I'm not getting that many reviews, but I suppose that's what is to be expected to a newcomer. I have fully decided to make this a Jem/Heero fic now, and also a Rei/Admiral fic, as you'll soon find out in the next chapter. I hope you enjoy this. I also would like to thank all of my reviewers, however few. You're words make me continue and they keep my spirits high. Please, if you have been reading this fic, just give me a few little words. Just the simple phrase of "Nice" or "Please continue" or "Cool" or "Interesting" would suffice and make my week. You can even flame it for all I care, but please tell me what you think. Silence is foreboding and unnerving for me, even though I am a loner.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of their affiliates.
Orbs of Emerald
Chapter 3: Duo's Blunder, Jon's Wonder
***
In the farthest reaches of space, a dark figure sat in a high-backed chair, a small frown on his handsome face. Many scars crisscrossed his body. He was missing one arm, but it had been replaced by a prosthetic that was nearly as good. Nearly was the keyword.
"The assassination is complete, sir," informed an armor-covered man from his kneeling position at the scarred man's illustrious feet. He felt honored to even be standing in the presence of this man, the one who would finish the wars and rule the world and the colonies together, as one, and create a grand army to prevent another outbreak.
"Very good," said the man, even though he felt bitter bile rise in his throat at the thought. "You can rise, fool, I'm not going to hurt you. Like I said, this is supposed to be a fight for freedom."
The armored man rose from his knees, his ears and cheeks burning in embarrassment. The scarred man stood and began pacing on the small, raised platform. His thoughts were mainly of the last battle he'd been in and trying to remember anything of his own eradicated past.
"Admiral Kinde, please, calm down," said the armored man. "It is not befitting of the future President of the United Forces to pace like that."
"Lieutenant, in case you haven't realized, I am only fifteen years old," Admiral Kinde spoke like a confused child. The armored man understood quite well that the boy was a child, but he was so smart, so intimidating, no one could have been able to notice. None except for maybe Kinde's superior, but not one of the X Force's soldiers, including him, had ever set eyes on the man before. And few, a precious few Lieutenants such as himself, had seen the Admiral either. This was only his third time in his great presence. He felt obligated to try and assuage his grand leader's fears.
"I know, Admiral Kinde, but-"
"Do you know what happened to me, Lieutenant?" He interrupted suddenly. The boy's shoulder-length brown hair glinted in the dim light, making him seem all the more innocent and childish. "I've lost every memory I once owned, except for two facts: I used to live on Earth, and my last name is Kinde. I think I may still have family on Earth, but I don't know."
"Admiral Kinde, please, we've checked the records carefully," the Lieutenant soothed calmly, knowing this was a time for gentleness, not stiffness. "There is no one left on Earth who goes by the last name of Kinde. There was a girl your age, but she was lost in one of the battles."
Admiral Kinde grit his teeth.
"Are you sure she didn't survive? No one had believed I did in the Massacre of Colony 1120, but here I stand, nearly perfect condition," the scarred man stood up taller and revealed mere scars, all very light with the exception of one that crossed over his right eye. And his missing limb, of course, but who could notice that when it was covered with long sleeves and gloves?
"We are quite certain she did not, sir," the armored man answered.
"Okay," Admiral Kinde sighed. "Thank you, Lieutenant Nakami."
"Is that all, sir?" Nakami asked, ready to leave.
"Yes. You may go. Send in Captain Rei."
"Yes, sir," Nakami turned, his long, midnight blue hair swinging in its loose braid as he marched out the door. In stepped a pretty young woman, only a little older than Admiral Kinde himself. She marched with purpose up to him and gave a bow.
"You requested me, sir?" she asked, her face set in the stony indifference she was named for.
"Yes," he answered. "Do you know anything about a gem on Earth?"
"There are thousands of gems, sir, all over the planet," she answered, keeping a straight face easily despite the small joke she had made. "Do you know of which gem you speak?"
"I keep seeing it in my dreams," he answered, slouching thoughtfully in his chair. The tall and wide chair made him seem all the more childish, and Rei felt sorry for him. Such a horrid thing it was to be a pawn in this multiworld war, but she could not let her identity become known. She listened closely, hoping to be able to guard what she held so dear. "There are two of them, side by side, and they're so bright and beautiful and so very, very big. They're round and they have a small black spot in the center."
