was before her family was killed by colonists and that was before she realized that those from the colonies where not people. TO her they had no feelings, no conscience and no morals. They where evil.
When she entered into university to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor they administered a test that had not been mentioned in the university package she had received. Since she excelled through high school she thought nothing of it and took the test knowing almost every answer and finding it weird when near the end it was all opinion questions.
Two years later, a few months before her 22nd birthday she got a call. Her family had been killed in a battle between the alliance and the colonist. They had told her that the colonists had escaped to earth and took her family hostage. After the alliance had paid for their release the colonists shot every one of them and tried to make a run for it.
Colonist where evil.
"I want search parties into the woods! Put up road blocks and no one is to get into the area without my say so!"
Men jumped to her every word and she stood rigid staring out across the lake water watching as divers made their way towards the middle of the lake in an old motor boat. They would search from the center and make their way outwards.
A shout from one of her men drew her gaze away from the divers entering the waters.
"Ma'am!" He ran to her and saluted. He was a younger recruit, fresh out of training and eager to please. He was panting lightly indicating to her that he ran as fast as he could for a distance. "Ma'am! WE found a survivor! HE must have been blown clear of the lake! WE figured we shouldn't move him in case he has serious injuries and you want him alive."
Sally Po nodded and indicated for the recruit to lead the way.
"Take me to him."
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In an underground facility, one thrown together as if with bubble gum and band aids, stood a figure tall and straight. Fine straggly blond hair was pulled back into a long ponytail at the nape of the man's neck and a tanned, slightly dirty hand ran through roughly cut bangs as Solo, leader of the resistance, tried to fix the fricken plumbing.
He was pulling hard securing the last bolt into an old water pipe that had burst. With the lack of funding and essentials the very resistance hideaway was an old, near ancient cargo ship long buried beneath the ground and hidden under the alliances very noses. IT haad been expanded underground into catacombs of tunnels and spare rooms to fit any and all who would need it.
It wasn't just soldiers here either. Homeless, women, children, young, old…civilians, or they should have been had the alliance not issued an enslavement order under martial law. Now they hid and helped out Solo, while not the eldest, had been appointed leader for he had saved the first of these people and they all said they owed him their lives.
He was lucky to have such loyalty in such hard times.
His eyes fogged over a little as a memory of other hard times surfaced along with a face never to be forgotten along with haunting Violet eyes and long autumn hair. Solo found himself smiling as he made his way back to his quarters, flopping on the bed and groaning childishly from the soreness of his muscles.
He could remember it so well…running through the streets of L2 arms loaded with stolen goods and large men on their heels. It had been hard but he had always had kid there next to him to see him through it. But then the latter disappeared only to be reported dead, murdered by a rapist that the little one had been too weak and slow to run from.
Solo should have been there. The small child had saved him from the plague, had stolen the vaccine from a government lab just to save the gang at the risk of his own life and Solo had failed him.
Rolling over Solo reached for an old story book. Peter Pan, it had been their favorite with Kid often referring the characters to those people he knew. Solo had been Peter Pan the eldest and leader of the group and the gang had been the lost boys. Those of authority and power were pirates and the memory brought a smile to Solo's face as he pulled out a ratty old picture.
It was old and worn with large childish writing printed on it. Kid had been the one to find the clipping from the news paper and had given it as a gift to Solo after he survived the plague. It had two slightly blurred figures in it both of them running along a roof top.
It had been taken when they stole from a military issued rations crate. The escape had been tricky but it fed their gang well for over a month. Best haul ever was what they had called it. Kid was the smaller figure leading the way and in mid jump with a wide grin on the small cherub face. Solo was close behind in a slight crouch. It looked like Kid had been flying both boys with their arms full of treasure.
Just like Peter Pan and his constant companion Tinker bell.
Solo sighed at the memory. Kid had grudgingly agreed to be tinker bell only because Solo had been the first to label him as such but would clock anyone who called him a fairy or a girl. Kid was no light weight in fighting and was graceful for a child. He had been a good friend and had he not died Solo believed they may have become more once the kid had gotten older…
He looked back at the picture in his hands and ran a finger over the smaller figure, Arrows pointed to each boy one reading 'Me' and the other reading 'Solo' labeling the slightly blurred boys. Kid had been so proud of the picture for they had no money of their own to get a camera or to pay for a picture of them to be taken. Thanks to this they had at least one memory preserved for future generations.
