Gundam WIng: Revolution
Session Five
Nearing the Mark
By Katsumi Tonicha
Normal disclaimers apply.
//...//
Yet again, a familiar scene. Quatre on surveillance, everyone one else gone back to wherever. It had been an early morning fight, and Quatre was more used to waking up early than the rest(well, except for Wufei) and Quatre picked up a moving object on radar. :Dorothy again? I thought she would have learned that Duo can't keep his nose out of anything by now...: He turned on the radio. "This is SS Sea Breeze, requesting identification of private jet. Please state your name and business," he said clearly into it.
"Hey, Quatre. This is Noin, Sally, Zechs, Relena, and Dorothy, all here requesting permission to land," said the familiar voice of Noin.
"Mrs. Noin! Hello! Come on down!"
Everyone was outside to greet the oncoming people. Noin and Sally had brought their suits with them, as had Zechs. "The war in space has pretty much stopped. Marie has brought most of her forces down here," Noin explained.
"Yeah, we noticed," Duo muttered.
"Hello, Dorothy!" Quatre greeted her with a hug. She had to smiled as she returned the gesture. Quatre was always so kind.
"Hi, Quatre. Nice to know you missed me," she replied.
"Come on inside. It's chilly out here. Everyone, come on," Quatre said loudly, trying to get everyone inside. They were just sitting out there, freezing their butts off. He just figured everyone forget their manners! Not even escorting the ladies inside, why he outta...
BBBOOOOOOMMM!!! Thunder shook the sky.
"Inside! Inside! I don't like the thunder!" Duo ran for cover, dragging Hilde along with him.
:Well, it's a start,: Quatre thought to himself.
Everyone else decided now was a good time to go in, since ominous clouds were approaching and being outside on a ship when it hit was not too good of an idea. So, in they ran, all to sit around the tables in the dining room.(A few other chairs were brought in from rooms. Of course, certain people like Ashley and Hilde didn't mind sitting in their husband's/fiancee's laps.)
"So..." Ashley trailed off.
"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Relena commented.
"Sure has," Hilde confirmed.
Relena smiled back at her close friend, but noticed the uncomfortable look on Duo's face as she sat in his lap. "Duo, are you okay? You look uncomfortable.
Quatre lowered his head in an apologetic manner. Relena looked quizzically at him. "What happened?" she asked, turning her gaze to Heero.
"They got into an argument and Quatre kicked him."
"Where?" she continued. When she heard Hilde and Ashley stifle back laughs, she quickly said "Never mind," catching on.
They conversation continued for a while, until over head alarms sounded. The six pilots got up. Heero, Duo, Trowa, Quatre, Wufei, and Ashley.
"Is that the battle warning?" Zechs asked, him, Noin, and Sally getting up as well.
"Yeah," Heero confirmed. "Get in your suits. We need all the help we can get."
Everyone settled down for the night. It was Heero's turn to watch radar, so he stayed down. He told Relena to go on below deck and get some sleep. Battles were known to begin early, and he was used to running on low sleep. Of course, Relena, being Relena, just changed into a nightgown and came on downstairs, curling up in a control chair with her robe and slippers on. Heero couldn't help but to smile at her. He reached out and stroked her soft golden brown hair as she slept. She reacted to his touch with a small flinch and a sigh in her sleep. "Oyasumi, Relena." He sat back in her chair, resting his eyes. He was very tired. Right now, he would rather be in his bed, his head on a pillow, sleeping. Although, tonight he REALLY would have liked to be sleeping. He hadn't seen Relena in a few months and would love to have her in his arms right now. Heero smirked. :Well. I am Heero Yuy. If I want something, I can obtain it. I am, after all, the perfect solider.: He stood up and picked up his wife in his arms, sitting back down with her in his lap. She woke up(who wouldn't) and simply smiled sleepily at him, putting his arms around his neck and kissing his cheek. "Oyasumi...Heero-kun." She yawned softly(:Oh, how graceful for the leader of the world,: Heero thought to himself ironically) and rested her head on his shoulder, squirming her legs around to get comfortable in this new position. :I wonder if Wufei is doing the same thing with Sally right now...: Relena wondered as sleep clouded her mind.
Wufei continued to record his battle data in his book, ignoring Sally as she sat behind him, putting her arms around his neck and kissing his on the cheek repeatedly. "Wuffie..." she said in a sing song voice.
"Woman, go to sleep. I'm not here for fun."
"But Wuffie, I haven't seen you in a very long time!" She kissed him again.
