Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam wing, and any religious
comments about the afterlife are just my musings, and should not be taken
seriously.
AN: Wow, I'm surprised I didn't get anything hateful from you guys in your
reviews. That would've been fun… but none hateful things are good! *sigh* as
the title of this chapter suggest, this is the last chapter of 'Black Hair and
Gray Eyes', but the next upload will be an epilogue. I really don't want to end
this story, but I have a ton more ideas thought up, and I really want to get
started on an original. So, I'd like to say, thank you to everyone that's read
and reviewed! I'm going to miss you all so much! *Hyper, even though she just
got out of bed*
To Hououza: Actually, that seven pages comment was for the last chapter… but I
think this one is pretty much seven pages too.
Lynn-Minmay: I know, that part was
sad, I had to admit, but I just think it's kind of… lame how people introduce
characters just to kill them off instantly, or just kill everyone but the main
characters. I kind of like it better when authors have the guts to kill off
someone everyone likes… yes, I am cruel.
Watery Lily2: The last line… It was
supposed to symbolize that Arika was inside of Akira the whole time, and her
spirit was just showing itself for that split second.
Morrighan of Crimson and Sable:
Lynna: No,
actually, I didn't pick out Chantelle for that reason. How coincidental… I
picked it because she was supposed to be the fairer lady of the group, and what
a more lady-like name than Chantelle?
Once again, thank you everyone for reading and reviewing! You got me all the way
to 150 reviews!! I'm so happy!
Black Hair and Gray Eyes
Chapter 26
The house was too quiet. Every time she
turned a corner, or walked into a room, the image of Aki, smiling or walking
pass, would always enter Relena's mind. Even though she had usually been quiet,
Aki had always made the mansion seem homier, and Relena didn't know if she
could live like this. The hallways she was walking down seemed cold and quiet.
The room Aki had lived in… Relena hadn't worked up the courage to go in there
yet.
How could she have had been so careless? Of course, what her daughter had done
against human nature, and she had to go back someday, but Relena never should've
allowed her to go like that. Her last days should've been with her family for it.
Not like that.
She felt more tears leak out of her eyes,
and walked into her bedroom, spying a glint of gold on her vanity. It was her daughter's
locket. She had taken it off of Aki before she had been pulled away by the Preventers.
It might've been a violation, but Relena had needed something special of her
daughter's to keep.
She picked it up and flipped it open and
looked where Aki's smiling picture had appeared, just as Relena remembered her.
She didn't have the carefree, sweet smile of any other girl her age, but a
matured one, with hints of kindness behind it. Her gray eyes held a sparkle of
contentment, and mid-length black hair flowed onto her shoulders.
That side was gold. Arika's side was a
pearl white, but Aki's side was gold, even though she had already died. Relena
choked back a sob and slammed the small locket down on the vanity before
striding over to her bed to cry. She was strong, but she was only human. Heero
had even had a tear fall down his cheek when Aki died too, to Relena's
surprise. Not really though, because she had always known, he was human too.
Strong arms enveloped her into a strong,
warm hug and Relena moved into it, breathing in her fiancé's scent.
Yes, her fiancé. His Christmas gift to
her had been a ring, for his proposal. He was going to propose in front of
everybody on Christmas day, but that didn't happen. Instead, the fight had been
fought, and the revolution was controlled, then came the mourning of their lost
child. Relena had looked through the various presents with Heero at her side
until she had found his. They opened it together and she fell into his arms,
sobbing, afterwards with soft whispers of, "Yes, gods yes Heero".
And today was the funeral. Relena's
mourning dress was laid out on the bed, and Heero's suit was too. Aki's friends
and the rest of ex-Gundam pilots and their female counterparts were coming,
including Catherine, even though she had never really known Aki. Then there was
Marimaia and Lady Une as well. It was a private funeral, and the news would be released
to the media later on.
"Relena…" She pushed away from him
enough so that she could see his face. "Relena, we have to go soon." Swallowing
the lump in her throat, she picked up her dress and went to the bathroom to
change. He was going to change in their room.
*~*~*~*~*
"Miss Peacecraft." Lee bowed when he
addressed Aki's mother, who was only four years older than him. It's was a
little awkward, but it went well. He went to sit beside Dawn, who had arrived
earlier. She was sobbing softly, and he offered her his shoulder. They were at
the Peacecraft mansion, and were waiting for everyone to arrive before
continuing. Besides, Aki's funeral was to be held in a special graveyard; the Peacecraft's
own personal one.
