PLEASE R&R or I will be forced quit publicly posting this story and send chapters to only those people who are willing to give me feedback for all the effort I put into it. Personally I'm very disappointed with this section of in other portions I've found most people to be great about giving feedback and encouraging authors to keep writing. However despite a steady number of hits on each additional chapter, people adding me on alert lists, and favoriting my story I'm lucky to receive one lone review per chapter. And I am THANKFUL for those who have review, thank you very much and please continue to do so. All right, I am done ranting now, please enjoy this chapter...it may be the last you read if you're too lazy to review :P
Episode 9: Portrait of a Ruined Country
Summary: Heero and Duo are in a new school but Relena has followed, searching for Heero. Zechs receives the now finished Tallgeese and flies it for the first time. He is almost killed because it has such a controlling system and power. His friend Otto flies the MS and frees the Sanc Kingdom but loses his life doing so.. Sadly Zechs wanders into the ruined palace, and revealing his true heritage as Millardo Peacecraft gives up his claim to the thrown, saying Relena will run the country as their father intended.
An unknown school-
"So this is where you went." Duo rambled as he approached Heero and Alexa. "You know that's pretty smart. Changing schools when you gotta move on. After all, it's natural for people our age to be in school," The braided boy settled himself on the railing beside Alexa and looked contentedly out over the bay.
"What's the idea?" Heero interrogated, glaring sideways at the other gundam pilot.
"Hmph, I'm just trying to act natural," Duo shrugged as he answered.
"You stand out," the other boy grunted, turning away.
"You wouldn't be so suspicious if you acted natural and instead of being so secretive. Why don't you just chill out a bit and have some fun as a student?" Duo asked, looking perplexed by Heeros' attitude. "Lexa here has it down," he added, playfully punching her lightly in the upper arm.
"Knock it off," she muttered, pushing him away.
"Fine, fine you're no fun anymore chica," Duo grumbled good-naturedly. "I told you it's not the end of a world to make a mistake," he grinned and waggled a finger at her, "it just shows that you're human!" The girl pilot didn't respond, but her brow crinkled in irritation as he spoke. "Hmmm," Duo though out loud, trying another approach, "That explains why your buddy here never screws up." He twisted his neck to leer at Heero, "He's not human!"
"Leave me alone," the quiet pilot ordered, closing his eyes and resting his head on the back of the bench he sat on.
"And stay out of your way, right?" Duo shot back, a knowing smirk on his face. "The three of us are going after the same thing here, you can't hide it from me. I can see it in your eyes as plain as day pal." Heero continued to ignore the other pilot until Duo asked, "What do you say the first one to destroy that ship wins?" Wordlessly they both studied the vessel in the harbor, eyes collecting the necessary information with an ease born from years of practice.
"You wanna play too Alexa?" Duo challenged, grinning mischievously at her. Cautiously the girl pilot looked sideways at Heero who pointedly turned away.
"Sure," she answered Duo without emotion. He raised his eyebrows questioningly but Alexa refused to say anything else and began to walk away.
"Let's do it then," he said to her retreating back, face split by an eager smile. A car pulled up in the lot behind him, and part curiosity part instinct made the braided boy turn to look as the door slammed shut. "Hey that's.." he almost whispered.
"Relena…" Heero supplied, watching intently as the vice foreign ministers daughter walked up to them with sure strides. Alexa heard the boys speaking, but decided the girl who kept chasing after Heero wasn't worth acknowledging and kept walking.
"Heero!" Relena smiled so big that her eyes closed, "I wanted to see you!"
"Well, she's not your average chick," Duo commented admiringly, "Wanting to see the guy who's trying to kill her." Heero kept his mouth shut, turning back to look at the ship in the harbor and ignoring the rest of the world.
Maganac base:
"So how was it?" Rashid asked his young charge, sitting down in the chair opposite.
"There were six suits in all. I'm pretty sure they're all called gundams." Quatre answered, sipping cautiously from the delicate cup.
"They're all gundams?" the older man repeated in surprise.
"They're violent and dangerous but they're all really nice guys," Quatre spoke softly, smiling at the memory.
"How can you be so sure of that Master?" Rashid asked gently, trying not to sound too distrustful.
"I can tell," the blond pilot spoke assuredly. "The soul of outer space tells me."
"The soul of outer space?" Rashids face grew skeptical but Quatre wasn't looking and didn't notice the expression.
"The soul of outer space," he repeated, breathing in the sweet scented steam rising from the cup between his hands. Finally the pilot looked up at his mentor, just catching the quickly hidden expression of doubt. "I did talk to one of them too Rashid, I'm not going entirely on instinct here," he added in an attempt to sooth the older man.
"One of them besides Trowa?" Rashid asked, scratching at his beard.
"Yeah," Quatre nodded, continuing after he took a sip of tea, "Her name's Alexa. She gave me some good advice actually before the battle."
"Her?" Rashid was startled. "One of the pilots is a girl?"
"Sure, she's a really good pilot too from what I saw," the boy answered quickly, wondering why his mentor suddenly looked so worried.
"Master Quatre…" Rashid began, then seemed unsure how to continue. Finally the bearded man cleared his throat and continued, "Perhaps it's better if you don't interact with the other pilots outside of battle."