"It sounds to me like you're describing a pair of green eyes, not gems," Rei mused, a smirk on her face. "Perhaps you are dreaming of your soul mate?"
The Admiral thought about this a moment, then shook his head. "I keep calling it gem even though I don't know why. Then the scene sort of switches and I see fields upon fields of golden wheat. Then it switches again and I see a flat, sandy plain and two mountains in the distance. The gems sort of hover above the mountains, like they belong there. Then it's like the scene switches again and the gems are hidden above a red cave of some sort."
"That is very confusing," Rei commented. "Don't worry, sir. It probably doesn't mean anything. It's just a dream."
Yes, that may be, thought the Admiral to himself. But I know there's something about this dream. Something about my past...
"We must find these gems, Captain. They hold the key to all the knowledge in the galaxy," the Admiral said, sitting up.
"What are they called, sir, besides gem?"
Admiral Kinde did not know what else to call them. So, he came up with a name that he knew suited the two gems quite well. He knew his decision would be very wise, because the name was almost as beautiful as the gems themselves.
"The Orbs of Emerald."
***
The four Gundam Pilots sat around the kitchen table, discussing what they would train the new "recruit" in, seeming how they couldn't send her home and they had promised to allow her on their mission. Wufei was still unhappy about it, but he would deal with it. If she couldn't be destroyed, the most he could do was go along with the rest of the plan.
"She seemed pretty confident about being able to infiltrate the X Force's base," Quatre pointed out. "Maybe she's a little more skilled than we previously thought."
"Either that or she's intelligent enough to bluff us into thinking that," Heero added, leaning back in his chair, his eyes closed in deep thought.
"Or both," Duo added. "Of course, you guys would never admit that a girl was smarter than you. I think she just may be, in a few ways."
"Watch yourself, Maxwell," Wufei growled. "So it is agreed. She learns hand-to-hand first and foremost. If she doesn't know how, the basics of driving and piloting. All women know first-aid already, so that is of no real concern."
"Actually, Mr. Chang," I said as I descended the stairs, using caution because of my wound. I leaned lightly on the railing, but not enough to make myself look weak. "Not all women have it born and bred within them to do first-aid. However, my father did teach me a thing or two." I smirked at the shock on Duo and Quatre's faces, knowing they were befuddled that I was even out of bed in the first place. "And besides, way back when, men were the nurses, not the women."
"You should be in bed, Jem, not up and running about like that," Quatre said, pointing up the stairs at the bedroom I had just come out of. "It's not a good idea to walk around with a wound like that."
"It was a scratch from the heat of the bullet," I said offhandedly, an indifferent expression on my face. "It was not an actual bullet wound. I'm fine, I heal very quickly." After all, I added silently, I was the phoenix, and the rose among the ashes. But, I added onto Jonathon's words, every rose had its thorns.
"Sit down, at least," Quatre pleaded with me, gesturing to the seat he'd come out of. I smirked and grabbed an empty chair from the kitchen table, mere meters away, sitting down in it backwards. The blond sat down again, uncertain of anything.
"Where's the silent one?" I asked, not wanting to reveal that I'd been listening to their earlier conversation as well.
"Trowa's searching out the base," Heero answered, finally coming out from his previous position of relaxation and surveying the group of five that we'd become. Sitting in my lone kitchen chair, I felt myself become isolated from them by their eyes, as they were all staring at me. Duo and Quatre on the small couch, Heero in a single-cushion chair, and Wufei, all alone on the large couch. It was a strange sight to see, considering. I almost wished I could have taken the seat Quatre had gestured to instead of being stupid and getting a kitchen chair.
"So, what's next?" I asked, not being fazed by the uneasy silence for long. I had a feeling that I had better get used to the quiet, because it did not seem that Heero, Wufei, or Trowa were talkers, and Quatre seemed to just be a quiet person as well. Duo, on the other had, had been counted on to talk nonstop, but it seemed even he could not bear to break the taboo of silence when the others were so tense.