"Miss Relena, the last of the guests has
arrived." Pagan bowed a bit to the young woman and turned, revealing three
people, a man with long bangs that obscured one eye, a blonde, fragile looking
woman, and a young girl with blonde hair too, and piercing black eyes. She
looked at him and Dawn before walking over to them.
"I take it you two are Aki's school
friends?" Lee nodded for both Dawn and himself, as the girl beside him didn't
seem to want to talk. The younger girl, probably ten, held out her hand. "I'm
Chantelle, Aki's friend from the colonies."
"You live in the colonies?" Dawn was a
bit more alert now, although talking through tears. Lee didn't blame her; he
wasn't far off from breaking down himself. The girl nodded. "Oh, manners," Dawn
sniffed and plastered on a weak, unconvincing smile, "I'm Dawn, and this is
Lee." The two girls shook hands and then Lee shook hands with the child.
"Everyone, if you would please follow
Pagan, we will be heading to the funeral site now." Chantelle looked over her
shoulder before turning back to them. Her eyes softened, and she gave a small
smile.
"Alone? Come ride with my parents and I."
She helped the two of them up and led them out into the cold winter air.
*~*~*~*~*
By the time they arrived in the secluded
area, Lee and Dawn had learned every detail about the orphans' pasts. They learned
about the gang, How it began, it leaders, and how they survived. They also
learned a bit about how Akira and Arika were an unbeatable team when it came to
a lot of problems on the streets.
"They were complete opposites, but a
part of a whole each. We called them the Ying and Yang of gray and blue**. When
Ari left for the other colony, then died, Aki was even more closed and quiet
then before. But when I left to visit a few people I knew on the other side of
the colony, she was killed, b-"
"Yeah, she told us this part," Lee interrupted,
"Ari came to her, and she kind of… I don't know how to explain this but… her
spirit kind of inhabited Aki's body too. I guess they were really two parts of
a whole after that."
Chantelle nodded. "I didn't learn about
that until a few days ago… so I always wondered why she had developed a bit of
a double personality, and she was more open than ever. Even then, though, she
was a bit closed. I guess in her body, Aki was stronger than Ari, and she had
more dominance. But Ari still had some power, and came out every now and then."
"This is confusing if you think about
it, you know. Then Miss Relena actually has two daughters, even though they're
the same person, and we were friends with both Aki and her sister… and Lee! You
kissed both of them!" Lee blushed and Chantelle sputtered while Dawn clapped
her hand over her mouth. "Sorry there!"
"You kissed her?" Chantelle looked at
Lee incredulously as he nodded slowly. They had earned several stares from the
adults around them, but they quickly turned their gazes away. "Aki, even with
Ari, had never let anyone touch her, never mind become a close friend. Lee, you've
done the impossible."
She shot him a grin before noticing the limousine
had stopped, and she tugged on them to follow her. "I have the feeling I'm
going to have to pry you two for some details when this is all over with."
Everyone climbed out of the long, dark
car and followed Relena as she led them down to the burial site for Akira's
body. It was near the other edge of the site, and a large, rectangular
tombstone marked it. They surrounded the hole and let the priest start his
speech. After fifteen long minutes, Relena was called up to say a few words.
"Akira… we never knew about anything
when I took her in. She was an orphan who grew up on the streets in the same
colony I opened the orphanage on. She helped Heero save me, and brought us
together slowly throughout a whole time span of five months. That was as long
as I knew her, but she still made a huge impact on my life.
"Aki was quiet and reserved, most of the
time, but she brought a light into my household. I'm glad she accepted me as
her own mother; it was an honor to know her and be the one to give her a family.
She, later, even helped keep a revolution at bay, and helped the Preventers capture
all of the gang, except for the leader."
She bowed her head and moved to walk
off, when something small and black ran past her. Startled, she looked up
slowly, and everyone else's heads turned at the sound of hysterical laughing.
"That's right; no one ever caught the
leader." A woman with long, black hair and cold green eyes stepped towards
them, a gun in her left hand. She was laughing again, only softer this time.
"Avalon…" Heero, who was standing beside
Chantelle, grounded out the woman's name, and nearly moved to fight, but was
held back by the sight of Relena, not too far away. "Everyone, get out of here."
The adults hesitated for a second, before stepping away from the woman, and
bringing the kids along with them.
"Miss Relena, I thought you had more
etiquette than that. My own daughter's funeral and I wasn't invited?" A
collection of gasps and murmurs rose behind them, though all were ignored.
"Avalon! What are you doing here?"
