Wanders: Ascension
By Eve
"Why, do you like playing around with
My, narrow scope of reality
I, can feel it all start slipping
I think I'm breaking down..."
Part Ten: Our Paths Must Cross Again
Bucharest, Romania
11 February
A.C 202
Scinteia Building, Home of the Old Communist Party
They looked horrible was the first thought that entered her mind
when she watched the girls walk inside the meeting room. Hilde
was the first to slide into her seat across from the council area.
Her cerulean blues with filled with nothing but fatigue and anger.
Emma sighed. They all deserved to be angry at the stunt Charles
pulled. Because if something happened it was not only another
stab at their consciences, but it would weigh down on all of them
heavily. What was even more ridiculous was the stupid dress code
the damn council had enforced which she could see that Hilde
made all attempts not to follow. A smile graced her face as she
noticed the slogan on her t-shirt. 'Don't hate me because I'm better
than you' was going to cause a bit of a ruckus among the council
members and make quite an impression on the new players. She
wore black jeans with high-heeled black boots. Her hair was pulled
up into a ponytail with a single strand framing her face. Hilde caught
her eye and winked, pulling out the sweatshirt next to her showing
that eventually she'd be good.
Merian was the next to walk into the room. The other girl had chosen
to follow the requirements in her own way. She wore long black loose
fitting pants with an oversized midnight blue turtleneck. Emma smirked
as she noticed Merian's black combat boots underneath her pants. The
girl was practically addicted to them. Her ebony hair was pulled back into
a half ponytail, the rest of her hair fall gently past her waist. Her emerald
green eyes were fierce and bright. This signaling to the rest of the world
that she refused to take any crap from anyone. That was her favorite part
of the Chinese woman. She absolutely refused to be put down and was
willing to fight for that. She rolled her eyes at Hilde and handed her a cup
of coffee. Hilde grinned at her friend and pointed at her. Merian turned and
gave Emma a smile.
Emma sighed. This was going to be a long meeting. She could feel it in her
bones. Catherine entered the room next with a huge coffee mug in tow.
The tall red head had opted for a casual approach to the dressing rules.
She wore a peach colored skirt that came down past her knees with
two-inched navy pumps. Her long fiery red hair hung loosely around her
waist with the occasional curl here and there. Her light pink cardigan
with the top button unbuttoned brought out the brightness of her violet
colored eyes. Catherine was what she called a living elegance. The way the
younger woman carried herself was almost like she was trained in the
etiquette of high society.
Shortly after Catherine, Relena entered the room. Emma had forgotten
how beautiful she really was considering the fact Relena practically lived
in jeans and sweat pants. She look like her mother almost, she realized.
Relena had inherited Margaret's long honey-brown locks except Relena's
came a little past her shoulders and Margaret's had been curly. Relena's
hair was pulled back into a dancer's bun with several wisps of hair
brushing her face. She wore a light blue v-neck sweater with a khaki-colored
three-quarter length skirt. She had grown quite a bit, the doctor noticed
now seeing Relena clearly. The shiny black two-inched pumps helped out
a bit also. When the light from the window hit her, Emma could see the
gold cross around Relena's neck shine in full brilliance. Relena's eyes, the
color of the night sky, were filled with no emotion. She seemed so calm
and she wouldn't be surprised if Relena was ready for this meeting. That
was what she liked the most about the young Irish woman. Not only was
she a complete genius, but she could counter attack any opinion and
completely leave the opposing party speechless. Relena radiated a dazzling
type of grace. Through the hardships and the horrible times, the young girl
now a woman walked with her head held high and complete and utter
determination to fight to the death. And sometimes that determination
caused horrible things to happen.
Yet, she reminded herself. Yet, the amazing thing is the she, no all of
them were still standing. She smirked as she saw Relena's coffee cup
in her hand as she sat down. Boy, was the council in for on hell of a
meeting. She winced as she remembered when the girls entered their
teen years and coffee was an unstoppable craving. She learned the
hard way with the girls.
She held her breath when Dorothy entered the room. The fourth Jitsatsu pilot
looked almost as if she were lost. Her usually mischievous emerald-colored eyes
were empty. The expression her face was one of deep confusion, almost as if she
was arguing mentally with herself. Her waist long blonde hair was pulled back into
a messy braid, a mass of tendrils covering her face. She wore gray dress pants with
a loose black polo shirt that was un-tucked. On her feet, she wore white with
black strip Adidas sneakers. Dorothy quietly made her way to her seat next to
Catherine who looked up at the girl worriedly. Emma watched as the girl responded
with a mere shake of the head.
Could it be? Could it be that Dorothy might be the first? Sighing, she took a
sip of the coffee in front of her to relax. Relax, she thought with bitterness in
mind. Relaxing would never happen anymore. There was no choice. A council
member, Diane Welton approached her seat. Diane was one of the most
influential members on the council besides dear old Charles. She shivered at
even the slightest thought of the ungrateful bastard. Diane on the other hand,
having seen the Blood War in the same type of light the girls had, understood
the harsh reality of everything. She was a great ally. Life was a full circle and
sadly, the people who were now just entering were about to feel the
consequences of past actions. She sighed again, pushing her wired glasses back.
"Emma."
A silent smirk crossed her face. "Not one for the formal greetings, Diane."
The smaller woman chuckled, pushing a strand of her ebony silver-streaked
hair. "Always one for pleasantries, Emma. How's been treating you, my dear."
She snorted. "Besides Charles kissing my ass every step of the way? It's been
what? Sixteen, seventeen years? I've been better."
Diane's eyes glinted like a gossiping teenager. "You know he's wanted to fuck
you ever since you've joined on to our 'special' group."
Emma rolled her eyes, her attention wandering back to the girls. "And I'll
continue to tell him that I rather burn in hell than even touch him."
Diane laughed. "I don't blame you, Emma. Charles isn't the most appealing
nor does he have a personality that any of us can contend with." Diane
followed her lingering expression on the girls and let out a small laugh.
"I see they didn't even follow Charles' call for dress code."
She grinned. "Hilde said that she rather watch you squirm. She might as
well find some amusement in this." Emma turned serious. "Tell me,
really. Why did you bring the Peacecrafts and the Gundam Pilots into
this?" Diane sighed. "I'll tell you, but you are not going to like the
answer."
"Charles and several other members thought that the level of skill initially
gave them jurisdiction to invite them into this. I don't even understand
using the Eve Wars as a high level of skills. Those boys haven't seen
anything at the level we are asking them to fight in."
Diane took out a file and laid it out in front of her. "Of course there
was a side that fought for them to not come into this." She sighed.