"Stop it."
"Nope."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Get off me."
"No."
"Now."
"Sorry, Wuffie."
He sat his pencil down and closed his eyes. It was like arguing with a wall. It never moved, never budged, same old same old.
"Wuffie..." She got frustrated with him, so she grabbed the chair and turned it around, then smiled at his face, although he couldn't see her with his eyes closed. "Hello! Oh, for crying out loud. Smile. Please?" Her ever-present patience was wearing thin. Wufei was known to do this. He never gave it up. "Oh, come to bed, Wufei. It's late."
He opened an eye at her. "Fine." He got up, walked into the bathroom, changed, walked back out, got into the bed, pulled the covers up, and went to sleep.
Sally scowled, still sitting next to the chair. "I didn't mean that literally."
:Careful, careful...: Harrison climbed up out of the small boat and, using suction cups, onto Sea Breeze. One way or another, he found his way to the hangar and began to wire the two Gundams. :Piece of cake! I had no idea it would be this easy! Those people probably can't put up a security system here. I wonder why...:
Duo got up from his bed. He looked at the clock. 3 am. Aw, never to early for a talk with his buddy. He was just happy he had talked the guys out of the security system. They didn't need to know how many times he got up to look at Deathscythe at night.
//....//
The pilots had just finished, yet again, another battle. It was getting tiring. "We need some more help," Duo said, taking a drink of water.
"I know," Heero agreed.
Quatre just sat there, looking downcast. "I'm getting tired of fighting."
"We all are," Ashley replied.
"This war is going no where. What does Marie think she is accomplishing? We have peace, what in the world is she trying to achieve by causing a war?" Trowa pondered out loud.
"She's seeking revenge, I would assume. She keeps talking about it in her speeches." Relena said, resting her head on her arms. This war was tiring on everyone, it seemed, not only the pilots, but those around them as well.
"Revenge on who? Us? We're the ones she keeps going at. I never did anything to her. Trowa? Did you?" Ashley looked at her husband. He didn't reply. "Trowa? Hell-llo?"
"Hum.. What's her name again? Marie..Acht, right?" he asked, looking around the table.
"Yeah... And?" Duo answered him.
"Hum..." Trowa seemed to be in deep thought. "Acht, Acht... Why does that sound familiar? I've heard that name somewhere before."
"Oh, well, this is getting us somewhere really fast," Duo commented.
"Shut-up," Wufei barked at him. He seemed to be in one of his worse moods.
Sally hit him over the head. "Be nice, or I'll send you to your room." Wufei glared at her.
"I've heard it before as well," Heero said, scanning his brain for any information on the name "Acht".
"Wait... Didn't there used to be someone who worked for the Romefeller Foundation who was called Inspector Acht?" Zechs said. That name rung a bell in his head too.
"I think so. He was the guy who tried to hunt you down in Antarctica," Noin replied to her husband.
"I think that I killed him."
"Hu?" Ashley looked at Trowa, his quiet statement not being heard very well over Duo and Wufei's little argument.
"I killed Inspector Acht. I remember doing it. It was right before Heero used my Gundam to battle Zechs."
"Hum. Well, it makes sense then," Hilde said, speaking up for the first time. "Put two and two together. You killed Inspector Acht, and Marie Acht wants you dead. I doubt she was his wife, otherwise she would have another last name, so maybe a daughter or a sister?"
"Hum. Well, at least now we know why," Trowa replied.
Duo got an idea. It was totally off the subject, but it was something else to talk about. "Hey, Dorothy!"
Dorothy's head popped up. She had been about to fall asleep, resting her head on the table. "What?"
"You've experience with the Zero system, right?" he asked, leaning forward in his chair.
"Yes, why?"
"Well, then." Duo seemed pleased with himself. "I've just found us some more help."
"What are you talking about?" Quatre said, wonder what Dorothy had to do with extra help.
"Epyon, moron. We still have it. Dorothy's used to the Zero system, she can more or less handle it, so, wah-lah. Let Dorothy pilot that, and we have yet another Gundam to help out. It would help repairs go easier if we split our forces as well, you know." Duo seemed to have this all planned out. "What do ya say, Dorothy? Want to pilot Epyon?"
She rubbed her eyes, then smiled. "Sure. Why not?"
"But Dorothy-"
"Quatre, don't."
"Okay."
"How should we lure her over the land, ma'am?" Harrison was in Marie's office, trying to think of a way to get Ashley over land.