Relena was now by Heero's side, her eyes filled with a cold fury at the woman
still stepping towards them. She gripped his arm, keeping herself in control. This
was the woman that killed her daughter. Their daughter.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm giving my
daughter my respects before you bury her. Oh, and maybe eliminate you, and get
my war while I'm at it." Another bullet shot, but it missed too, instead
reflecting off Aki's tombstone. She was shooting with the arm Aki's had it,
while nursing it with the other arm. Blood still ran freely out of it.
"Such a shame. I only got to know her
for a night, before death came to claim her. Oh, how I wish things could've
been different." Her voice was soft, but mocking, making Relena grip onto Heero
all the more. "Oh well." Another bullet, but it missed. She was still a long
ways away from the couple.
A wind blew between them, Making Avalon
look to her left for a bit, towards the long, empty field not yet littered with
gravestones. But the field was all ready to hold more dead bodies…
Avalon's eyes widened, and she stepped
back, scared. Her eyes were locked onto something in the distance, and everyone
strained to see what she was so afraid of. A speck of gold rose up against the
white of the snow.
"What…?" The question passed through
everyone there, but only the three children uttered it. The speck was growing,
and running, slowly coming into focus. A large mop of black hair was soon recognizable.
"Aki! Lee! It's really her! It's Aki!"
Looks were exchanged quickly, but indeed, it was the girl. But she was
different. Of course, she didn't normally wear short (but decent) gold robes,
but there was something else. Some, ethereal?
Akira started to run, her soft strands
of hair flying behind her, and her gray eyes flashing. Her sights were locked
on Avalon, and she never looked away from the woman.
"It can't be! I killed you! I saw you
dying in her arms!" For the briefest of seconds, Relena could've sworn she saw
her daughter smirk, but her eyes trailed away from her Aki's face as two,
large, golden wings sprouted from her back. They flapped, lifting Aki off the
ground, but she still flew close to it, not ever saying a word.
Relena's legs gave way, bringing Heero
down with her as they continued to watch Aki fly at an alarming speed. What had
only been a speck before was halfway towards them, and counting.
Her wings continued to grow, and in a
second, the covered her up completely, before opening again, bigger than ever. But
they weren't attached to Aki anymore; they were the large, beautiful wings of a
giant golden eagle.
Avalon, terrified, began to run away,
tripping over the various tombstones in her way. She began to scream and yell
to no one. "You can't be real! I killed you!" But the gigantic bird flew on,
through the tombstones before closing its mouth around Avalon. A collision of
golden feathers and something else took place, blinding everyone in an
explosion of gold and white.
In the confusion, a black handled gun
flew out, and landed on the ground, at Heero's feet. He picked it up slowly,
and looked back up, to where the eagle had stopped moving.
But there was no eagle, just Aki and a
dove, flying side by side, talking to each other. Actually, the dove was
chirping as Aki listened, not really interested, as they flew towards Heero and
Relena.
When Aki next looked towards them, she
let out a smile, and did her usual, two-fingered-wave. She landed in front of
them, and looked at the gun in Heero's hand.
"Don't try and kill me with that, it'll
waste bullets, since I'm already dead." She stepped aside, revealing a shivering
mass of forest green. She pointed at the pitiful bulge out of the snow that was
Avalon, "Come on now, father, like you promised, right?"
With a slightly trembling hand, Heero
aimed towards the woman, but he couldn't get his hand to stop shaking. The ethereal
hand of his daughter's toughed his and he was steady, almost instantly. He
shot, and the bullet hit her directly, earning him a painful cry from the heap.
"Aki, you were always the violent one."
A second figure landed down beside Aki, only younger, and in white robes, with
white wings. She still had the black hair, only with blue eyes.
"Arika?" Chantelle, from behind, stood
shakily, and watched the younger angel. She turned, and grinned, arms spread
wide.
"Chantelle! I've missed you so much!"
Chantelle ran into her friends arms, holding her, but stopped and looked down
abruptly. She looked the girl over again, and checked her temple. No scar.
"For once, I'm taller than you." She said
blankly, making Arika put on a stubborn, indignant face. Chantelle nearly burst
out laughing. Aki rolled her eyes and looked over at Chantelle.
"I guess that day at the headquarters
wasn't the last time I saw you… never could trust me…" She turned to Relena and
Heero, smiling softly. It was the exact same as the one in the locket.
"Mother… Father… I'm glad everything
worked out so fine." Relena, who had been watching the younger girl talk to her
old friend and the others, turned to Aki. Tears started to form in her eyes as
she choked back a sob.
"Aki! Ever since… that day… I've been regretting
everything. I shouldn't of let you go, so that you last days could've been
spent with us, not fighting!" she leaned her head on Heero's shoulder, and
gripped his arm tightly.