"Emma, it's inevitable. Depending on the level of extreme Larson is
intending for both the colonies and the Earth, everyone will fight.
The sad thing is as a gradual process, though. More people will die.
How are the girls taking all of this?" Her voice lowered.
"Any turned yet?"
Emma looked at her. "You're just as bad as Charles. These girls have
been through so much and you're forcing them to do this against their
will!"
"Emma, we-"
"Oh don't give me that bloody crap. The best part is that you're using
their families against them."
"Emma, please..."
"No, I will not subject my girls to any form of torture. But," her eyes
darkened and Diane knew she shouldn't peruse any farther. "Dorothy
is showing some signs. Alexi was a nice touch for her." Diane
immediately recognized the bitterness in the other woman's voice.
"Emma... I don't know what to tell you."
Emma's eyes' flashed dangerously. "Do not in anyway shape or
form do anymore damage. The only reason this council
is respected is because of these girls. Not only are they your
enforcers, but they suffer for you as well. We might be
fighting the Society again, Diane. But you and the rest of
this damn council have forgotten that now the stakes have
changed."
"What has change? This is still the same Society were fighting."
Emma shook her head and caught Charles motioning her to
leave. She would be the first to meet the pilots. She stood up
and turned to Diane.
"I'm disappointed. Usually you seem to keep an open-mind
and even have a sense of what is going on and what is necessary.
Remember Ms. Welton, one screw up equals fatality. And we
cannot afford fatality."
**
The plane ride to Bucharest had been in silence, each other the
Gundam pilots thinking about not only their respective girlfriends
but also what was to expect in Romania. The fact that they were
going to also 'meet' in the old building of the Communist Powers
wasn't exactly the most comforting thing to know.
Wufei sighed and buried his face in his hands. It had been at least
a sixteen-hour trip from Vienna to Bucharest. It wasn't like they
didn't have anything to talk about. In fact, they had plenty to talk
about. All five of them had spent no more than four days strait
analyzing data of Zechs attack, who or what stopped the assassin
from carrying it out, and what Larson was planning. Better yet,
where was the assassin? What they were even more curious about
were the Jitsatsu Pilots. They had been arguing for the last six hours
about them. Six hours about something they didn't even know what
to think about.
He remembered they were the talk of L5, rumored had been the one among
them had been chosen to be a Jitsatsu Pilot. There had also been speculation
that individual had come from the Earth, from China where he had originally
been born. But that had been nothing but speculation. How could they know
whether or not they were walking into a trap? Years and years of battle had
taught him the hard way. Losing someone you love was the harshest that
one could suffer after war.
He closed his eyes briefly, a name from long ago coming to mind.
Merian...
**
So this was it. Finally after being separated from her former husband for
eight years, they were to see each other again. She balled her hands into
fists in front of her. He had been a scholar, quiet and somewhat arrogant...
When she had fist met him, she wanted nothing more than to kick his butt.
Yet, by the will of fate she fell in love with the crazy bastard. A faint smile
came to her lips. She remembered the dinners they used to have. His topic
of conversations were on the lines of 'Why women had a certain say in this
and this' or her absolute favorite 'Why he fighting him was an absolute
disrespect to blah-blah'. Understand why she had zero tolerance at the
beginning of the marriage?
But as the months passed she grew to love him. The way he smiled or
pushed back her hair when she had fallen asleep or pretended to at least.
She loved how he always stood up and fought for the things she couldn't.
It wasn't like she couldn't, but some things on L5 required total male
domination. Almost like Perking, her birthplace. Because of the lack of
female right's her grandmother on her father's side could support her sick
husband. And it was partially her fought for 'enriching' herself in the lavish
'traditions of the upper class. The debtors had to almost force her to leave
Perking and go to Beijing for trial. That's where the House of Chang came
in and the application of compromise... Her grandmother and grandfather
owed the money to the elder Chang, who had been willing to compromise.
Put it this way, Merian had come home ironically in the best time.
So now here she was sitting in a metallic silver chair inside a room she didn't
even want to be in, dreading the meeting of her former husband.
This was going to be an interesting day...
**
Street beatings in Stuttgart, right on the Neckar River in Germany, were
nothing common. Because of the high level of poverty in some areas of
the city, people were left to fend off unwanted emotions and havoc alone.
Families were put against families; there was inner turmoil even between
the feuding families. The government wasn't much help to the area anyway.
But on the night of February 11, all was about to change...
The council won't know what hit them this time.
**
The long, narrow hallway was too dark much to the discomfort of Quatre.
Lady Une had declined to come, sating she had a ton of work to complete. But
for some reason Quatre could not shake the feeling that she knew what was
going on before any of them. Zechs and Noin, along with the rest of the
Gundam Pilots were being led to the conference room in the building of the
former communist party of Hungry. He watched their escort warily. This place
was giving him bad vibes.
"I'll take it from here, Lt. Jackson. Thank you."
Quatre watched as their escort nodded at an older woman. She was
dressed in a very formal black skirt suit. Her silvery-gray hair was
pulled back into a french twist with a strand of hair falling against
her cheek. She must have been quite a woman in her younger years.
Her hazel eyes were gentle and seemed to be studying
them.
"Well," she began. "I know who you are, so I might as well tell you
who I am." Her voice was soft and proud, she seemed like a person
who would not accept 'no' for an answer.
"My name is Dr. Emma Peterson."
There was a gasp from Noin. "You're the creator of the Jitsatsu Pilots."
Dr. Peterson shook her head. "No my dear. I am the one who created
Their mechas, the first," she said watching Quatre and the other
pilots. "The Jisatsu Pilots created themselves." She motioned for them
to follow her. They walked deeper into the hallway. Finally, Heero asked
the pending question that was in everyone's mind.
"Are they real?"
The doctor turned and look at them, her attention focused most on the
five men in front of her. A faint smile crossed her lips.
"They are as real as you are, my dear."
**
"I am so bored," Hilde muttered, taking a long sip of her latte.
"No kidding," muttered Merian. She brushed off some imaginary lint
off her turtleneck and sighed. "I'm starting to get annoyed. We're going
to be here for what three, five hours? I didn't buy enough coffee to last
me this long."
Hilde grinned. "We need to get off this caffeine addiction. It's
becoming pretty bad for all of us." Her gaze lingered on the
door. "As soon as that door opens," she began quietly.
"The stakes are going to change."
"Not only the stakes," Relena spoke from next to her. "But life
as we know it as well. Now we're going to see who we can trust
or not."
**
"I want to make something clear, gentlemen. Do you really know
what you're getting yourself into?"
