Demon Sign
Part 8
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Raksha stepped inside the cabin, turned on the lights, and moved aside to let the others in.
"This is home, sweet, home for the next five weeks or so." she said as Wufie and Quatre looked around.
The trip had been long and uneventful. Raksha and Heero took turns at the wheel since Duo had been asleep the whole time and the others didn't know the way. Quatre looked impressed.
"I couldn't have done better myself." Quatre said and smiled.
Raksha smiled in return.
*******
Two hours later
Raksha lay in bed. Her covers were thrown at the foot. She tossed and turned; trying to get into a comfortable position. Ten minutes later she gave up. Raksha pulled on her bathing suit, grabbed a towel from the bathroom and headed for the pool.
Raksha dropped her towel on the closest lounge chair. She stepped onto the first step into the pool and sighed in appreciation. The night was warm and humid. The water was cool on her skin. She swam strokes back and forth from one edge of the pool to the other. It felt so good to relax.
As Raksha came up and wiped the water from her eyes she noticed a figure standing against the wall. She instantly knew who it was.
"Hello, Heero."
He made no move to accknowledge her greeting.
"If you came to use the pool you're free to join me." she said.
Still nothing.
"Listen, Heero. If we are going to be friends or partners you are going to have to drop the tight-ass attitude." she said and stepped out of the pool.
"Could you pass me that towel?"
He didn't move for a moment. Then he scooped up the towel and tossed it to her.
"Thank you."
She patted her face with the towel and then ran it over her body. She thought she saw Heero shift uncomfortably but she probably imagined it . She walked to the lounge chair closest to her, spread the towel on it and layed down.
"If something is on your mind I'm here to talk."
She closed her eyes and threw her arm over them. Sure enough, thirty seconds later, Raksha sensed Heero sit down on the chair next to her. She didn't say anything; allowing him the time to make up his mind.
"There is more to your story then you're letting on. There is something you're not telling us and I want to know what it is." he said.
"That sounded more like a demand then a question and I don't think I heard the word 'please' in there."
When he didn't respond she sighed. Raksha sat up and looked Heero in the eyes. Her expression was deadly serious.
"I'll tell you if you give your word not to tell the others."
Heero nodded.
"I don't remember much but I'll tell you what I can. Somehow I ended up in a foster home around the age of three or four. I was happy. I had a mother and a father. I had my own room and I went to school. I had a life. Seven years later that was destroyed. I was eleven when I came home from school one Thursday to find my parents murdered. I couldn't do anything. They were already dead. The look in their eyes..."
Raksha shook her head and continued.
"I had enough sense to take what money I could find, pack a bag with clothing and other things I would need and leave. I remember living on the streets. I stole what I needed after the money ran out. I slept in tunnels and vacated houses and whatever else I could find. About a year later something happened. I had found this abandoned warehouse. It was perfect and I had it all to myself. I think I saw lights flashing and a loud noise. I felt this pain in my chest. Before I blacked out I heard voices. I couldn't make out what they said. I don't remember anything after that. About three years later I woke up in an orphanage. They told me that I was found in the nearby forest and that there was no one who claimed me. I had been unconcious for almost a week. I snuck out that night. I went to the same forest. I thought that I might have been able to find something that would tell me who I was."
"At the time I didn't remember anything about my past. I searched the woods and eventually came upon my Gundam. She was camoflauged so I almost missed her. I knew everything about her. I knew what controls did what. I knew how to repair her. But I didn't know how I knew. Her name also popped into my mind but not how I knew it."
"I was alone and afraid. I was fourteen or fifteen but I had the memories of a twelve year old. After that I wandered around the country for a few months. I had found it extremely intresting to keep a tab on politics as well as informative. I had seen through OZ's facade before most others; just waiting for someone else to catch on. Afterwards I fell in with a rebel group that was against OZ.
I became close with them. It was a gradual thing but I trusted them and they trusted me. We were a family. Many had horror stories about their personal encounters with OZ. I felt a kinship with them; knowing what it was like to lose people close to me. Many of them came home from work or elsewhere to find their friends, family, and loved ones murdered.
One day I was sent out for supplies. The guy who usually did it was sick. On the way back the truck ran out of gas. I had forgotten to fill it up before heading back. I had to walk to the nearest house for gas. When I finally pulled into the camp I knew something was wrong. It was too quiet and there were no lights on even though it was well into the night. I ran into the main tent calling for someone to answer me. I stopped dead in my tracks at what I found.