"Huh? Why not Rashid?" The leader of the Maganac shifted uncomfortably as Quatre stared up at him with innocent blue eyes.
"Well…I think that…perhaps you…" he began, struggling to explain. Quatre watched him struggle for several seconds, then understanding suddenly dawned on his face and the blond boy burst out in high pitched laughter. "Master?" Rashid questioned.
"Rashid!" Quatre managed to choke out, "We're fighting in a war! I'm not going to fall for some girl!" The teenager continued laughing, finally taking several deep breaths to soothe himself. "You don't honestly think…"
"I just wanted to point it out master," Rashid spoke firmly, attempting to redeem himself from his earlier stuttering. Quatre snorted in laughter again, but more quietly this time.
"Don't worry about me Rashid," he smiled kindly up at his mentor.
But I do worry, the older man thought, though he nodded to Quatre and sat back in his chair.
On board the OZ ship in the harbor-
Duo grinned happily as Deathscythe easily sliced through the Leos that were supposed to be guarding the ship. A sharp beep echoed in the cockpit, warning him of an approaching MS. "What took you Heero?" the boy taunted, "Don't worry, I left you some action." With renewed intensity Duo continued slicing through the ships defenses, while Heero took the more direct approach and aimed Wing Gundam right at the main command tower.
"Too late!" Alexas' voice rolled over the link just as the tower exploded a second before Heero rammed into it with his gundam. "I don't know why you boys thought it necessary to wait until nightfall to get rid of this thing." The girl pilot grinned innocently at Duo from the his screen.
"How long have you been here?" He asked in disbelief.
"I set up the explosive this afternoon, then came out here when you tried to sneak off so I could make sure they went off properly." The girl pilot responded nonchalantly.
"All right, all right, you win," Duo relented rolling his eyes good naturedly.
"Mission accomplished, let's split." Alexa said. Duo nodded in agreement and fired up Deathscythes rockets. Alexa hesitated for a second, looking over her shoulder where Heero sat silently in Wing Gundam. Instantly he maneuvered the gundam into the air, and the girl pilot sighed. "I suppose I can't expect him to forgive me by beating him in a fight." Unbidden memories played forcefully through her mind as she watched him fly away.
Wing Gundam arced high in the air, transforming to fight mode as soon as it reached the same height as the plane. He pulled the beam sword out and it blazed to full length instantly. They all watched from the ground as the weapon effortlessly swept through the OZ plane and it exploded in a yellow and orange fireball. "Mission accomplished," Heeros voice came clearly over the radio frequency.
Alexa closed her eyes in shame thinking, It's my fault he killed all those pacificist…I gotta think of a way to make it up to him!
"What's the matter 'Lexa, did you forget how to fly?" Duo called back to her.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" She responded quickly. "It's not like I've been waiting all day for you guys to attack, slow pokes!"
"Hey, don't push it!" Duo replied, and the girl pilot gave a small smile as she launch Starfire into the air.
Why is it so much easier to get back to normal when I'm around Duo? Alexa continued thinking as she skimmed over the water. He just shrugged it off and said mistakes happen when he learned what I did, but Heero…I feel like there's no way to redeem myself with him. Irratated the girl shook her head, blond ponytail slapping gently on her ears. I'll have to figure it out some other time when I'm not high on adrenaline from battle.
In the newly freed Sanc Kingdom-
Zechs strode down the halls of the ruined palace, but his eyes didn't see the ramshackle walls or burned decorations—he was concentrating instead on the human life that had just been lost to win back his kingdom. But as the lightning count passed a large door torn off the hinges, he seemed to come back to reality and entered the room. Silently he stood before the only untouched object in the room, an immense painting of a determined looking man. As he pulled off his mask Zechs spoke quietly to the picture,
"It took me 13 years to return to these grounds. Father forgive your son. There's been much bloodshed along the way and I've only been able to live a lifestyle that counters your teachings based on the principles of total pacifism," the young man looked down in shame at his gloved fingers, "My hands they are too stained with blood. I'm completely unfit to lead the Peacecraft monarchy."
He let out a soft sigh as he picked up a slightly battered metal frame from the table before him and looked over the pictures within. The central one was a young, smiling boy holding a sleeping baby girl, and the leftmost photo showed the same baby girl a bit older and smiling widely for the camera. However his eyes rested longest on the third photo, half falling out of its frame with only a portion of the shattered glass left to hold it in. Gently Zechs freed it from the ruined frame and held it by the corner. The same young boy from the central picture was in this one as well, but this time his smile was more natural and he seemed to be laughing along with the girl toddler clinging piggy backed to him. The pilot blinked several times to clear his vision.
"I have failed you in more then just being unable to live by your teaching father. I couldn't protect her, I failed at the most essential duty you placed upon me. Another reason I am not fit to bear the Peacecraft name," Millardo sighed and tore his gaze away from the loose photo, looking at the leftmost picture again. "But I'm sure she would be able to lead the country in the manner you'd intended. I will fight to make that happen." He spoke the last words strongly, adding sincerely once more, "I have failed you, please forgive me." With a bow of his head the former prince set down the frame and walked from the room of his ruined home, pocketing the third picture as he disappeared through the fire scorched doorway.