Wufei snorted at the doctor's query, but remained quiet. The doctor
glared at him and was about to say something, but Noin quickly spoke.
"Sorry, he's a bit..."
"Disrespectful?"
Wufei's eyes flashed. "Onna, I suggest you take that back right now."
A smirk crossed the older woman's features. "Or you'll what? Give
me a tongue lashing?"
This earned her a snicker from Duo. Dr. Peterson continued on. "My
dear boy, I suggest you get you act together because there are five
people through that door who could beat you into a corpse in under
a minute. I heard about you Chang Wufei and I will not tolerate any
sexist comments. As for the other four, count your blessings. You'll
need them."
With that the older woman turned and entered the door, signaling for the
reluctant group to follow.
**
The door opened with a resounding click and Catherine realized she was
holding her breath. Stupid council, she thought bitterly. Stupid council
for bringing in new players. Could they see that right in front of them,
right in their hands they held not just the lives of the people of Earth,
but the colonies as well. Bringing new players would further danger the
lives of the people then they already were.
God, how big of a mistake this was.
"Well, ready for World War III girls?" She barely heard Hilde speak, her
attention more focused on the people walking in through the door.
Heero Yuy was the first to walk in. God, Catherine thought. He looked like
some guy out of one of those cheesy romance novels. The pilot of 01 seemed
to have decided to have a growth spurt from the last time she saw him. He was
at least a towering six-five. He had to be. His chocolate brown locks fell into a
heap over his face. His Prussian blue eyes searched their table warily.
"Paranoid much? And the Preventers' uniform adds such a nice touch," Merian
muttered, causing a snicker from Hilde.
"Come on, guys. We have to be good," she reprimanded with a small smile
of her own.
The Winner heir was next. Catherine remembered the first time she had saw
him, he had looked like a small boy almost. But now instead of a boy stood a
man. Sparkling green eyes filled with seriousness and a bit of shyness stared at
them. A lock of blonde hair fell across his face as he turned to go to his seat.
Chang Wufei, who followed Winner in, looked extremely pissed off to be here,
she noticed. His charcoal black hair was pulled back tightly and his almond
black eyes stared at them in total disgust. She rolled her eyes. He was going to
have a tough time with the five of them. Especially Hilde, who would probably
annoy him from the start of the two groups of pilots working together. This
was definitely going to be an interesting alliance.
Maxwell followed Chang in next, strutting his way to the Gundam Pilot's area
of sitting. Out of the corner of her eye, Catherine saw Hilde cringed as the pilot
of 02 gazed in their direction. So she wasn't the only one who had feelings for a
pilot, except her feelings were more directed at... She shook her head and studied
Maxwell. It was funny when most people opted for change, as they grew older
Duo Maxwell decided for none. He still had that chestnut braid grown to a
ridiculous length now. Hilde once told her that while the two were living together
the landlady had been solely convinced that he was a cross-dresser and had bought
Duo for Christmas some really expensive clothing from Gucci. She lifted up her
head and suddenly found herself meeting his dark violet eyes. He was challenging
her almost, telling her that he didn't believe that she was a Jitsatsu pilot. She counter
attacked with a small smirk.
Like any of them had any idea what they were getting themselves into.
She had experience to back her up.
She sighed and watched the next person enter in which was none other than Trowa.
She felt her heart pang. It had been only a couple days since she had last saw him or
rather she had saw, but he didn't have a faintest clue as to whom she was. Besides
she was not going to look him in the eye. She absolutely flat out refused to do so.
Because as soon as she did, he'd immediately know it was her. And she couldn't bear
to look into those soul-searing emerald green eyes.
It wasn't something she was ready to do just yet. None of them were ready for
confrontation. After seven years of studying in college and graduate school, not
even thinking about the damage the newly elected Senator Larson at the time could
do. She sighed and rubbed her eyes violently. What she wouldn't give to not have
to go through this again. It was one thing being a kid and all, fighting to survive,
but now as a twenty-two year old adult? She had quite a large package, demons
and all and she could guarantee that she and the others were not ready for any
of this.
The council is planning to force you, her mind yelled. Don't you see what's
happening to Dorothy!
I pity the Gundam pilots, she thought as she watched Zechs and Noin both
enter. They're going to have to deal with five emotional confused women.
That was worse than PMS.
**
He had grown up in Rio de Janeiro. As a child he had run through the
streets with his companions, playing street ball or just looking for minor
trouble. When he was a teenager, he went to parties and went out with
girls. There were the times with his huge family where they would just
pile everyone at home and sit and talk about life. He married his beautiful
wife, Cristina in Rio and had baptized his two sons and daughter too. His
whole life was circled in Rio and now it would end in Rio too.
He was going die now.
He was going to die in Rio.
It was inevitable. Life being a full circle, he would die where he had
been born.
Now he sat tied to a chair at the end of his life at age seventy-two, staring
up at an unknown soldier. His eyes wandered to the naked, mangled body of
Cristina next to the canastas[1] made by hand by his mother. They had burned
most of the household items and took the jewelry. All because...
"I'll ask you one more time, Senor. Are you or are you not hiding Los
Intocables[2] son de uruguayo[3]?"
"I am not a liar," he croaked out, restraining himself from convulsing.
That cost him another blow to his stomach. He could feel the blood
rising from the pit of his very existence. He was too old to fight this.
"You fucking son-of-a bitch," the soldier growled. "At least in the house
next door the guy told us..."
He had been taught value was of great importance...
"You fucking people like the way UESA is treating you? The fact that they're
taking all this money to promote a total pacifism environment with a complete
consumers' benefit?"
Suicide was dying with honor if one had a validated reason...
He hoped the family from Uruguay had left all right. The attack had been
unexpected...
"At least that damn Peacecraft girl had a fucking clue! At least she tried! And
what was she? Fucking sixteen?"
He spotted the knife in the corner. He would die protecting his past, a past
that so many people greatly feared and misunderstood.
"I want vindication, you motherfucking freak! The Society killed my family,
mistaken them for those, those dirty sons of bitches..."
I'm coming mi amour[4], he thought. I'm coming my butterfly.
One...
He lunged for the knife.
"Jesus fu-"
Two...
Grabbing the knife, he stabbed himself in the heart before the soldier
could do anything.
Dying with honor...
"Fuck," the soldier cursed. "Fuck, fuck, fuck." He lifted a shiny black boot
and kicked the old man hard.
Suicide is honor...
He winced as he heard his rib crack. He was losing blood fast, causing his
vision to waver.
Three...
