Gundanium Millennium 1

Gundanium Millennium 1

Not the Zero

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or Sailor Moon

Note: Here's the Sequel of Sailor Pilots you wanted! Did you think GameGirl would let you down?

It has been 6 months since the sailors have met the gundam pilots and decided to stay in their time and space.  Everything was going well and Serena never left her cousin's side, except when she was with Heero.  Serena could not remember when she felt so happy.

"What are you smiling about?" Relena inquired.

"What?  Huh?" Serena said.

"Do I have something in my teeth?" she asked, rubbing her front teeth.  They were having breakfast together in one of Relena's favorite restaurants.

"No, no," Serena said, shaking her head.  "There is nothing in your teeth."

"Then what's so funny?" she demanded. 

"Nothing's funny," Serena said.  "I don't know many jokes."

Relena sighed and folded her arms, "come on, Serena, I'm your cousin.  Why are you smiling?"

"Because I'm so happy," Serena replied, "is that a crime?"

Relena shook her head, "'course not.  Mind I ask why?"

Serena chuckled, "well, isn't it obvious?  I traveled 200 years into the future to meet the most fascinating woman in the world who just happens to be my cousin.  I have the privilege and honor to protect her and I've also fallen in love with the best fighters I've ever heard of.  I wasn't very happy when I used to live in my old time.  I was clumsy, silly and…well, let's just say I wasn't very good in school."

"You like the school here, don't you?"

"Heck, yeah!" Serena laughed, "I'm trying harder this time.  I'm smarter now, stronger and happier.  I probably shouldn't feel this way after what I did to Darien.  I became a widow before I even became a bride.  But, I don't think I really wanted to marry him in the first place."

"You didn't?" Relena asked, "didn't you love him?"

"Thought I did," Serena said, "I was reborn to meet him and we did.  That was pretty cool but 1000 years is a long time and we've changed since then.  Maybe we were just supposed to be friends in this new life.  I've lost my future husband and daughter and I am the happiest woman alive!" 

"I'm glad to see you in good spirits," Relena said.

"Thank you, Relena," Serena said.  "Aren't you happy?"

"Yes, I'm happy for you too," Relena said.

"No, I meant for yourself," Serena said.  "The man I'm in love with now is the man you used to be in love with.  I understand that must be hard on you."

"I'm not angry about that, Serena," Relena said, "and I am happy.  We've had nothing but peace for the last 6 months.  And I'm united with a cousin whom I love dearly.  Of course I'm happy, Serena.  You bring out the best in people."

"I do?" Serena asked, a bit confused.

"Yes, you certainly brought out the best in Heero."

"Oh," Serena laughed, "I guess I did do that, huh?"

Relena nodded, "I believe it's going to be free sailing from here on."

"We need to make a toast!" Serena shouted, picking up her glass of orange juice.

"Sure, why not?" Relena picked up hers.

"To peace and freedom!" Serena cried.

"Peace and freedom!" Relena echoed and they clanged their glasses, almost breaking them.  Some juice spilled from the top and down the sides to the table.  Relena looked down at the table and smiled.  "Whoops!"

Serena laughed and wiped the juice she spilled from her glass and hand, "next time let's just drink."

For the rest of the sailors, their relationships with the pilots were becoming closer each day.  Raye enjoyed performing in the circus with Trowa and Catherine.  Ami helped Duo in his studies and find a job better than a junk dealer; a mechanic.  It was close to being a junk dealer but Duo was very good at it.  Lita was one of the best Preventers known and she had Wufei and Sally to thank for it.  Mina went with Quatre everywhere he went and even found an interest in all the natural resource satellite stuff.  In fact, she was interested in everything about Quatre.

However, the sailors never piloted Moon Zero nor did they know about what it could do until they stumbled upon it on accident.

"Man," Lita groaned, scrubbing the hound out of the eye of her gundam, "these things get so filthy in 6 months without being used!"

"Lita, what are you doing?" Sally asked.

"Sally!" Lita jumped down and saluted her, "Just cleaning my gundam, Major Sally!"

"You don't have to salute me all the time, Lita," Sally said.

"Ma'am, yes ma'am!" Lita said and dropped her hand.

Sally sighed and shook her head.