"Well, we don't have to drag just her. There can be others. Just as long as someone is there watching and ready to get her when she hits the ground. We'll have to get her out of there immediately."
"Well, how do we do that ma'am?"
"I don't know! Do whatever!! Lie to her!! I don't care! Just get her over the land!!" Marie seemed to have a lack of sleep. She took a deep breath, counted to ten softly, and let it out. "Try this. Take some of the forces, and fly them over land, and attack a town. don't care of civilians are killed."
"Um, yes ma'am. But how do you know Ashley will come over there?"
"She will! Contact her over comlink and tell her!"
"Right.." Harrison decided not to push his luck, so he left before she could get and madder at him.
Ashley, Duo, and Hilde sat in the hallway, crowded around a door. Now that all the couples had been reunited, it was always fun to spy in on them at night. One of their faves was Wufei and Sally. What a trip!
"I told you, woman! If you dare show up dressed in that..that..TEMPTRESS outfit, I will murder you!"
"Wufei, I was only trying-"
"IT DOESN'T MATTER! IF YOU WANTED TO SEE HOW YOU LOOK, DON'T COME TO ME, BECAUSE I DON'T CARE!!"
"But, Wuffie..."
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!"
Ashley giggled, Duo tried to stifle back laughs, and he had his hand over Hilde's mouth.
"You are mean!"
"Woman, you have not seen me mean..."
"Wufei, stop calling me woman! And don't you make me lose my temper, boy!"
"BOY?! I AM NO BOY, I AM A MAN!"
"Only if men come in a few sizes smaller than they used to!"
"I'M TALLER THAN YOU, AREN'T I?!"
"I wasn't talking about that, Wufei."
The threesome outside the door looked at each other. They wanted to see Wufei's face. Ashley just pictured it: Red all over, she bet it looked so funny! All round and red in the front, black on the back, like Christmas tree decoration with ears and a big mouth. You could hang it by that little hook for hair.
Wufei growled behind the door. "Go away." ... "I said to go away." ... "GET OFF ME!" ... "GET AWAY FROM ME, WOMAN! GET OFF ME! I NEED SPACE!!!" ... ... ...
They jumped up as bells rang in their heads. They had heard enough! Next room: Relena and Heero. Now there were some funny things they could think up come from there.
All they heard was snoring. "Looks like Heero still doesn't use those Breath-Rite things Relena gave him," Hilde commented softly as they moved on down.
Quatre and Dorothy's room. They never really knew what happened in there. It was always quiet, except maybe sometimes you could hear them talking. They always wanted a peak into there, to know if Quatre slept in a chair and Dorothy had the bed, or vise versa, or maybe they both had the bed, just at opposite ends or neither. Or maybe something NAUGHTY. ***AN: Ever seen that Courage the Cowardly Dog episode "Freaky Fred"? The kids says "NAUGHTY" really funny like through the whole episode. :-)*** Tonight was an odd one, however, they had to strain to hear, but, they could hear someone in a very quavering voice say, "M-m-miss D-Dorothy, p-please put your cl-clothes B-BACK on."
The three looked at each other with dropped jaws and ran to Duo and Hilde's room.(Ashley didn't want to wake Trowa up.) "We don't even need to stop by Zechs and Noin's room tonight. I think we've heard enough!" Duo said through laughs.
"THAT WAS FUNNY!!!" Ashley said, sticking a pillow over her head to stiffle her loud laughs a little.
"I know, I know!" Hilde agreed, giggling.
"I'll have to wake up Quatre and Dorothy up really early tomorrow morning with a camera so they won't have enough time to change how they fell asleep," Duo said, thinking up an evil plot.
//....//
Ashley was focused. As she always was during a battle. Nothing could tear away her focus. It was just a habit she developed when working for the circus; during an acrobatic act, if you lost your focus, it could cost you your life. Just like this.
However.
About a fourth of the forces they were attacking suddenly broke off and headed in the direction of land. "What are they doing?" Quatre wondered.
"I dunno... I'm gonna follow them. There aren't too many of them," Ashley replied and shot off before Trowa could stop her.
Marie sat in the uncomfortable chair in the back of the van, watching the scene. "Oh, this is far easier than I expected."
"What the- their attacking the town!!" Ashley exclaimed, seeing their ruthless attack on people who had nothing to with this war at all. "What is your problem?!" she screamed and swooped in for the attack.
"Harrison, now."
"What?"
"Now!! Before she wins and returns back to the others!"