Bodies were everywhere. Blood spread all over the tables and floor. I checked each one but everyone was dead. No one survived the attack. Everyone had been in the main tent. They served dinner every night at 9 p.m. The food was still warm. I had missed the attack by a half hour. Mabey less. I buried each one of them. It took me nearly two days but it was the least I could do. I contacted the other rebel groups and informed them of what had occured. I set the camp on fire; destroying all traces of it's existance. I knew I couldn't stay so I took what I needed and left."
Raksha looked up at Heero. Her eyes were glazed with remembered pain and self-blame but she stubbornly refused to cry.
"Why did you leave? Why didn't you join another group?" Heero asked.
Raksha shook her head dejectidly.
"They would have suspected me of betraying them. Since there was no evidence to the contrary, they would have killed me just in case."
She bent her head so that her hair fell foward to cover her face.
"Is that the only reason you didn't stay?" He asked.
Raksha's head snapped up. There was an icy fire in her eyes that would have made a lesser man cower. Heero mearly looked at her. The same blank expression on his face.
"If you're implying that I left because I was a coward I'll show you just how cowardly I can be." She growled threateningly.
"You know that wasn't what I meant." He said calmly.
Instantly, all the fight went out of her.
"I couldn't have stood the condeming stares and viscious lies."
"But you still hold yourself responcible." It was a statement not a question.
"Wouldn't you?!" She exploded.
"It was my fault they died! If I hadn't forgotten the gas I would have been there! I could have used my Gundam! I could have protected them! I might as well have told OZ their location!"
"But you didn't." Heero said.
"There was no possible way you could have known what was going to happen. Even if you had been there, chances are that you wouldn't have had enough time to get to your Gundam before they shot you down. You would have died along with them and OZ would have had the Gundam and would now be more powerful then ever. We would have had even less chance of stopping them then we do now."
Raksha shook her head stubbornly.
"I know I can't make you stop blaming yourself for their deaths." He said.
"And I won't try to. But you have to know the truth."
Raksha looked up at him.
"That's why I'm going to destroy OZ. For revenge and for the truth. The truth about everything."
Part 8
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Raksha stepped inside the cabin, turned on the lights, and moved aside to let the others in.
"This is home, sweet, home for the next five weeks or so." she said as Wufie and Quatre looked around.
The trip had been long and uneventful. Raksha and Heero took turns at the wheel since Duo had been asleep the whole time and the others didn't know the way. Quatre looked impressed.
"I couldn't have done better myself." Quatre said and smiled.
Raksha smiled in return.
*******
Two hours later
Raksha lay in bed. Her covers were thrown at the foot. She tossed and turned; trying to get into a comfortable position. Ten minutes later she gave up. Raksha pulled on her bathing suit, grabbed a towel from the bathroom and headed for the pool.
Raksha dropped her towel on the closest lounge chair. She stepped onto the first step into the pool and sighed in appreciation. The night was warm and humid. The water was cool on her skin. She swam strokes back and forth from one edge of the pool to the other. It felt so good to relax.
As Raksha came up and wiped the water from her eyes she noticed a figure standing against the wall. She instantly knew who it was.
"Hello, Heero."
He made no move to accknowledge her greeting.
"If you came to use the pool you're free to join me." she said.
Still nothing.
"Listen, Heero. If we are going to be friends or partners you are going to have to drop the tight-ass attitude." she said and stepped out of the pool.
"Could you pass me that towel?"
He didn't move for a moment. Then he scooped up the towel and tossed it to her.
"Thank you."
She patted her face with the towel and then ran it over her body. She thought she saw Heero shift uncomfortably but she probably imagined it . She walked to the lounge chair closest to her, spread the towel on it and layed down.
"If something is on your mind I'm here to talk."
She closed her eyes and threw her arm over them. Sure enough, thirty seconds later, Raksha sensed Heero sit down on the chair next to her. She didn't say anything; allowing him the time to make up his mind.
"There is more to your story then you're letting on. There is something you're not telling us and I want to know what it is." he said.
"That sounded more like a demand then a question and I don't think I heard the word 'please' in there."
When he didn't respond she sighed. Raksha sat up and looked Heero in the eyes. Her expression was deadly serious.
"I'll tell you if you give your word not to tell the others."
Heero nodded.