"Sorry, I guess I get used to that after a while."

"It's all right, Lita," Sally said. "Well, I just wanted to know who was in here.  I'll leave you to work."

"Thank you."

Sally smiled and left.

Lita went in her cockpit and began to dust, "man, it's so stuffy in here!" she complained.  "I can fix that!" she picked up a pine scented car freshener and hung it inside.  "Ah, that's better." 

After cleaning her gundam, she figured she might as well be a sport and clean the rest of them.  She started with Serena's and dusted the cockpit.  "Wow, Serena has a nicer cockpit than me."  She sat down and put a peppermint-scented freshener up on a hook.  On accident, she started the gundam.

"Oh crap!" she fumed, "Serena's gonna kill me!"  She figured that while she was in here, she might as well try to get the gundam out.  The gate opened and she got out.

"Say, this gundam is pretty cool," Lita commented.  "I wonder what this button does."  She pressed it and it changed into flying mode.  "Wow!  Why doesn't my gundam do that?"  She flew into the clouds and hoped no one saw her.

(AN: I think the ZERO system only works when the pilot is fighting but there's nothing for them to really fight so they'll see things anyway.)

She flew around for a few moments and everything was quite peaceful.  Until, she started seeing things.  "Huh?"  First she saw someone walking down the street but couldn't' tell who because the face was blanketed in a thick dark fog.  The person was all alone.  But then she saw four other bodies join the person, but still couldn't see their faces.  Their clothes changed and she was finally able to see their faces.  It was the sailor scouts.  It wasn't scary really; it seemed like she was watching a video.  But then, she heard some gunshots and one by one, the sailors fell down around her.  The only one left standing was Sailor Jupiter. 

"Where's the eject button?" Lita demanded, "I don't wanna see this!"

Five different girls, the Sailor Pilots, walked to Sailor Jupiter and Pilot Jupiter, dressed as a Preventer, aimed her gun at Sailor Jupiter and shot her.

"I shot myself?!" Lita demanded, "Okay….rewind!  That didn't just happen!"

The scene of the girls ended and became a new scene.  She saw first a dragon made out of fire alone in a forest.  Wherever the dragon walked, it left a burning trail.  Then, on the other side of the same forest, she saw another dragon, one made out of lightning.  Soon, the two dragons met.  The one of lightning tried to befriend the one of fire but it just wanted to be left alone.  But the dragon of lightning did not want to give up.  It followed the dragon wherever it went, but stayed at a safe distance.  It wasn't long until the two dragons were flying in the sky together.

Then, the scene was over and Lita was very confused.  "That was the weirdest movie I have ever seen in my life," she said plainly.  "I think the peppermint is making me hallucinate or something."  She took the gundam back to the hanger and decided just to let the others clean their own mobile suits by them selves.

Ami was the next to try it out.  She of course, didn't know about the ZERO system either and came across it on accident.  From not being able to pilot her gundam for a while, she went to the hanger where the gundams were held and sat in the cockpit of her own gundam.  But it was hard to read inside her gundam because there was no light bulb or anything.  Sighing she stepped out of her gundam and walked down.  A scent of peppermint caught her nose so she went to Serena's gundam where it was coming from.

"Why does Serena have a peppermint scented freshener in her gundam?" Ami asked aloud.  She decided to sit inside.  "Hey, her chair's quite comfy."   She looked up and saw a little switch.  She pulled it to her and a vibrant light came down.  The bulb was shaped like a gem.  "She has a light switch!"  She read for a little while but temptation got the better of her so she took the controls, started the gundam and took it for a little spin.

It wasn't long until the Zero started to show her images.  They weren't frightening or confusing, instead, quite beautiful.  She saw an angel with wings made out of ice, hair out of water and an icy blue dress with golden rings across the chest.  Then as the angel was flying, there was a loud piercing noise so the angel went to investigate.  She saw on the ground, Sailor Mercury, dead.  Standing over her body was her killer, Pilot Mercury.  Behind Pilot Mercury was another angel, but her wings looked like those of a bat and she wore a red garment with one strap and it was shredded around her knees.

"What?" Ami asked.