"Mother… it was my choice. And besides," she paused, hesitant, "I am sort of
like Avalon, I need a purpose. I need to be working, but I also wanted to do
the right thing. I died in my mother's arms, and as part of the group that
helped saved the universe from another revolution, Mother, I died happy." She
leaned forward and wiped a few tears away from her mother's face.
"And Father," she turned to Heero, who
was still getting over the shock of seeing a ghost, "I hope you can settle down
with Mother. Really, take care of yourself, I'll hate you is I see you with
wings too soon. Zero doesn't count, either." She smiled, and stood, readying
herself to take flight again.
"Aki." Relena tugged at a lower fold of
her daughter's shirt, feeling a lot like a young child again. Aki looked down
at her, acknowledging her. She felt a heavy burden lift, though what it was,
she didn't know. "Aki... are you happy… being dead?"
Aki looked down at her mother, who was
still crying, but silently. "Yes, I am. I finally get to be with my sister again,
although you are missing from it. I saw your parents, both of your biological
and your adoptive father. Their all very proud of you, they couldn't of wished
for a better daughter. Tell Marimaia I met with her father too. He's really
proud of her, so is her mom. And Father, I met your parents. You've got you mother's
eyes, and your father's looks. Odin's proud too."
Heero blinked. He hadn't been expecting
that. He hadn't even thought about that. But now that he knew… he was happy to
know. Aki crouched by them, and hugged them both, briefly.
"Don't ever be sad that I'm dead. Be
happy that you've got your entire lives ahead of you. You've got your children's
too…" she trailed off, touching the finger on Relena's ring finger gently. "I'll
be watching on the day… that'll be my promise."
"Aki!" Akira, Relena, and Heero were
broken out of their trance by Arika, who was waving towards them. "Aki! We have
to go! We've been here too long!" Hesitating, the two of them, flapped their
wings and started to float towards the sky.
"Sorry we can't stay, but we're already
in enough trouble for cheating death!" Arika laughed as they floated higher,
and she continued to wave to them all. Aki looked at the large group, and
thought about what had just happened.
"I know this is awkward, but we can talk
all you want when you make your journey to the afterlife. Don't forget to take
your time though." They turned to leave, but Duo stopped them.
"Have you seen my child?" He called up
to them, causing the two angels to stop and turned around. They looked at each other,
before deciding on something.
"It was a boy! He's going to be
reincarnated. Maybe you'll get his spirit again. Oh, and he had your hair and
his mother's eyes!" Arika called down before they flew into the clouds and out
of sight. Heero and Relena looked at each other before they fell together.
"Relena? Are you okay?" Duo stepped up
to them tentively, tears in his own eyes at the knowledge that his child had
made it up there safely. Relena smiled, and nodded.
"She's happy, that's all I needed to
know." They looked all around, and spied the priest, still in major shock. Relena
nearly laughed out loud, but Sally had done that for her.
"Come on, let's go and get warmed up.
And I have to figure out how much more I have to pay him to help out with the
mental scarring." They dragged the Priest to his feet and began to walk off.
Meanwhile…
Aki and Ari flew through the portal back
to the afterlife, all the while silent. Ari looked over at Aki hesitantly. Aki
caught this, and glared. "What. Did. You. Do?" Ari faltered for a second,
before pulling out her best act.
"Why sister, I'm appalled that you think
I might misbehave while we were in the real world. Whatever makes you so sure
that I've done something wrong?" Aki's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Because I know you too well." Ari
cringed, and broke under her sister's glare.
"I told Lee and Dawn and Chantelle and
Marimaia where we hid our baby pictures." Aki stopped, making Ari nervous. You
just didn't trust Aki to be behind you.
"How did you ever get the level of
purity?" Ari shrugged, and Aki beat her wings hard. "I am going to get you so
bad!"
*~*~*~*~*
Hee hee, I nearly cried when Aki and Ari met up with the group,
and the little scene between the family. *sigh* now I've got to clear a little something
up. The wing and robe colors are each levels of the soul in my little imaginary
world, but none are better than others. There are four of them, white, gold,
red, and black. White is pure, gold is strong, red is misguided, and black is
unforgivable. Each one shows how the people acted in their lives. You'll learn
more of that in the epilogue…
Anyways, wasn't this just bittersweet? Yes, this is the last chapter (*sob*) and
yes there is an epilogue. Please, if you have any questions, ask them now, or
forever hold your peace. Otherwise, some information in here may be inaccurate
(is it a priest who talks during funerals?) and tell me so that I know for
future use! Holy crud! I'm nearly done this!! Thank you for all you reviews,
happy holidays, and… I hope you enjoyed my story as much as I enjoyed writing
it!!