"Yes ma'am."
Ashley was chasing down the last three, fast as possible. This was really weird. They had no reason for attacking this town, but they did...
The screens started flashing red and a warning alarm sounded. "Thirty seconds until self-destruction. Twenty-seven...twenty-six...twenty-five..."
"What the- She's gonna self-destruct?! Why?? ASHLEY!!!" Trowa screamed in his cockpit, rage flaring. This was insane!! What the hell could cause this to happen! He pressed the button on his comlink. "Ashley, Ashley, what the hell are you doing?! ASHLEY, ANSWER ME!!"
"Oh my God..." Quatre whispered. Dorothy stopped fighting and turned to look at him, having defeated the last of the Pegasus suits.
"What is going on?" she asked, seeing the outline of Bulletproof begin to glow red and yellow as if it too was going to self-destruct.
Marie's face broke in a triumphant grin. "Goddess in five...four...three...two..."
"ASHLEY!!!!" Trowa screamed at the top of his lungs. He got there just in time to see the Goddess explode in bright yellow light. "NO!!! OH MY GOD!!" He was completely ignoring the fact that his Gundam was in self-detonate mode as well.
"Perfect timing. What a way to go, Bartons. Five...four...three...two...one."
Quatre jaw dropped. "No way..." He grabbed at his heart in his cockpit, his eyes widening and him leaning forward in the straps. "No..." he gasped.
"Quatre, are you okay?" Dorothy asked, hearing him begin to gasp and whisper "no" over and over again under his breath.
"Not both...of them..." he whispered.
"Oh my God." Wufei was just sitting there in Nataku, wondering exactly what had happened. "An injustice has been committed. There is no way that they would willingly have done that."
"I know, I know, let's get back to Sea Breeze now." Dorothy said, in shock just like the others.
Duo sat back hard in the chair after just witnessing one of the most amazing and disturbing things he has ever seen. "What the hell just happened here?"
"They self-detonated," Heero stated in his always monotone voice, although his face betrayed him with a look of horrified surprise constructed on it.
"What are we supposed to do?" Hilde ask, taking Duo's hand in hers.
"Wait for the others. When they get back, I guess we should go and try to find them..." he replied, still in great shock.
"That was...not supposed to happen," Zechs stated, leaning over Duo's shoulder to see the screen.
"Well, obviously," Noin replied.
Marie sat back, quite pleased. "Have they found her yet?" she asked.
"Yes ma'am, they have her and are awaiting your orders," Harrison replied.
"Tell them to go on to the headquarters before the rest of them show up. We need to get her hospitalized so she can get better," she added with a hint of sarcasm.
"Yes ma'am."
-The next day-
Trowa was in the infirmary. He had six broken ribs, a broken collar bone, broken left elbow, ankle, and knee, and had punctured his left lung, and that's not counting things like bruises, scrapes, cuts, broken toes and fingers, and sprains. I think it's obvious to what side he landed on.
Quatre just kept sitting down and saying to himself "Why did this happen? Revenge is a dirty thing indeed..."
Duo was afraid of Quatre, afraid of the fact that he could go into one of his psycho modes, whereas Dorothy was trying her best to keep him calm.
Heero kept pondering exactly what had happened to Ashley. The found the remains of Goddess, but no Ashley. "I'll bet this was a trap. It's not her style to self-destruct."
"But if it was a trap, then you mean that they got her..." Duo said, thinking about what Heero had suggested.
"Let's hope Trowa stays out of it long enough for us to find Ashley. Otherwise... I will feel sorry for Marie Acht," Wufei stated.
"Damn. I don't know what to do," Duo stated loudly. "So you all will know that even the great Shinigami is confused."
Marie stood over the bed, machines hooked to it beeping softly in the background. "So, you end up here again because of me. How ironic," she sneered. "Let's see," she picked up the chart, "Your neck is sprained, not broken, sadly, your broke your right shoulder and upper arm, down to the elbow, it's your left elbow that took a fall. You broke two ribs on your left, three on your right. Your right knee is sprained, but the calf bone is broken. You have two broken toes and only one broken finger. Oh, funny, it looks like you broke the middle one. Thanks for the compliment, Lady Ashley." She grinned. "Do you like it here? I hope so, because you will be here a while, oh, quite a while. Quite a while indeed."
To be continued...
NEXT TIME ON GUNDAM WING: REVOLUTION
The end is here. The war is coming to a close, and there can only be one victor.
Gundam Wing: Revolution|Session Six|Owari...?