The ice angel up the perished Sailor Mercury in her arms and nodded to Pilot Mercury.  Pilot Mercury nodded back and started to leave, leaving her with the other angel.  The dark angel, an angel of death walked to the ice angel with open arms.  Sighing, the ice angel placed Sailor Mercury into the death angel's arms.  Suddenly, there was a deadly cold breeze and the death angel turned around.  Standing before the two angels was a figure in black cloak, holding a scythe, his head turned down.  Still carrying the perished Sailor Mercury, the death angel took the ice angel by the hand and told her to lift up the figure's cloak.  What she saw was not very comforting: a skull.

"Oh my god," Ami groaned, covering her mouth. "This is starting to get a bit creepy."

Though Ami expected the figure to slice the ice angel down with the scythe, it didn't.  Instead, it held out its bloody, bony hand to hers.  In surprise but gratitude, the ice angel looked at the death angel and smiled.  The death angel smiled back and flew away.  The angel of water and ice walked with death and slowly, veins and muscles appeared on the skeleton followed by skin and hair.  Ami couldn't see the face now but she didn't even have to guess who it was.  It was Duo.  And the ice angel was Ami.  But she still wondered who the death angel was.  Who could she be?

"That angel," Ami said with a smile, tears about to form in her eyes, "that's--that's me…I need to tell Duo about this," she said and went back to the hanger.

Ami saw Raye walking to the hanger.

"Ami, why were you piloting Serena's gundam?" Raye demanded.

"You won't believe this, Raye," Ami said, "but that gundam can show you things?"

"The same way I see things in fire?" Raye asked.

Ami nodded.

"Wow."

"Have you seen Duo?" Ami asked.

"Sorry, no," Raye shook her head.  "Isn't he supposed to work today?"

"Oh, yeah," she said, "I'll just go over there.  Bye Raye."

"Bye."  Raye looked up at Moon Zero, "you can show things, huh?  Well, let's see what you'll show me."  She got inside and took off.

If Raye had known what the Zero system was like how it would interact with her ESP, she wouldn't have gotten inside.

*************************************************************

"You're quite talented with that," Mina complimented Quatre, who was playing the violin. 

"That's what you always tell me," Quatre said, pausing from playing.

"I just love to hear you play," Mina smiled, "do you have a problem with that?"

Quatre smiled back, "no." 

"Can you show me how to play?" she inquired.

"Sure, Mina," he said.

She walked up in front of him and he placed the violin in her hand and showed her how to hold the instrument and the bow.  "Now, just slide the bow across the strings."  Quatre told her.

She made a sour crack.  "I guess I'm not very good at this."

"It comes with practice," he assured her.

"Oh, Quatre," she flattered, "I'm sure you can do everything right on the first try!  I bet you never had to practice!"  She handed the violin back to him.

He blushed, "sure I did."

"Uh-huh, whatever."

He began playing again and she watched him admiration.  Someone started clapping.

"Well done, Quatre Rabera Winner."

Quatre stopped suddenly, making a minor chord on his violin.  "Dorothy."

"Dorothy?" Mina echoed.

Dorothy Catolonia stepped forth, "I see you are doing well."

"Where've you been all this time?" Quatre asked.

"In outer space, where else?" she moved her eyes to Mina, "Hello, I'm Dorothy Catalonia."

"Mina." She answered flatly as she stepped closer to Quatre. 

"What do you want?" Quatre demanded.  He didn't expect to act like this when if he ever saw her again but somehow, seeing her almost made him sick.  He felt a fierce, sharp pain in his side.  "Did you come all this way to see me?  I'm not in the mood for another duel, Dorothy."  He placed his violin back in the case.

Dorothy laughed, "I didn't come to see you, Quatre!"

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I came to see Miss Relena," she answered.  "We were very good friends."

'The hell you were,' Quatre wanted to say, 'you betrayed her.'  Quatre sighed and said, "I haven't seen her."

"You've changed," Dorothy noted.  "What happened to the kind Quatre I used to know?"

"I'm still kind," he said.

Mina nodded, "he's as kind as they come."

"You were lying when you said I was kinder than you, you know."  Dorothy said.

'You're right about that!' Mina thought, glaring at Dorothy.

"I see you haven't changed," Quatre said, "Did you even listen to anything I said to you?"

Dorothy did not reply.  That was Quatre's answer.