"I don't remember much but I'll tell you what I can. Somehow I ended up in a foster home around the age of three or four. I was happy. I had a mother and a father. I had my own room and I went to school. I had a life. Seven years later that was destroyed. I was eleven when I came home from school one Thursday to find my parents murdered. I couldn't do anything. They were already dead. The look in their eyes..."
Raksha shook her head and continued.
"I had enough sense to take what money I could find, pack a bag with clothing and other things I would need and leave. I remember living on the streets. I stole what I needed after the money ran out. I slept in tunnels and vacated houses and whatever else I could find. About a year later something happened. I had found this abandoned warehouse. It was perfect and I had it all to myself. I think I saw lights flashing and a loud noise. I felt this pain in my chest. Before I blacked out I heard voices. I couldn't make out what they said. I don't remember anything after that. About three years later I woke up in an orphanage. They told me that I was found in the nearby forest and that there was no one who claimed me. I had been unconcious for almost a week. I snuck out that night. I went to the same forest. I thought that I might have been able to find something that would tell me who I was."
"At the time I didn't remember anything about my past. I searched the woods and eventually came upon my Gundam. She was camoflauged so I almost missed her. I knew everything about her. I knew what controls did what. I knew how to repair her. But I didn't know how I knew. Her name also popped into my mind but not how I knew it."
"I was alone and afraid. I was fourteen or fifteen but I had the memories of a twelve year old. After that I wandered around the country for a few months. I had found it extremely intresting to keep a tab on politics as well as informative. I had seen through OZ's facade before most others; just waiting for someone else to catch on. Afterwards I fell in with a rebel group that was against OZ.
I became close with them. It was a gradual thing but I trusted them and they trusted me. We were a family. Many had horror stories about their personal encounters with OZ. I felt a kinship with them; knowing what it was like to lose people close to me. Many of them came home from work or elsewhere to find their friends, family, and loved ones murdered.
One day I was sent out for supplies. The guy who usually did it was sick. On the way back the truck ran out of gas. I had forgotten to fill it up before heading back. I had to walk to the nearest house for gas. When I finally pulled into the camp I knew something was wrong. It was too quiet and there were no lights on even though it was well into the night. I ran into the main tent calling for someone to answer me. I stopped dead in my tracks at what I found.
Bodies were everywhere. Blood spread all over the tables and floor. I checked each one but everyone was dead. No one survived the attack. Everyone had been in the main tent. They served dinner every night at 9 p.m. The food was still warm. I had missed the attack by a half hour. Mabey less. I buried each one of them. It took me nearly two days but it was the least I could do. I contacted the other rebel groups and informed them of what had occured. I set the camp on fire; destroying all traces of it's existance. I knew I couldn't stay so I took what I needed and left."
Raksha looked up at Heero. Her eyes were glazed with remembered pain and self-blame but she stubbornly refused to cry.
"Why did you leave? Why didn't you join another group?" Heero asked.
Raksha shook her head dejectidly.
"They would have suspected me of betraying them. Since there was no evidence to the contrary, they would have killed me just in case."
She bent her head so that her hair fell foward to cover her face.
"Is that the only reason you didn't stay?" He asked.
Raksha's head snapped up. There was an icy fire in her eyes that would have made a lesser man cower. Heero mearly looked at her. The same blank expression on his face.
"If you're implying that I left because I was a coward I'll show you just how cowardly I can be." She growled threateningly.
"You know that wasn't what I meant." He said calmly.
Instantly, all the fight went out of her.
"I couldn't have stood the condeming stares and viscious lies."
"But you still hold yourself responcible." It was a statement not a question.
"Wouldn't you?!" She exploded.
"It was my fault they died! If I hadn't forgotten the gas I would have been there! I could have used my Gundam! I could have protected them! I might as well have told OZ their location!"
"But you didn't." Heero said.
"There was no possible way you could have known what was going to happen. Even if you had been there, chances are that you wouldn't have had enough time to get to your Gundam before they shot you down. You would have died along with them and OZ would have had the Gundam and would now be more powerful then ever. We would have had even less chance of stopping them then we do now."
Raksha shook her head stubbornly.
"I know I can't make you stop blaming yourself for their deaths." He said.
"And I won't try to. But you have to know the truth."
Raksha looked up at him.
"That's why I'm going to destroy OZ. For revenge and for the truth. The truth about everything."