Fall of Empires
Part Seven of "I Only Think Of You"
By Chash
"This is the last mission. Assigned are Aries, Cancer, Gemini, Taurus, Virgo, Scorpio, Sagittarius, and Opiuchus," read Sagittarius. "The assignment, break Pisces out of the base Invincible."
"That's encouraging," commented Cancer. Taurus elbowed him in the stomach lightly.
"Then destroy it. There are four entrances, we go in groups of two. Four generators, we set explosives on each. Pisces is on the way to one of them, break him out as we go. Groups are Aries and Virgo, Cancer and Taurus, Gemini and Sagittarius, Scorpio and Opiuchus," she smiled. "And I know two groups who won't get any work done. Man, what were they thinking? Everyone got it?" a chorus of 'yes's' greeted her. "Good! We leave from South Gate in two hours."
Sagittarius hopped down and looked for Scorpio.
"Zechs!"
He turned. "Yes, Noin?"
"Are you all right? About Virgo, I mean. All that," she added. Scorpio nodded, smiling at her.
"Yes, thank you. How are you doing with "all that," as you put it?" asked Scorpio. Sagittarius blushed.
"Work in progress," she replied. Scorpio kissed her on the cheek.
"Good luck."
She nodded. "Thanks." Turning away, she saw Gemini, leaving with enough haste it was suspicious. "Trowa!"
He turned. "Hm?"
"Are you all right?" she asked. He nodded.
"Are you and Scorpio together now?" he asked, the sadness in his voice almost disguised.
"No. He was just wishing me luck with something. We're old friends, after all," she added. Gemini nodded and turned to walk away. "Trowa, wait!"
"Yes?" he asked.
"You didn't ask me what he wished me luck with," she informed him. He smiled, a slight smile. It was about all Gemini did by way of smiling.
"You'd like me to, Lucrezia?"
"Please."
"All right, what was Scorpio wishing you luck about?" he inquired. Her hand reached up to touch his cheek.
"You."
Gemini's eyes snapped open as she kissed him, but he closed them soon enough. Scorpio smiled, but there was a tear in his eye as he walked away. He remembered what it was like to want to kiss someone like that.
And he knew what it was like when the one person that he wanted to kiss like that wanted to kiss someone else like that.
Yes, he remembered that very well.
*
Some people might find eight people from the same place going onto one airship to a pretty out of the way area suspicious. At least, Yuy, equipped with enough paranoia for several people, believed some people might. Therefore they went in as pairs. First Yuy and Virgo, then Cancer and Taurus, followed by Gemini and Sagittarius, and finally Scorpio and Opiuchus, who, with the way they were glaring at each other, were suspicious for all of them.
Cancer made a crack about how there would in fact be three groups who couldn't keep their hands off each other, and Gemini decked him.
*
"We haven't talked in a while, Trowa," Taurus sat down next to Gemini, who looked over at him and smiled.
"No, we haven't, have we? Busy, I suppose."
"I suppose."
"Are you happy with Cancer? Not just distracting yourself from Virgo?" asked Gemini, turning away from the view out the window to look at his friend. Taurus smiled and nodded.
"Very happy, yes. And I'm not distracting myself. Are you happy with Sagittarius?"
"Yes."
"Good. I suppose it's all right we don't talk anymore, as long as we're both happy."
"Yeah. We should have tried it years ago," smiled Gemini. Taurus giggled.
"Did you just crack a joke, Trowa? She must be doing you good, after all. I'm glad."
"So am I, very glad. It was nice to talk to you Quat."
"You too, Tro. I love you, y'know. You're my best friend."
"I love you too, Quat." [1] Trowa smiled after his friend as he left. Sagittarius sat down in the vacant seat.
"Competition?" she asked, a smile on her face. Trowa smiled back.
"Maybe. Don't worry, you'll win."
"Good to know," she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder, and was soon asleep.
*
"Zechs?" it was Virgo, and Scorpio knew it. Of course it was Virgo. He looked over.
"Hello, Wufei."
"I'm sorry."
"Are you happy?"
"Yes."
"Then don't be. I'd hate it if you damaged your happiness on account of me. As long as you love him, I'm happy for you."
Virgo reached down and kissed his cheek, he could taste the salt of tears on it. Still, he said nothing.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"I love you."
"I know. I love you too."
Virgo left, the taste of Scorpio's tears on his lips.
Opiuchus sat down next to Scorpio. "So, I've heard meaningless sex is the next best thing," he cracked. Scorpio rolled his eyes and smacked him lightly on the head.
*
Virgo had expected to just come to a generator, not to a flight of stairs. He looked at Yuy, who shrugged.
"Why don't you tell the others to give us a little extra time?" suggested Virgo. Yuy nodded and made some hasty explanations to the communicator. Then both went up the stairs, side by side, and reached a dark room. Flipping on the light, Yuy saw a round table with five seats with a board in the middle. On the board was a map of the world, and five numbered bases.
"One, Madain Sari, Two, Alexandria, Three, Darguerreo, Four, Ipsen Castle, Five, Invincible," he read aloud, looking to Virgo with confusion. Eight figures were lying on the board, all in the Invincible. Virgo picked one up and fingered it, looking at the dark skin and tight black pony tail. Flipping it over, he could read 'Virgo' on the base.
"What is this?" he asked.
"Headquarters of the Five," replied a voice. Yuy and Virgo turned. A hulking man was there, his skin dark like Virgo's. "And I am the Fifth. We thank you."
"Thank us?" asked Virgo.
"We Five were once the leaders of the Seven Empires. Now, we grow old. You eight were our elite, some of us even considered you children. Your final mission was to destroy our Empire, the source of war."
"To destroy you," said Yuy, understanding in his voice. "Each of you had a base, and kept one of our own there. We were to rescue them and destroy you."
"And thus our Empire. Once we thought the Alliance of Seven Empires would eliminate wars. Once there were only seven empires. Then new empires came and tried to destroy us. You eight were like our children. We gathered you to try and make you happy before we died. Now the world is on its own, without we manipulators. Thank you," the hulking man bowed. "We all thank you. Go."
Virgo could not think of anything to say, and allowed Yuy to pull him away.
"Goodbye," he murmured, watching the building in flames and unable to think of anything more important to say.
He felt Yuy nuzzle his neck. "Don't worry, love," the other commented, "there was nothing better you could have said."
Virgo smiled, melting into Yuy's arms.
"Remember, they wanted us happy," added Taurus, looking over at him. As long as we're happy, their souls will be at rest."
"Sure they will, Quat. That's very cute," commented Duo.
Wufei laughed as Quatre bopped Duo on the head, and wondered without much thought put into the matter where these names had come from.
Owari.
Only the epilogue left now. I am so finishing tonight!
[1] Ha, Yeou, you really thought I could go through a fic without having those two say they love each other? ^_~
Pairings: 1x5, 2x4, 3x9 (well, not really, but they're actually together now!), Trowa and Quatre say they love each other, ha ha! (revenge of the 3x4 fan)