Looking into the young soldier's eyes, he sputtered,
" Yo soy intocable. [5]"
**
The tension inside the room was almost unbearable, she thought. It
was so thick that probably someone could slice and dice through it.
This wasn't good for her. With the amount of pressure on her mind,
she could crack at any time.
She could even turn inside this room.
It had been a restless night for her, ending up at the metal door to Alexi's
cell. Plus she had to walk the whole path of reflection down to every last
detail. It was a walk she hated doing the most. Who wouldn't hate it?
Walking down memory lane, was an insight to parts of your life that you've
tried so hard to just walk away from or even forget. She sighed. And that's
how the damn council knew how to get her. By bringing the one man she
had ever loved back...
By forcing her to somehow talk to him. They'd get what they wanted, she
thought with her eyes closed.
They'd love it too.
They'd love the fact that she was throwing mask after mask down until
she was bare. Because once she was bare, she'd be exactly like she had
been when she had first became a Jitsatsu Pilot.
At age six, she, Dorothy Catalonia was beyond a terror.
She was a demon-child.
And with the right type of manipulation and mind games, experience had
turned her into a killer.
Nothing, but a ruthless killer.
She had been fourteen at the time, when she was at the peak of all peaks.
She sighed bitterly. Those were the days.
Yeah, her mind countered-attack. When you didn't have to take responsibility
for your actions.
She had never been in control of her life, she protested. None of them have.
Each girl was bound by contract to the council until the end of her
twenty-second year. Each of them were twenty-two and in their last year, so
it was a live or die situation.
To be or not be, her mind teased.
Lord, she thought. I'll probably turn in the next hour.
"Dee?"
Startled out of her thoughts, Dorothy turned to see Relena looking at her
with concern.
"I'm just tired," she whispered. "When is this thing going to start?"
Relena's dark blue eyes met hers and held them in a gaze. Her expression
softened. "I don't know, love. Probably as soon as Mr. Potter comes into
the room."
"I've forgotten," she muttered. "Ever since he became the head of the
damn council, we all have to stand when he enters the room. I forgot
about the honor code he wrote."
"You mean the code otherwise known as the Napoleonic code
from hell?"
"Rel..."
"Oh come on, don't you think completely destroying our lives is
a bit extreme?"
"The guy has nothing else to do," Hilde remarked, joining in the
conversation.
"He knew that we were to be released when we turned eighteen, but no
we didn't 'fulfill' the initial requirements asked of us. That's a complete
load of crap, if I do say so myself."
Dorothy sighed. "I think he knows that we all fear..."
"Become who we truly are," Merian finished. "It's funny, really. We were
born with names, brought into the world nameless, and will probably die
with the attachment status of a legend."
The door opened and Potter stepped. They all stood up. Relena was right; it
was like he was running a goddamn dictatorship. He opened a file in front
of him and she sighed.
"Let the games begin..."
**
Running...
He had lied to her. He had promised that he would love her forever, that he
wouldn't become caught up in this mess.
Running faster...
He promised.
He promised forever.
Running for her life...
They had been through hell together, the concentration camps and all.
How could he?
How could he betray her like this?
Especially the other side?
Running...
She rounded the corner to the train station. If she could catch the train to
Berlin, she could make it to the airport and go to the States or even take a
shuttle to the colonies.
Running faster...
She could hear the screams all over. People were dying, this pressing the
need for survival.
She needed to live.
Running for her life...
Her family...
Mama...
Papi...
Nick...
All because of some stupid grudge the Society had to hold against
everyone. No one was safe now.
Running...
She was met with flocks of people waiting to get the hell out of Stuttgart. Fear
was the only emotion hanging in the air.
Running for her life...
She barely felt the bullet as she fell, too tired to fight anymore.
"You can't run from the Society, my dear..."
**
It was interesting really, Diane thought to herself as Charles started the
meeting. Sitting in front of her were five of the most feared men, the
Gundam Pilots, who now were sitting and staring warily across from
five young women, who are supposed to be legends.
The irony of it all.
Her eyes wandered back to the five girls. She sighed. She didn't blame
them for being angry, well more like extremely angry at the council.
Every promise out of the mouth of Charles and the conservatives of the
council were empty. Her eyes closed. Nothing but empty worded promises.
"Fist off," Charles began. "First off I would like to welcome Mr. Peacecraft
and his lovely wife. Where are you from, my dear?"
The young woman smiled, provoking a snort from Merian and a quiet snicker
from Hilde. Diane hid a smile. At least, they still maintained a sense of humor.
Beside Charles had a habit into try to flirt with anything on two legs. She studied
the wife of the elder Peacecraft. She was tall with dark hair and olive skin. Very
Italian, she mused. Her deep blue eyes were sparkling with happiness only married
women posses. It made her think of how happy she had been with her late
husband. Marriage was truly a gift.
"I'm from Naples, sir," the woman said softly with a small smile.
Charles smiled and Diane groaned inwardly. Oh please, she thought. She
watched as Relena rubbed her eyes and Catherine sighed at her empty
coffee cup. Dorothy just buried her head in her arms.
"I hear Naples is lovely this time of year."
The woman, Noin she remembered, just nodded politely. "All right
Charles," she began.
"We all have lives here."
He looked at her. "Is there a problem Diane?"
"Actually, Charles I was wondering when you were going to start the
damn meeting. These aren't exactly the most comfortable chairs in
the world, right girls? Gentlemen?"
The guys were silent and she received the 'It's about time' look from
each of the girls.
"Well, since there is a need to get this started I will. Mr. Peacecraft I will give
you the honors of saying the first words."
The tall, silvery-blonde man stood up and nodded. His green eyes were very
intimidating, she noticed. No wonder he was successful in his soldier activities.
"I just want to say it is gravely appreciated of the council to provide us with
volunteer help. You have no idea..."
Hilde stood up, flames burning in her crystal blue eyes. Diane cringed. The
young Spanish woman had quite a temper when provoked.
"A problem Miss Schibecker?"
There was a gasp from the table where the Gundam Pilots were sitting. She
watched as the pilot of 02 turned extremely white.
"In fact," Hilde began her tone of voice coated heavily with quiet angry. "I do,
Senor Potter. I have very big problems with you telling these people that we
volunteered for this."
"I don't see what the problem is Miss Schibecker."
Diane sighed.
This was going to be one hell of a meeting.
**
She was pissed.
In all of the years she and Hilde had been friends, Relena knew this was not
going to turn out very well at all.
When Hilde got angry, you knew to duck and go for cover. The girl would kick
your ass to L5 if she need to.
She shook her head.
Potter was walking into the danger zone.