I, however, was used to silence. Jonathon had never been one to talk unless he was with me. When we were in a crowd, he just wasn't into it. It was as if his voice-box had been stolen from his throat. Until that day...the day we'd caught our first glance at a Gundam. Then, suddenly, it was like his whole world had been opened up. He talked to anyone who would listen about his encounter with the Gundam, whom I now knew to be Heero, always showing off his scorched, melted hand whenever he could.
I had despised that wound for many, many moons until he'd finally asked me why. Then, I'd just broken down completely...
"Jem? Hello? Duo to Jem, can you hear me?" I snapped out of it and looked around quickly, bringing myself back to reality. I batted Duo's hand away with mine.
"Sorry, I spaced," I said, shaking my head roughly. "I don't normally do that, I don't know what is wrong with me." Giving myself another thorough shake, I came back down to Earth...or wherever I was. The others looked at me strangely.
"I really would suggest you lie down for a few more days," Quatre suggested calmly.
"Like hell!" I protested, annoyed. "That's boring."
"Boring or not, it is required," Heero said, standing up. "Go back up."
"No way!" my voice went shrilly, making Wufei, Quatre, and Duo cringe at the pitch of it. Heero just stared at me, unfazed.
"We can do this the easy way or the hard way," he challenged, crossing his arms and shifting his weight to his left foot, a smirk in his eyes if not on his face. He was enjoying tormenting me!
"What do you mean, Heero?" Duo jumped up and tugged at Heero's left arm. "Don't hurt her any more, we need her now!"
"We do not need another weak girl for this mission any more than we needed Peacecraft," Wufei snarled at Duo angrily. Fury flashed in Heero's eyes as his head turned abruptly from me, now glaring at Wufei. The Japanese and Chinese boy exchanged looks that would have made any other men cringe away and run babbling for their mommies. However, neither of the boys were normal men.
"Hey, guys, guys, guys!" Duo said, jumping between them and holding them apart with his hands. "Leave Releena out of this, Wu-man, she never did nothing to you. Besides, who knew that this would happen?"
"Out of my way, Maxwell," Heero growled between gritted teeth.
I stood back and watched, unable to do anything. I was completely helpless. The street-fighting Jonathon had taught me was nothing compared to what Wufei knew, and talking to either of them didn't seem to help anything. Especially considering I was on thin ice between these two as it was.
"No, Heero," Duo growled right back. "You two need to stop fighting, this isn't getting us anywhere. Releena wouldn't want-"
The movement happened so quickly, I didn't notice it until the aftermath made itself known. Duo collapsed to the ground, a gash on the back of his head. Wufei was just as surprised as everyone else that Heero had struck the other boy, it was plain on his face.
"Duo!" Quatre gasped, looking from the happy boy to the trigger-happy one. "Heero!"
I said nothing, but sprang immediately into action. I found Duo's limp wrist and checked for a heartbeat, finding it beating strong and fast, my crouch sprung up to a stand again and I faced Heero, a scowl on my face and hands clenched nearly to the point of drawing blood if I'd had any fingernails to speak of. It was all I could do not to give him one right then and there.
"Just because he's right does not mean that you should strike him," I growled at him, the words coming out not quite the way I wanted, but my point got across. "Think about your actions next time, Perfect Soldier." I turned around on my heel and took Duo's left arm, hauling his limp body onto my shoulder, forgetting all about the pain that shot up and down my side again and again. Quatre snapped out of his daze and shouldered his right side, taking most of the weight. I glared at Heero one more time.
"Just because you're a soldier does not give you rights to stop being human." With those words, I turned and walked up the stairs, Quatre trying to keep the majority of Duo's weight on his side to not strain me. We reached a bedroom near to mine and walked in.
"There's a bunch of supplies left in your room," Quatre informed me quickly, taking in the situation and taking charge. "I'll go get some damp clothes." I nodded, not taking orders, just doing what I did best: helping. We separated outside the door, me headed into the room I had come from, still ignoring the searing hot pain in my side, and him to the left, toward the bathroom at the end of the hall. Carrying the supplies in my arms, I reached the room before Quatre's return and set the things down on the end of the bed.
I hauled Duo to a sitting position, using several pillows to prop him up that way, then started unbraiding his hair to make it easier to get to the wound. Quatre returned moments later and we worked in silence, cleaning the cut with the utmost gentle care. Once we finished wrapping an Ace bandage around his head loosely, I took a brush from the table in the room and re-fixed his hair the way he'd had it. Quatre watched me work closely, then helped settle Duo back into the covers.