Session Five
Nearing the Mark
By Katsumi Tonicha
Normal disclaimers apply.
//...//
Yet again, a familiar scene. Quatre on surveillance, everyone one else gone back to wherever. It had been an early morning fight, and Quatre was more used to waking up early than the rest(well, except for Wufei) and Quatre picked up a moving object on radar. :Dorothy again? I thought she would have learned that Duo can't keep his nose out of anything by now...: He turned on the radio. "This is SS Sea Breeze, requesting identification of private jet. Please state your name and business," he said clearly into it.
"Hey, Quatre. This is Noin, Sally, Zechs, Relena, and Dorothy, all here requesting permission to land," said the familiar voice of Noin.
"Mrs. Noin! Hello! Come on down!"
Everyone was outside to greet the oncoming people. Noin and Sally had brought their suits with them, as had Zechs. "The war in space has pretty much stopped. Marie has brought most of her forces down here," Noin explained.
"Yeah, we noticed," Duo muttered.
"Hello, Dorothy!" Quatre greeted her with a hug. She had to smiled as she returned the gesture. Quatre was always so kind.
"Hi, Quatre. Nice to know you missed me," she replied.
"Come on inside. It's chilly out here. Everyone, come on," Quatre said loudly, trying to get everyone inside. They were just sitting out there, freezing their butts off. He just figured everyone forget their manners! Not even escorting the ladies inside, why he outta...
BBBOOOOOOMMM!!! Thunder shook the sky.
"Inside! Inside! I don't like the thunder!" Duo ran for cover, dragging Hilde along with him.
:Well, it's a start,: Quatre thought to himself.
Everyone else decided now was a good time to go in, since ominous clouds were approaching and being outside on a ship when it hit was not too good of an idea. So, in they ran, all to sit around the tables in the dining room.(A few other chairs were brought in from rooms. Of course, certain people like Ashley and Hilde didn't mind sitting in their husband's/fiancee's laps.)
"So..." Ashley trailed off.
"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Relena commented.
"Sure has," Hilde confirmed.
Relena smiled back at her close friend, but noticed the uncomfortable look on Duo's face as she sat in his lap. "Duo, are you okay? You look uncomfortable.
Quatre lowered his head in an apologetic manner. Relena looked quizzically at him. "What happened?" she asked, turning her gaze to Heero.
"They got into an argument and Quatre kicked him."
"Where?" she continued. When she heard Hilde and Ashley stifle back laughs, she quickly said "Never mind," catching on.
They conversation continued for a while, until over head alarms sounded. The six pilots got up. Heero, Duo, Trowa, Quatre, Wufei, and Ashley.
"Is that the battle warning?" Zechs asked, him, Noin, and Sally getting up as well.
"Yeah," Heero confirmed. "Get in your suits. We need all the help we can get."
Everyone settled down for the night. It was Heero's turn to watch radar, so he stayed down. He told Relena to go on below deck and get some sleep. Battles were known to begin early, and he was used to running on low sleep. Of course, Relena, being Relena, just changed into a nightgown and came on downstairs, curling up in a control chair with her robe and slippers on. Heero couldn't help but to smile at her. He reached out and stroked her soft golden brown hair as she slept. She reacted to his touch with a small flinch and a sigh in her sleep. "Oyasumi, Relena." He sat back in her chair, resting his eyes. He was very tired. Right now, he would rather be in his bed, his head on a pillow, sleeping. Although, tonight he REALLY would have liked to be sleeping. He hadn't seen Relena in a few months and would love to have her in his arms right now. Heero smirked. :Well. I am Heero Yuy. If I want something, I can obtain it. I am, after all, the perfect solider.: He stood up and picked up his wife in his arms, sitting back down with her in his lap. She woke up(who wouldn't) and simply smiled sleepily at him, putting his arms around his neck and kissing his cheek. "Oyasumi...Heero-kun." She yawned softly(:Oh, how graceful for the leader of the world,: Heero thought to himself ironically) and rested her head on his shoulder, squirming her legs around to get comfortable in this new position. :I wonder if Wufei is doing the same thing with Sally right now...: Relena wondered as sleep clouded her mind.
Wufei continued to record his battle data in his book, ignoring Sally as she sat behind him, putting her arms around his neck and kissing his on the cheek repeatedly. "Wuffie..." she said in a sing song voice.
"Woman, go to sleep. I'm not here for fun."
"But Wuffie, I haven't seen you in a very long time!" She kissed him again.