"You don't see what the problem is? That's a load of crap." Hilde rubbed her
eyes. Then after realizing that everyone was staring at her, she quietly stated,
"Just start it all ready."
Relena's eyes narrowed as she watched Potter try to fight a smile of victory onto
his face. Oh don't you dare, she thought anger creeping up. Don't you dare do
this...
"Well since Miss Schibecker has all ready made her presence known, I shall
introduce the other lovely ladies..."
**
Hilde.
His Hilde was a Jitsatsu Pilot?
His Hilde was dead.
He shook his had. First off, the girls sitting next to them could
be part of this whole operation and not the actually pilots. The
chicks could be dogs for all they knew.
"Sitting next to the lovely Miss Schibecker is Chang Merian..."
Duo watched as Wufei became paler than he had.
This wasn't good...
"Then Miss Catherine Bloom..."
Next to him, he heard Trowa's sharp intake of breath...
"Dorothy Catalonia..."
Uh-ho.
"And Miss Relena Darlin to top it off..."
The last thing he heard was the crystal glass in Heero's hand snap
and shatter all over the floor.
**
He could not believe how well this was going.
The Gundam Pilots were going into some sort of shock. The Jitsatsu
Pilots were slowly turning and at the present time looked like they
were going to kill the old fart that was head of the council.
He should have been head of the council.
It was a position that had been passed down generation through
generation in his family. His father had been the head for many
years. His father's father, the whole line.
Except for him.
He was a disgrace.
He had been a disgrace.
His family mocked and killed for something that he had tried to uphold.
Tradition.
Standard and old tradition.
Values that were meant to be upheld to the fullest.
But all taken away by a single man.
All with one sharp blow...
But now all of that did not matter now.
Now, he would take back what was rightly his.
Everything was falling into place...
**
"Why don't you take Mr. Yuy into the bathroom to fix his hand, Relena."
Her eyes shot up staring into the eyes of Ms. Welton. She took a sharp
breath.
I can't do this. Not yet. I can't do this now.
She looked up into Ms. Welton's eyes again. The elder woman gave her a
small smile. "We won't start the important part of this meeting quite yet,
child. Just help Mr. Yuy with his hand."
She nodded slowly, getting a reassuring glance from Doc. and motioned for
Heero to follow her. They walked silently down the back hallway, Relena
lost in some type of reminiscing and Heero just blandly confused at the
present situation. They came to a halt when they reached a large brass
door.
//"He's bleeding! Somebody help me! I need the medic! Please..."//
Shaking her head she motion for Heero to follow her inside
the room. Turning on the lights, Relena felt the urge to
collapse.
//Her eyes were blank as she stared at the once occupied metal table.
He was gone.
Dead.
Now all she wanted to do was to numb the pain.//
She let her eyes close for a moment. It was amazing how harsh
memories could be. She had spent all her life repressing them
or even hiding them, but now those long concealed memories
were ready to upstage a full fledge confrontation. She turned to
Heero.
"You can sit on the table, while I find some clean cloths and
bandages."
He merely nodded at her, lost in his own whirlwind of thoughts. God,
she thought as she opened a closet. What the hell were they supposed
to do? The council was bringing in outsiders, who happened to just be
the Gundam Pilots. Granted they were very well skilled pilots, but this
was a whole different fight then what the boys were used to.
Honor.
Courage.
Loyalty.
Justice.
They shouldn't be here, she thought. They should be at their homes away
from this mess. She sighed grabbing the items she had been searching for
and turned back to Heero, expression grim.
This was going to be a long day.
**
"So on the eastern front of the South African coast you believe
that, Larson has rebel forces gathering together, Mr. Peacecraft?"
Hilde watched the longhaired man nod, hoping to avoid Duo's gaze
altogether. Taking on of the note pads in front of her she quickly
scribbled to Catherine.
Hope Rellie's all right. The situation Welton placed her in wasn't exactly
the ideal one.
Catherine nodded and wrote back.
She'll be okay. Rel can take better care of herself then any of us put
together. She's the strongest of all of us.
I know, Cat. She's the one that holds us together, but she's also the most fragile
one of us. Remember that she's not the type to talk about any of her feelings.
I know, but we can't worry about the feelings and the memories. We can't
because then they've won. I know that eventually we're going to have to turn
and sure, I've accepted it but it doesn't mean that I've got to like it. God, is
it me or Potter's wearing a hair piece?
Hilde looked up at the man who basically had sole control over
their lives. She tilted her head to one side and then to the other.
Slowly, a smile began to form onto her face. Like Doc. had said
to her once, a sense of humor is always the key. She wrote back
to Catherine.
I don't girl; to me it looks more like a dead rat. I take that back, the
hairpiece or what it seems to be looks like a dead, washed-up rat.
Both girls took one look at each other and fought the urge to break
out into peals of laughter. It was moments like these that Hilde
realized kept her sane. If you could break out into laughter during
the toughest of times, you know that eventually everything will
come out all right. It was a philosophy that her grandparents had
told her to hold onto.
A bitter sigh escaped her lips. It had been the last time that she had
seen them, smiling and laughing. It had been the last night before
Cairo. A night that she replayed over and over in her head asleep.
God how badly she yearned to be in Pamplona.
She just wanted to be home.
Home in her bed with the covers over her head.
She wanted the smells of her abuelita's rice with beans and fried pork. Or
watching her grandfather catch cod for pescado con yucca, his famous
Saturday dish. But for the last eleven years she had been forced to stay
away from the people she loved.
Forced.
They had entered the world under the council's wing. At the time, the
council had maintained Paci as a branch of the Alliance. They had
hoped for a form of justified peace for the purposes of not having
any radical extremist taking the government by storm. But now Paci
too had written off as a legend. The credit to Project Jitsatsu had then
gone to the Alliance full-blown.
Now onto the subject of them, their identities.
The Warrior.
Persephone.
The Demoness.
Darkness.
Silence.
They were the legends of all legends or the Alliance's greatest success
story. Nurtured, cultured, whatever you wanted to call it, they had
been brought into the world expected to bring the justified peace so
that people like Potter didn't have to suffer migraines. They were given
parts to play, she remembered bitterly. Merian would go back to the
families that rejected since her birth and marry into wealth. Fortunately
for Merian, Wufei's family was one of the highest in the noble class.
Funny thing was that Wufei had no clue he was going to be a gundam
pilot. Or even that he and Merian would fall in love. Merian hadn't even
predicted it, but she fell for the sexist pig pretty hard.
Then she had to die and watch from the shadows.
