Epilogue

by

Nin Tendo

Chapter 2 - The Beginning of Rebirth

~ Disclaimer ~ You know...if you sued me, my mom would rant at you, and that's a very scary thing. n_n (I don't own Gundam Wing, anyway)

A Warning: I'm using all official manga and anime in this series, so if you haven't read/seen it all, then you're in for spoilers, large or small. n_n

A Note: For the record, I am NOT implying a Heero/Wufei thing. I just think that they'd have to sort things out after their little argument in Endless Waltz. Bwahahaha...no one surpasses Nin's mighty understatements!!!! n_n

Something you may or may not want to know: What does the warrior do without war? He works at McDonalds. cackle Hey! You gotta start somewhere! n_n
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Heero Yuy walked down the street, not really knowing where he was going, and not really caring in the first place.

After the war, he had been handed the life of a normal sixteen year old boy. He went to school, had a part-time job at McDonalds, and had just recently received his Driver's Licence.

Heh. Even his identity crisis was cliche.

About the only thing different about him and his peers, was the fact that he had a rather large sum of money in the bank.

After all, people usually don't ignore the person who'd saved the world, as well as their lives. Twice.

Though, it WAS pretty ironic how the bank wouldn't let him have the money until he was eighteen.

He could've lived in a mansion if they'd just give him the cash. As it was, he had to live in the school dormitory.

Oh, yes, he'd almost forgotten. Another thing that was different about him was that he was a sixteen year old college student. And the fact that he could lecture most of the classes himself. Those two factors brought considerable attention to him.

Heero really hated being conspicuous. He just wanted to be left alone.

At least none of his peers had found out that he was actually the ever-so-famous pilot of Gundam Wing Zero.

THANK GOD.

School had been out for over two hours, now. His homework was already done, so he went outside for some air.

These 'walks' were becoming pretty routine, Heero supposed. But it was necessary for him to escape from people.

Conversation interrupted thoughts, and he had a lot to think about.

The wars...the other pilots...Relena...

And Heero still didn't know who he was.

Looking up, Heero realized that he was stating at the Preventer HQ. He wondered why he had found himself here of all places. He wasn't a killer anymore. He had no future at this place.

But catching up with comrades would be nice.

For old times sake, Heero quietly broke into the building, and made his way through the ventilation system. He had seen a blueprint of the Preventer HQ once, and his photographic memory allowed him to recollect it instantly.

After ten minutes of climbing through the vents, Wufei's office was right below him.

Heero silently slipped through the opening and landed on the floor. He was greeted by the edge of a sword.

"You're lucky that I knew it was you, Heero. If I'd even suspected anyone else, you'd be dead right now."

Heero smirked at Wufei. "Just trying to keep you on your toes."

Wufei sleathed his sword. and set it on his desk. "You're not one to just appear out of the blue like that...unless something is wrong."

Heero narrowed his eyes. "I'm not one to announce my arrival, either."

Wufei paused. "You're not acting like yourself, Heero."

Heero chuckled. The hollow sound unnerved him, so he stopped. "How can you be so sure, Wufei? Do I even have a personality to act upon? Or am I just a mindless soldier? 'Heero Yuy' isn't even my real name."

Wufei looked at him strangely.

Heero almost sighed. Wufei didn't even understand what he was trying to get at. After all, 'Wufei Chang' really WAS his name. If he'd expected results, he should've gone to Trowa...or maybe even Duo. Even Quatre would have been a better choice, because he would do his best to understand. To put it lightly, Wufei wasn't exactly empathic.

"Never mind. Where's your partner?" Heero asked.

Grateful to be back on familiar ground, Wufei replied, "She's busy typing up her report on that riot this morning. Feh. Not much of a riot if you ask me. They dispersed the moment they saw us arrive. Cowards..."

Heero noticed the stack of paperwork piled up on Wufei's desk.

"I suppose I should let you get back to work," he said, turning toward the door.

"Wait, Heero," Wufei said, suddenly, "what was the purpose of this visit?"

Heero stopped. 'Purpose...?' he thought. 'Does there have to BE a purpose? Do I even HAVE a purpose, now that war has ceased to exist? Do I even have a reason to keep on living?'

"I just wanted to see how you were doing, Wufei. Last I saw of you, you were a Mariemaia soldier. You attacked me. Twice."

"I was angry," Wufei said, in defense. "Everything and everyone I grew up with was gone. All I had left was Nataku, and Nataku is Justice. I thought that if I could justify all the lives lost, and all the hardened hearts of soldiers, I would have a reason to continue living."

//Flashback//

"You and I are the same! We can only acknowledge our existence in the battlefield!"

//End Flashback//

'A reason...' Heero thought, surprised. 'We ARE just the same. We were searching for the meaning of our lives through fighting.'

"You've found it, though. You've found your reason, didn't you, Wufei? You're preventing hostilities from happening between people. You're preventing the need to create more soldiers like us. You're preventing people from losing sight of the meaning of their lives. You're preventing the rebirth of Wufei Chang."

A small smile appeared on Wufei's face. "Yeah, I suppose I am." Then his eyes narrowed in curiousity. "But, what about you, Heero? What's your reason to continue living?"

Heero smirked. "I don't know, but I have other questions that I need to answer first. I have a feeling that I'll find my reason in my very identity."

Wufei's eyes widened in realization. "Heero..."

"I should be going, now."

"Wait a second, Heero! Why don't you just get a simple DNA test?"

"I already have. Nothing came up. I don't know if a hacker diposed of the data, a computer virus got it, or if my family's data wasn't entered in the first place, but nothing came up."

"You could hire someone. A detective."

"I am a qualified detective."

"But there has to be something that you can do."

"My answers are locked within my own mind, Wufei. Everyone who could have possibly known something is dead. I'll just have to try to remember. Get back to work, Wufei. I've kept you from it for far too long already."

Heero turned away from a speechless Wufei, and waslked toward the door.

Fate chose that moment to make Sally open the door, and step inside. "Oh! Heero! I was just going to ask Wufei if he'd seen you lately. I have something to show you."


Author's Notes:

1. CLIFFHANGER! ...Well, not a very significant one, but still...n_n

2. Stay tuned, people! Next episode features a clue to Heero's identity!