"Stop it."
"Nope."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Get off me."
"No."
"Now."
"Sorry, Wuffie."
He sat his pencil down and closed his eyes. It was like arguing with a wall. It never moved, never budged, same old same old.
"Wuffie..." She got frustrated with him, so she grabbed the chair and turned it around, then smiled at his face, although he couldn't see her with his eyes closed. "Hello! Oh, for crying out loud. Smile. Please?" Her ever-present patience was wearing thin. Wufei was known to do this. He never gave it up. "Oh, come to bed, Wufei. It's late."
He opened an eye at her. "Fine." He got up, walked into the bathroom, changed, walked back out, got into the bed, pulled the covers up, and went to sleep.
Sally scowled, still sitting next to the chair. "I didn't mean that literally."
:Careful, careful...: Harrison climbed up out of the small boat and, using suction cups, onto Sea Breeze. One way or another, he found his way to the hangar and began to wire the two Gundams. :Piece of cake! I had no idea it would be this easy! Those people probably can't put up a security system here. I wonder why...:
Duo got up from his bed. He looked at the clock. 3 am. Aw, never to early for a talk with his buddy. He was just happy he had talked the guys out of the security system. They didn't need to know how many times he got up to look at Deathscythe at night.
//....//
The pilots had just finished, yet again, another battle. It was getting tiring. "We need some more help," Duo said, taking a drink of water.
"I know," Heero agreed.
Quatre just sat there, looking downcast. "I'm getting tired of fighting."
"We all are," Ashley replied.
"This war is going no where. What does Marie think she is accomplishing? We have peace, what in the world is she trying to achieve by causing a war?" Trowa pondered out loud.
"She's seeking revenge, I would assume. She keeps talking about it in her speeches." Relena said, resting her head on her arms. This war was tiring on everyone, it seemed, not only the pilots, but those around them as well.
"Revenge on who? Us? We're the ones she keeps going at. I never did anything to her. Trowa? Did you?" Ashley looked at her husband. He didn't reply. "Trowa? Hell-llo?"
"Hum.. What's her name again? Marie..Acht, right?" he asked, looking around the table.
"Yeah... And?" Duo answered him.
"Hum..." Trowa seemed to be in deep thought. "Acht, Acht... Why does that sound familiar? I've heard that name somewhere before."
"Oh, well, this is getting us somewhere really fast," Duo commented.
"Shut-up," Wufei barked at him. He seemed to be in one of his worse moods.
Sally hit him over the head. "Be nice, or I'll send you to your room." Wufei glared at her.
"I've heard it before as well," Heero said, scanning his brain for any information on the name "Acht".
"Wait... Didn't there used to be someone who worked for the Romefeller Foundation who was called Inspector Acht?" Zechs said. That name rung a bell in his head too.
"I think so. He was the guy who tried to hunt you down in Antarctica," Noin replied to her husband.
"I think that I killed him."
"Hu?" Ashley looked at Trowa, his quiet statement not being heard very well over Duo and Wufei's little argument.
"I killed Inspector Acht. I remember doing it. It was right before Heero used my Gundam to battle Zechs."
"Hum. Well, it makes sense then," Hilde said, speaking up for the first time. "Put two and two together. You killed Inspector Acht, and Marie Acht wants you dead. I doubt she was his wife, otherwise she would have another last name, so maybe a daughter or a sister?"
"Hum. Well, at least now we know why," Trowa replied.
Duo got an idea. It was totally off the subject, but it was something else to talk about. "Hey, Dorothy!"
Dorothy's head popped up. She had been about to fall asleep, resting her head on the table. "What?"
"You've experience with the Zero system, right?" he asked, leaning forward in his chair.
"Yes, why?"
"Well, then." Duo seemed pleased with himself. "I've just found us some more help."
"What are you talking about?" Quatre said, wonder what Dorothy had to do with extra help.
"Epyon, moron. We still have it. Dorothy's used to the Zero system, she can more or less handle it, so, wah-lah. Let Dorothy pilot that, and we have yet another Gundam to help out. It would help repairs go easier if we split our forces as well, you know." Duo seemed to have this all planned out. "What do ya say, Dorothy? Want to pilot Epyon?"
She rubbed her eyes, then smiled. "Sure. Why not?"
"But Dorothy-"
"Quatre, don't."
"Okay."
"How should we lure her over the land, ma'am?" Harrison was in Marie's office, trying to think of a way to get Ashley over land.