Catherine's part was to join a travelling circus, giving her access to
finding the pilot of Heavy Arms. When she did find him, she was
instructed to keep a watchful eye on him. Like for Merian, the Eve
Wars came and instead of dying, Catherine had to somehow condone
her course to match Trowa's. Then like Merian's fate and after the
whole Mariemaia incident, Catherine disappeared and was proclaimed
dead.
Those had been the orders.
For Dorothy, it had not been so easy. Born into a world where power
was the only thing that you needed, Dorothy had been forced to lay a
mask on herself. Not just any mask though, one that had to surpass the
likeness of her power driven grandfather, Duke Dermail. She almost
blew her cover when she finally meet the Sandrock Pilot. Quatre had
almost seen through her cool and hard façade. She also didn't expect
to fall for the Arabian. But like Catherine and Merian before her and
after all the fighting had stopped, Dorothy staged her own mysterious
disappearance. It was what Dorothy was good at, staging brutality as
well as disappearing.
The press had bought it so well.
Relena's part had been a feat itself. Not only did she have to re-enter
the society that had rejected her when she was born, but also she had
to play the part of a lost princess to the fullest. Hilde had to hand it to
her best friend. The girl had not only played the part of the lost and
amnesiac princess, but she completely asserted her control over any
situation the council had secretly thrown at her. Although she almost
lost control of her emotions and her part, since Heero isn't that much
of a fool, Relena threw on a mask of quiet elegance and intelligence.
People always underestimated the girl; then again Relena sometimes
underestimated herself. As for her relationship with the pilot of Wing
Zero, it was a complicated one that Relena never really commented to
them about any of it. Her 'death' was a swift one, Dorothy being the
mastermind behind hers.
The death of Relena Peacecraft had gone down as the most brutal
one in history.
Her own assignment had been like the others, except she was to join
Oz and somehow track down the pilot of Shingami in her time there.
It was a simple task, granted the fact that Duo had come so easily into
her watching eyes. Then she proceeded to befriend Duo Maxwell in
one of the most obscure ways. In what she considered an Oscar
worthy performance, she had played the misguided youth that out
of anger felt that Oz would help ease the pain. Then following the
same path like the other girls, Hilde 'died' in a house fire.
That was the only part she liked.
Torching houses really helped loosen the steam, she thought with
a small grin.
It was funny, she thought. The moment she had met Duo Maxwell, she
knew that she was completely and utterly in love with the crazy son of
a bitch. All thoughts of rationality and her past promises had gone
completely out of her head when she had looked into those glittering
violet eyes.
And she hated herself for it.
Here she was, the Jitsatsu pilot Persephone, supposed to be cold, crazy,
and completely void of any feelings... She had just fallen in love with
him forgetting about the one person she had promised total devotion
to.
Adam.
Still to this day, his name brings chills to her. Another reason why she was
afraid of any hint of a relationship with the American pilot. She had fallen
head over heels in love with Adam, only to have him die right before her
eyes. She had killed him. Killed him with her disobedience to the council
and to the organizations, Paci and the Alliance. Paci being the mastermind
behind the Alliance was extremely strict of relationships that had not been
looked into by the council and they had made it known that they would
terminate the forbidden.
That's what the relationship between Adam and her had been classified.
Forbidden.
Forbidden and dangerous.
That's why now, sitting in the cool metal chair, she could not help but
worry. What level were the conniving bastards going to take this whole
thing to? Everyone knew that Larson was beyond the extreme. But, she
thought with a sigh. But was it right to bring the Gundam pilots into this
battle? Better yet...
Were they ready to risk everything they had?
**
"Give me your hand."
Heero looked up startled, but said nothing as he watched Relena walk
back into the room. She was avoiding his gaze, he realized as he
watched her wash his hand. The air in the room was uncomfortable.
He had so many questions to ask and she didn't even make a move to
inquire about his curiosity. Finally, he couldn't handle the silence any
longer.
"Are you a..."
She looked up, midnight blue orbs flashing. He found himself at a
loss for words.
"Go ahead. Say it. It won't kill you to." She paused, unscrewing the
disinfectant cleaner.
"Or at least not in here."
He sighed. She used to be such a lively and persistent girl, always trying
to get him to smile or at least even talk. Now, he didn't even know the
girl standing in front of him.
He tried again. "Are you a Jitsatsu Pilot?"
She took his hand and cleaned the open wounds from the glass
he broke. She countered his question with her own. "What do
you think, Heero?"
He watched her as she turned her back to cut the bandages. So this was
Relena. She grown taller, he mused. Longer legs, shorter hair, fuller body...
He shook his head. Sylvia's your girlfriend and probably worried sick about
why you haven't called and all you can think about is Relena, he scolded
himself.
But, his mind argued.
You have to admit she's absolutely beyond the description of
beautiful.
He was startled out of his thoughts by Relena once more. "I'm done," she
stated quietly.
"No," he began.
"No what?"
"No, I don't believe you're a Jitsatsu pilot. And I can't believ you're alive either."
Blue clashed with blue and a small smirk formed on Relena's mouth.
"Figures," she muttered.
"You didn't even think I could do my job as Vice-Foreign Minister. You
probably think I'm a complete moron."
He sighed. "I never said that Relena."
A bitter laugh escaped her lips. She motioned for him to follow her back
out.
"No, but you most definitely showed it. Heero, you always gave the look
that I was full of complete and utter stupidity. Or that I didn't know what
the hell I was talking about."
"You believed in absolute pacifism."
She shook her head, honey-brown hair gently brushing her face.
"I never said I actually did. You just assumed I did."
He looked at her and accused, "Like hell I did, you were caught up in
your ideals and storybook fantasies. You don't even know what the
real world is like. No wonder you and I could never work."
"Like you and Sylvia Noventa?"
Rage coursed through his veins. How dare she? How dare insult
something she knew nothing about?
Pinning her against the wall, he hissed, "What does that have anything
to do with your bullshit ideas?"
Dark blue eyes stared back at him, completely void of any emotion. "They
were never my ideals, Yuy. You don't know anything about my life and me.
As far as I'm concerned it's none of your damn business, but unfortunately
I'm stuck with you and you're stuck with me."
She slowly unclasped his hands from around her.
"Don't think that you're the only one who doesn't want to be here, Heero.
Because you're not."
He was about to respond with a nasty rebuke, but was cut short with a
running man with a load of files in hand. He watched Relena's lips
curve into a small smile.
"Need help Parker?"
He was a scrawny guy, tall and lanky. He looked like someone that if he
tried something at a bar, you would end up laughing at him.