Solo slipped the loved paper back into the old book and closed it once more. He chuckled lightly as he put it away. He wondered what Kid would have looked like now, had he lived. Solo had made him promise not to cut his hair, so he imagined it long. Also those eyes…they would still be violet and large, his face would be smooth and unburdened by the stubble that often graced Solo's own face and he would have most likely been only a few inches shorter then Solo's own 6' something…
Solo smiled and rolled out of bed as his name was called by someone outside, he stretched and opened the door leaning against it lazily. Kip was panting directly outside and Solo straightened pulling the child into his room before the other could even say anything and shut the door firmly.
"What is it? Another emergency?" Solo asked sitting the panting child down on his bed and kneeling to look into the others face. "Kip." He started "Speak"
Kip took in a large amount of air before he began speaking rapidly telling Solo of the shuttle he saw crash and then about the sprout of water and the over use of Alliance agents and then he told him about the boy.
"I followed 'em soldiers to the ol' lake an' I took the woods a keepin' low jus' like you taugh' me Solo an' I fell over this bag here" He took off a black back pack and held it out to the older man who took it and stood "an' then I took it and saw someone lying on the groun' all busted like but he was too banged up and the alliance soldiers saw him before I could get to 'im!" Kip looked sad and looked at Solo "I'm sorry Solo! I really am!"
Solo was confused as to why Kip was saying sorry for something Solo would never had blamed him for. "Why are you apologizing kip? I would never get angry at you for something like this"
Kip stood on the bed and went to the shelve grabbing the Peter Pan book Solo had been holding prior and brought it to Solo, hopping off the bed and placing it onto the busted side table before taking the back pack back and opening it pulling out something that made Solo tilt his head.
"So what? Our Mystery guy liked stories too?"
Kip rolled his eyes an annoyed no falling through his lips before he placed it right next to Solo's "I 'membered the stories you often told us and tha' one time you showed me this." Kip looked excited suddenly and opened both books, which looked remarkably identical, to the same page and what he saw made Solo freeze.
"Impossible…" Solo said walking over to the books and lifting both worn photo's. His eyes wide and he didn't believe it but something in him came back alive after long being thought dead and gone.
"He even had the hair Solo! Right down longer then his butt! I know it's kid! I know it!" Kip was one who often believed in miracles and magic. He was one who thought dragons and unicorns and fairies all still existed and Aliens often hid among people. He would be one who believed that such things could be true.
Like kid coming back from the dead.
"It must be an alliance trick, Kip. Give up those childish thoughts and you would realize this too. Don't believe it" He put both photo's back and told Kip to leave with a serious expression on his face that made Kip feel guilty. Kip was twelve and the youngest soldier they had but he should have been able to tell that this was fake. Solo had no idea how the alliance had found out about his past or of Kid but if they knew who he was then he would have to tread more carefully from now on.
But how did they know about the book and photo. Only Kip was actually privy to that information and he was loyal to a fault. No…somehow they had found out another way and Solo was going to hurt them for it.
Kip took off his hat red hair like a flame about his forehead and freckles visible beneath the dirt smudged over the young one's face. His Grey eyes where a little misty with guilt and sadness as he stared at Solo who looked angry and serious. He remembered how Solo told him once that Kid had brought out the happiness in him and when the latter was killed hope and happiness fled faster then the freedom of the colonists.
This was why Kip was so adamant on believing that the unconscious body he had seen was the one Solo still held close in his heart. He believed that the injured teen he had seen was the often talked about and referred to Kid that Solo had once held dear. If only he could prove it was Kid, if only he could get in and…
Kip sighed heavily for effect as if he was saddened by Solo's disbelief and shut the door to Solo's room while putting his cap back on his head and getting a determined look on his face. He'd bring Kid back by himself. With a plan slowly forming in his mind Kip ran towards the cargo bay. They stored everything there from weapons to toothpaste. He could get what he needed and prove to Solo that there was still magic in the universe. He'd show the other that his thoughts and beliefs weren't childish…
He'd show everyone that he wasn't a child.
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SO yeah ish the second chapter all finished and written out for you all. Uhmmm…I am still new and all I do is write whatever pops into mind. Without a beta reader or your oh so wonderful reviews I can't determine how to fix anything if need be so help me out a little.
Now some of you may have a certain image of solo in your minds but need I remind you all that we truly know nothing about him save for that he was blond and Duo's mentor before his death in the plague.
So I am going to writes him as I see fit for this story. Nyaaa Deal with it.