"Well, we don't have to drag just her. There can be others. Just as long as someone is there watching and ready to get her when she hits the ground. We'll have to get her out of there immediately."
"Well, how do we do that ma'am?"
"I don't know! Do whatever!! Lie to her!! I don't care! Just get her over the land!!" Marie seemed to have a lack of sleep. She took a deep breath, counted to ten softly, and let it out. "Try this. Take some of the forces, and fly them over land, and attack a town. don't care of civilians are killed."
"Um, yes ma'am. But how do you know Ashley will come over there?"
"She will! Contact her over comlink and tell her!"
"Right.." Harrison decided not to push his luck, so he left before she could get and madder at him.
Ashley, Duo, and Hilde sat in the hallway, crowded around a door. Now that all the couples had been reunited, it was always fun to spy in on them at night. One of their faves was Wufei and Sally. What a trip!
"I told you, woman! If you dare show up dressed in that..that..TEMPTRESS outfit, I will murder you!"
"Wufei, I was only trying-"
"IT DOESN'T MATTER! IF YOU WANTED TO SEE HOW YOU LOOK, DON'T COME TO ME, BECAUSE I DON'T CARE!!"
"But, Wuffie..."
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!"
Ashley giggled, Duo tried to stifle back laughs, and he had his hand over Hilde's mouth.
"You are mean!"
"Woman, you have not seen me mean..."
"Wufei, stop calling me woman! And don't you make me lose my temper, boy!"
"BOY?! I AM NO BOY, I AM A MAN!"
"Only if men come in a few sizes smaller than they used to!"
"I'M TALLER THAN YOU, AREN'T I?!"
"I wasn't talking about that, Wufei."
The threesome outside the door looked at each other. They wanted to see Wufei's face. Ashley just pictured it: Red all over, she bet it looked so funny! All round and red in the front, black on the back, like Christmas tree decoration with ears and a big mouth. You could hang it by that little hook for hair.
Wufei growled behind the door. "Go away." ... "I said to go away." ... "GET OFF ME!" ... "GET AWAY FROM ME, WOMAN! GET OFF ME! I NEED SPACE!!!" ... ... ...
They jumped up as bells rang in their heads. They had heard enough! Next room: Relena and Heero. Now there were some funny things they could think up come from there.
All they heard was snoring. "Looks like Heero still doesn't use those Breath-Rite things Relena gave him," Hilde commented softly as they moved on down.
Quatre and Dorothy's room. They never really knew what happened in there. It was always quiet, except maybe sometimes you could hear them talking. They always wanted a peak into there, to know if Quatre slept in a chair and Dorothy had the bed, or vise versa, or maybe they both had the bed, just at opposite ends or neither. Or maybe something NAUGHTY. ***AN: Ever seen that Courage the Cowardly Dog episode "Freaky Fred"? The kids says "NAUGHTY" really funny like through the whole episode. :-)*** Tonight was an odd one, however, they had to strain to hear, but, they could hear someone in a very quavering voice say, "M-m-miss D-Dorothy, p-please put your cl-clothes B-BACK on."
The three looked at each other with dropped jaws and ran to Duo and Hilde's room.(Ashley didn't want to wake Trowa up.) "We don't even need to stop by Zechs and Noin's room tonight. I think we've heard enough!" Duo said through laughs.
"THAT WAS FUNNY!!!" Ashley said, sticking a pillow over her head to stiffle her loud laughs a little.
"I know, I know!" Hilde agreed, giggling.
"I'll have to wake up Quatre and Dorothy up really early tomorrow morning with a camera so they won't have enough time to change how they fell asleep," Duo said, thinking up an evil plot.
//....//
Ashley was focused. As she always was during a battle. Nothing could tear away her focus. It was just a habit she developed when working for the circus; during an acrobatic act, if you lost your focus, it could cost you your life. Just like this.
However.
About a fourth of the forces they were attacking suddenly broke off and headed in the direction of land. "What are they doing?" Quatre wondered.
"I dunno... I'm gonna follow them. There aren't too many of them," Ashley replied and shot off before Trowa could stop her.
Marie sat in the uncomfortable chair in the back of the van, watching the scene. "Oh, this is far easier than I expected."
"What the- their attacking the town!!" Ashley exclaimed, seeing their ruthless attack on people who had nothing to with this war at all. "What is your problem?!" she screamed and swooped in for the attack.
"Harrison, now."
"What?"
"Now!! Before she wins and returns back to the others!"
"Yes ma'am."