"Well if it isn't the Irish Rose herself." Parker reached to kiss Relena's hand,
whom in turn snapped it away. "Fine be that way. Not my type anyway."
Heero coughed and both Relena and Parker turned to him. "Oh, you
must be the infamous Heero Yuy! I know all about you."
His comment graced a snort from Relena.
"I assumed you received my documents when you arrived in Sydney."
Relena glanced towards him with a smirk. He felt his heart clench. She
used to do that when she had won an argument with him...
"The only part you left out was a graphic description of how they
screwed each other."
"I'm an informant, Relena. What do you expect?"
A strand of hair fell across her face, when Heero realized he still had
her pinned to the wall. But the position was long forgotten as he
watched Relena unsuccessfully try to push back the strand of hair.
"Personally love I think you're a bloody pervert."
Parker grinned, bearing all his teeth and causing Heero to want to
vomit at the lack of his two front teeth.
"I don't think you're in the 'position' to say anything, Rosie."
"Grow up," Relena muttered. "You can't even back up your threats. Why
are you wandering aimlessly around the halls? You're not suppose to be
here until Sunday."
He looked at Heero and then shook his head. Heero's eyes followed him
as he set the files in his hands down. He had a bad feeling about this guy...
"Not here. I have orders to wait."
Heero felt Relena's hand on his shoulder; dark blue burned into his skull.
Why hell was he feeling this way? She had only provoked frustration,
anger, and a bit of intrigue. But now... Now, it was beyond different.
Now the Relena that stood in front of him extracted a different emotion.
He was beginning to fear her.
Not only that but he was even more intrigued by her than before.
Shit.
"Go back Heero." He looked up at her, startled. Relena's attention
seemed to be focus on Parker. She looked like she was ready to kill
him.
"But..."
She whipped her head around and hissed softly, "Don't push me Heero.
I'm trying. I'm trying really hard not to do something that I'll at least
partially regret."
He looked at her and then shrugged. He wasn't in the mood either for
her antics. She was beginning to sound like the old Relena. Not that
you mind, his mind argued.
Shut up.
Jut shut up.
"Heero."
He turned expression annoyed. Blue met blue as partially contempt met
amusement. Her eyes were glittering again.
"Nothing is ever as it seems."
**
Heero Yuy was not a happy camper, Trowa noticed as the Zero Pilot
re-entered the room with a slight frown combined with a dazed look.
Duo, next to him started to snicker, but shut up when Heero gave
him a 'death glare'. The council was in a break, so the girls and them
were stuck in the room until they returned.
"What's the matter, Yuy?"
Trowa turned to see Wufei smirking at Heero. "The onna tell you off?"
Heero was about to remark, but a voice from the other side of the room
cut in.
"You know I might as well tell you now, Chang." The boys turned to see
Hilde leaning on the opposite table, a semi-smile present on her face.
"Muchacho [6], you and I will not get along at all during the course of
this time, so I'll go my way and you go yours. But Chang if I hear
another sexist comment out of your mouth, I'll cut off your hands
and hang you by them."
Wufei stood, eyes blazing.
"Can you back up that threat, onna. I mean no woman could be legends
such as the Jitsatsu Pilots."
Before Hilde could rebuke, a quiet voice cut in.
"Look, we don't like this just as much as you do and are trying to deal
with it. We are here to do our jobs, regardless of what you believe. None
of us are in any kind of state to take your crap, so lay off."
Trowa's eyes widened as he saw Cathy standing behind them. Her eyes
were cast at the floor and expression pensive. What had happened to her?
She used to be so forward with what she was feeling...
What kind of place were they entering?
"I still believe you're Jitsatsu pilots though, onnas"
"You don't have to," Catherine countered. "And personal don't care if you
do or you don't. You're going to be living with five very *independent*
women, Mr. Chang. And I strongly suggest that you count your blessing
because when PMS comes around..."
Hilde grinned evilly. "Basically we become spawns from hell. Believe
PMS is a dangerous thing."
Duo leaned back in his chair, a smirk on his face. "Yeah, Hilde's a real
beast when it comes the whole 'that time of month' thing."
Trowa watched Hilde's eyes flash and Catherine immediately reach to
grab the other girl's arms. The tension was beginning to re-enter the
thick stage. Duo's comment earned a snicker from Wufei.
"El hace no sabe aun. Mirelo! Los ojos culpan a mi para salir. Espere
hasta todo mi tiempo estuveria arriba. Hasta el muy final... Dios, yo
pierdo mi mente... [7]"
The attention the two girls had previous incited onto the other pilots as
well as him. He had partly understood what Hilde had said, being from
somewhere in South America. It was something about losing her mind...
He took this chance of the girls being lost in their own conversation
to study his Cathy...
I don't recall you having a claim on the woman, the ever-insistent voice in his head argued.
And never said I did, he retorted.
You just your Cathy. How is that not staking a claim? Please explain.
...
Jesus, I get stuck with the kid who doesn't even know the difference between
a claim and not staking a claim.
I do.
Well...
And it's degrading for the female population.
Can we say born again feminist?
I love Midii. Always have and I always will.
Sure, his mind countered jeered. You keep telling yourself that. I'm really convinced.
"You're supposed to be dead." Startled, Trowa looked up and
found Merian and Wufei staring at each other. Wufei's receiving
answer from his 'dead' wife was merely a glance followed by
silence.
The tension rose again.
Jesus, you're perceptive, his mind mocked. Genius material I tell you.
This was definitely going to be an interesting experience for him.
You got that right buddy.
Definitely.
**
"Sit," she ordered quietly. "I want to know what's going on."
Parker sighed and run a hand through his hair. Motioning to the
files, he began, "Last two nights, there've been some pretty
serious massacres."
She looked at him curiously. "So soon?"
He nodded. "Apparently, Larson's retaken the old bases except
now the whole Society is split up into branches as you've been
briefed."
She closed her eyes. "I have a general idea of why he's re-claiming
the old bases because they do not appear on our maps. But what I
don't understand is why so quickly? It doesn't fit together at all."
He grinned. "And you're the smartest one, they saw."
"Perfect!" She said slapping him playfully. "You're a fucking pervert
and an asshole. I pity your wife, love. I wonder how she does it."
"Hey! I resent that. I'm just a really great informer, that's all."
"Right." Relena's expression turned serious. "So the massacres..."
He looked at her. "Oh yes! Sorry... They took place in Rio and in
Stuttgart, Germany. Pretty bloody if you ask me. Rio lost a couple
people, mainly in the poor tenant areas. Lots of blood and gore...
I think there was a maximum of at least fifty people dead."