"I've never seen Heero react like that," Quatre said quietly. "Never with that much anger. I don't think he's ever actually hit Duo before."
"Losing a loved one can do that to people," I whispered softly.
"I'm sorry...about your brother."
"Heh. Jon believed in destiny. Maybe he was destined to die out there," I sighed sadly. "He told me that my destiny was different. He told me that I had to marry and grow old, and that I had to have at least one kid. But I don't want to."
"Then you don't have to," Quatre confirmed my own silent right.
"He told me," I took a deep breath to stop from crying, then started again. "He told me once that I should have been called Phoenix instead of Jeminie."
"Why is that?"
"He said that I was always picking up where I failed and started all over again. But I don't think I have the strength to do it this time," looking at my hands, a tear slipped down my cheek. "He was always there, no matter what. Until...until Heero attacked us at Nara."
"You heard us talking." It wasn't a question or an accusation, merely a statement.
"Yeah," my face burned again. I hated to be caught in the act of a crime, no matter how small. I was sure hanging around these five would probably beat that out of me pretty quick.
"What happened in Nara? Do you want to talk about it?" Quatre asked gently.
"We were only thirteen then," I smiled lightly, the tears shining in my eyes. "We were going to fly kites in the field by Nara Air Force Base. Then our father called us back, telling us that the Gundams were attacking. Jon didn't hear and ran ahead. I ran after him, yelling at him that we had to get to the shelter."
"But he didn't want to leave, did he?"
"No. He wanted to go see the Gundams," I laughed bitterly. "Wanted to see everything. When I finally convinced him to go back, I made it in the shelter. He lowered himself using one hand. The Gundam fired and cooked Jon's hand like steak."
"How did it change after that?" Quatre asked, looking worried. I think he knew where this was headed, but I continued.
"My father and I bandaged the wound and we moved again. I hoped that the melted flesh wouldn't change him. But Jon was proud of the wound, for some reason. He'd show it off and tell his story to anyone who had a minute to spare. Like a child at Christmas with a new toy he'd always wanted. He talked about going to help fight the colonies, but I told him not to. It was too dangerous, it wasn't our fight."
"But he went anyway, didn't he?"
"Not only that," I smirked bitterly. I began speaking with a tone that sounded insane, but I didn't care. "He died. Died. In the Massacre of Colony 1120. If I ever find the officer responsible for sending those men into combat, I'll...I'll-" I cut myself off with a grunt and lashed out at the thin air, revealing just precisely what I would do to that particular officer of the Earth Sphere.
"You needn't worry about him," Quatre smiled reassuringly. "He's dead."
"I know," I laughed again, the sound foreign in my throat. "I know. He's dead and gone, gone to hell, I hope."
"There's no doubts there," Quatre shrugged. The conversation became too unbearable for me, and probably for both of us, because we sat in awkward silence for what felt like an hour, just watching Duo's steady breaths. I think he had come out of unconsciousness and went straight into sleep.
"Why's he like that?" I asked suddenly, breaking the taboo of eerie quiet. "Heero, I mean. Why's he the Perfect Soldier and not anyone else?"
"I don't know myself," Quatre shook his head. "War does things like that to people. We all were effected differently from the training. I guess Heero is what they call a total success."
"War, what a laugh," I shook my head, my words not matching my actions at all. "It's because of this war that thousands are dead, millions are injured, and millions are without shelter and food. It's because of our inability to see through our hatred and differences that this war has dragged on for so long."
"I agree perfectly," Quatre nodded, watching Duo again. He didn't look at me until I spoke again, my mind made up now.
"I'm going to help you guys stop the X Force if it's the last thing I do," I pledged earnestly. "War will not continue as long as I'm around." He glanced up and smiled.
"Nor I."
***
Now we know that Jon is actually alive and he's in charge, more or less, of the X Force! And just how hard Heero was hit by Releena's death. (I know people don't really like her, and I didn't either, but the story was the story. Assassinating Peacecraft killed three birds with one stone, so to speak.) I'll go ahead and upload the next chapter, because the next one is supposed to be a continuation of this one.