Ashley was chasing down the last three, fast as possible. This was really weird. They had no reason for attacking this town, but they did...
The screens started flashing red and a warning alarm sounded. "Thirty seconds until self-destruction. Twenty-seven...twenty-six...twenty-five..."
"What the- She's gonna self-destruct?! Why?? ASHLEY!!!" Trowa screamed in his cockpit, rage flaring. This was insane!! What the hell could cause this to happen! He pressed the button on his comlink. "Ashley, Ashley, what the hell are you doing?! ASHLEY, ANSWER ME!!"
"Oh my God..." Quatre whispered. Dorothy stopped fighting and turned to look at him, having defeated the last of the Pegasus suits.
"What is going on?" she asked, seeing the outline of Bulletproof begin to glow red and yellow as if it too was going to self-destruct.
Marie's face broke in a triumphant grin. "Goddess in five...four...three...two..."
"ASHLEY!!!!" Trowa screamed at the top of his lungs. He got there just in time to see the Goddess explode in bright yellow light. "NO!!! OH MY GOD!!" He was completely ignoring the fact that his Gundam was in self-detonate mode as well.
"Perfect timing. What a way to go, Bartons. Five...four...three...two...one."
Quatre jaw dropped. "No way..." He grabbed at his heart in his cockpit, his eyes widening and him leaning forward in the straps. "No..." he gasped.
"Quatre, are you okay?" Dorothy asked, hearing him begin to gasp and whisper "no" over and over again under his breath.
"Not both...of them..." he whispered.
"Oh my God." Wufei was just sitting there in Nataku, wondering exactly what had happened. "An injustice has been committed. There is no way that they would willingly have done that."
"I know, I know, let's get back to Sea Breeze now." Dorothy said, in shock just like the others.
Duo sat back hard in the chair after just witnessing one of the most amazing and disturbing things he has ever seen. "What the hell just happened here?"
"They self-detonated," Heero stated in his always monotone voice, although his face betrayed him with a look of horrified surprise constructed on it.
"What are we supposed to do?" Hilde ask, taking Duo's hand in hers.
"Wait for the others. When they get back, I guess we should go and try to find them..." he replied, still in great shock.
"That was...not supposed to happen," Zechs stated, leaning over Duo's shoulder to see the screen.
"Well, obviously," Noin replied.
Marie sat back, quite pleased. "Have they found her yet?" she asked.
"Yes ma'am, they have her and are awaiting your orders," Harrison replied.
"Tell them to go on to the headquarters before the rest of them show up. We need to get her hospitalized so she can get better," she added with a hint of sarcasm.
"Yes ma'am."
-The next day-
Trowa was in the infirmary. He had six broken ribs, a broken collar bone, broken left elbow, ankle, and knee, and had punctured his left lung, and that's not counting things like bruises, scrapes, cuts, broken toes and fingers, and sprains. I think it's obvious to what side he landed on.
Quatre just kept sitting down and saying to himself "Why did this happen? Revenge is a dirty thing indeed..."
Duo was afraid of Quatre, afraid of the fact that he could go into one of his psycho modes, whereas Dorothy was trying her best to keep him calm.
Heero kept pondering exactly what had happened to Ashley. The found the remains of Goddess, but no Ashley. "I'll bet this was a trap. It's not her style to self-destruct."
"But if it was a trap, then you mean that they got her..." Duo said, thinking about what Heero had suggested.
"Let's hope Trowa stays out of it long enough for us to find Ashley. Otherwise... I will feel sorry for Marie Acht," Wufei stated.
"Damn. I don't know what to do," Duo stated loudly. "So you all will know that even the great Shinigami is confused."
Marie stood over the bed, machines hooked to it beeping softly in the background. "So, you end up here again because of me. How ironic," she sneered. "Let's see," she picked up the chart, "Your neck is sprained, not broken, sadly, your broke your right shoulder and upper arm, down to the elbow, it's your left elbow that took a fall. You broke two ribs on your left, three on your right. Your right knee is sprained, but the calf bone is broken. You have two broken toes and only one broken finger. Oh, funny, it looks like you broke the middle one. Thanks for the compliment, Lady Ashley." She grinned. "Do you like it here? I hope so, because you will be here a while, oh, quite a while. Quite a while indeed."
To be continued...
NEXT TIME ON GUNDAM WING: REVOLUTION
The end is here. The war is coming to a close, and there can only be one victor.
Gundam Wing: Revolution|Session Six|Owari...?