"What about Stuttgart?"
He shrugged and then said quietly, "Worse than Rio, babe. Way worse
than Rio... The over counter pictures my people in the German
quarters sent me are horrible. An estimate of over 50 grand are
dead plus the people keep finding bodies."
"Let me guess. We're going to be sent there."
He nodded. "But Hilde and this Maxwell character are going to
Rio. Obviously for reasons that Hilde speaks Spanish and that
the council wants her to 'expose' the trainee. You, my dear,
along with that character I just met in the hall are going to
Germany because of the 'irregularities' of the massacre."
"Irregularities?"
He nodded. "Doc's going to brief you more on this, but maybe you'll
understand the symbolism thing more than I do, but you know that it
the majority of the pre-industrial cities have a high rate of prostitution,
right?"
"Yes..." Her eyes closed. "Stuttgart..."
"I know that name from somewhere..."
"Well," Parker offered. "We did have a base there for a time, remember?
But it was bombed after informants gave our location away. We were
nine I think."
"No," Relena said softly, shaking her head. "Stuttgart is where Oz sent
the soldiers that they had no use for and the injured. That is how the
town formed... On a basic foundation of unwanted people..."
He looked at her confused. "I know, but what's your point?"
She stood up, brushing her skirt off.
"My point is that Larson must have taken advantage of the fact that
they were skilled-base. I mean Oz did use them for engineering
tactics and repairs, so they did have some purpose. So Larson must
have taken it as an open opportunity to exploit and use the talents of
these people for his own benefit. Basically they were re-facing the
nightmare Oz had created for them."
Parker nodded in agreement. "I see what you're saying. With empty
promise of freedom, Larson used their skills so that he would have
a sufficient amount of weaponry or whatever else he need to actually
back up the threat and declaration of war."
She nodded. "Yes, but what irregularities are you talking about?"
He sighed. "Your explanation is on the mark with the logic side of
what we need you to find in Germany. But it's the irregularities that
we're more worried about."
"Why?"
"I..."
"Parker," she warned. "Just tell me."
"Okay, okay, okay! Jesus, the man is fucking crazy! Harrington was
crazy, I know... But Larson is smart and loony. The guy left the
whole town covered in black rose petals..."
"Black roses petals..."
Relena turned and looked out the window, studying the traffic and the
walking people.
"The symbol of coming of age..."
**
"Where's Relena?"
But all Doc was greeted with were nine, miserable faces. She sighed. It was
like dealing with three-year olds. Finally the pilot she recognized as Quatre
Winner, spoke up. "She hasn't returned yet from outside."
She gave him a smile of thanks and went over to the girls. Hilde looked like
she was going to strangle both Wufei and Duo. Merian on the other hand,
made sure that she was as far away as possible from the Chinese pilot.
Dorothy sat at the end of the long table, avoiding all eye contact with the
pilots. Catherine was leaning against the edge of the table next to Hilde, her
eyes watching the pilots warily. She sighed inwardly.
These kids were going to be a huge handful.
The door opened and everyone whirled around to see Relena re-enter
the room, expression empty. Doc nodded at her and motioned for her
sit down.
"All right, me'dears. The council is going to continue the meeting in eight
weeks because we really need to get started."
Her eyes turned to Zechs and Noin. "We have a plane ready for you with
our own guards. You'll get back to Prague safely I guarantee you. You
leave in three hours." She motioned for them to leave. Now was the
hard part.
Talking to full grown adult who wanted nothing to do with each other.
At all.
"As for the rest of you... Girls, each of you will bunk with one of the boys, council orders. So
Wufei and Hilde, Merian and Quatre, Duo and Catherine, Dorothy and Heero, and Relena
with Trowa."
She held back a smile as Hilde glared murder at her. "Anyway, there will
be a week of introduction and then a brief of the first part of business.
It's a definite that you Mr. Yuy and Relena will be going to Germany.
Also Maxwell and Hilde will be going to Rio. Merian and Wufei will be
doing some undercover as well as Catherine and Trowa. Dorothy and
Quatre will be staying here. This is all I can say and want to say. So
ladies, be so kind to show the boys to the quarters."
With that she turned on her heel and left, a smirk lingering on her face.
Oh the girls are going to kill me.
**
He hated silence.
The tension and its superficiality.
But he didn't know what to say.
He didn't know what to say to a sister he barely knew, but loved
uncontrollably.
Relena was his baby sister, the only part of his family left.
And she knew the lies their parents surrounded themselves in. She had
been sacrificed for the family.
He remembered now.
The baby's muffled cries...
His mother's suicide...
Lies and Father...
Father and Lies...
God, she had turned to this. She was a legend, a myth. His baby sister
was what young soldiers dreamed about being or even killing.
//"You don't understand Relena. You are naïve and were raised closed
off from this society. I just want to protect you. Okay?"
Blue eyes flashed for a moment. It was almost like she was struggling to
keep the fire out.
"Relena... Please, you have a beautiful soul. It doesn't need to be
tampered with."
She turned and looked at him.
"I have no soul, Millardo. Maybe you should rethink what the definition
of naïve."//
She was never his sister. He had never known the pain she went
through or the lies she suffered.
She was his sister only by blood.
"I'm sorry," he blurted out. He couldn't stand the silence anymore.
It was haunting, teasing him.
Relena turned around and studied his face. She reached out and
grasped his hand.
Warmth...
Mama...
Promise...
"You can't change the past. It happened and that's the end of it. I can
take care of myself, Millardo. I have been for all my life. I am who I
am and I can't change that. I'm not sorry for that at all."
He sighed and watched her walk away.
But...
He though in anguish.
But I want help you...
**
Key Words:
[1] canastas- Baskets woven by women weavers that are sold in the marketplaces.
[2] Los Intocables- The Untouchables
[3] que son de uruguayo- That are from Uruguay
[4] mi amor- My love
[5] Yo soy intocable- I am untouchable.
[6] Means boy or applied to teenager generation. Also can be used as a slang term.
The way I use it is in the sense that Hilde treating him like a kid. She's mocking
him in a language he doesn't understand, so he misses the usage of the insult.
[7] It's eleven-thirty so give me the benefit of the doubt. I do know what it means
because my family speaks spanish all the time at home. Anyway, it's along the
lines of: He doesn't know. Look at him! His eyes are blaming me for leaving. I
waited until my time was up. Until the very end... God, I'm losing my mind.
**
Thanks guys, for the wonderful reviews. Book two should be out soon,
along with a lot of new stuff. Keep R&Ring!
Disclaimer: No, no, and no. Do I make myself clear?