He sighed in disappointment.  He had poured out his heart to her and she didn't listen to him.  "You love war more than people and all the beautiful things."

"I love war because it is beautiful!" she hissed.

"Hey!" Mina shouted.  "You know nothing about real beauty you--"

Quatre stopped her before she could finish.  "Were you grieving over Treize's death?" he asked Dorothy.

"Well, I--"

"What does Treize have to do with her?" Mina asked.

"They were cousins." He answered her and looked back at Dorothy. "I saw how upset when Kanz told you he died."  (Was it Kanz who made the report or was it another White Fang person?)

"So?"

"But were you upset because you've lost your cousin or that the war was over?" he demanded. 

"How dare you speak like that!" she roared, "Treize Khushrenada was my cousin!"

"And he was my father," said Mariemaia, standing behind Dorothy.  "How do you think I feel?"

Dorothy whipped around, "Who the hell are you?"

"I am Mariemaia Khushrenada," Mariemaia declared, stepping forward, "daughter of a father I never got to know.  Friend of a comrade I never got to thank and the cousin of a warmonger I wish I never had to meet!"

"Ouch," Mina muttered.

Dorothy let out a gasp, "why you!" she almost slapped her.

Quatre grabbed her arm, "leave her alone, she's just a kid. And she is your cousin, Dorothy.  Can't you be kind for just one minute?"

"Dammit Quatre," she snarled, "I'm not kind like you!  How many times do I have to tell you that kindness makes you weak?"

"So does arrogance," Mina muttered.

Dorothy groaned and stepped out of the room.

"Maybe I shouldn't have said that," Mariemaia whispered.

"It's okay, Mariemaia," Quatre said comfortingly.  "I know what it is like to lose somebody close to you."

"You really are the kindest one around here," Mariemaia said.  "Excuse me."  She stepped out of the room, trying to keep her tears under control.

"I guess she still misses Rini," Mina said, "and Treize.  Must be hard never being able to meet your father."

Quatre sat down on the piano bench and Mina sat next to him, "Quatre, are you all right?"

"She's still the same," Quatre said, "nothing I said to her changed.  It's like everything I told her been just a waste."

"Why did you tell her that she was kinder than you anyway?" Mina asked.  "She doesn't seem so kind to me!"

"I was trying to keep her from making a big mistake," Quatre said.  "One that I've made."

"You made a mistake?" Mina gasped sarcastically, "no!  I don't believe it."

Quatre sighed and looked down.

"Quatre, look at me," she took his face.  "You're very kind, talented, handsome and sweet.  I don't think you could ever make a mistake."

Quatre smiled slightly.

"Except for that one time you took my ribbon," she murmured, poking him in the ribs, "that was a BIG mistake, mister!"  She kissed his temple.  "I think you're the greatest, Quatre.  You're one of the rare and unique people that could do no wrong.  The world--and outer space--could use a whole lot more people like you."

"You really think that about me?" Quatre asked.

"No.  I know it!" she laughed.  "Hey, I'm going to grab a soda, would you like one?"

"No thanks."

"Okay," she squeezed his hand and kissed him again.  Before walking out the door, she stopped and waved to Quatre. 

He waved back and sighed when she disappeared from view, "Oh Mina," he whispered sadly, "You won't think I'm so great once you find out about all the horrible mistakes I've made…"

**************************************************************

Lady Une watched Mariemaia walk hastily to her room.  She closed the door but not all the way.  Curiosity and concern getting the best of her, Lady Une stepped by the door and listened.

Mariemaia was crying.

'What's bothering her?' Lady Une thought, peaking through the crack.  She saw a sobbing Mariemaia on lying on her bed.

"It's not fair," whispered Mariemaia though her tears.

Lady Une cleared her throat and knocked softly on the door, "Mariemaia, is everything all right?"

"L-Lady Une!" Mariemaia gasped, sitting up and wiping away a tear.  "Yes, of course."

"Then why were you crying?" she asked, "what happened?"

"Someone hurt my feelings," she replied.

"Who?"

"She said she was my dad's cousin."

"Dorothy Catolonia?"

"I think that's her name."

"What did she say?"

"Well," Mariemaia sighed, "it wasn't what she said, it was how she said it.  I guess you just should've been there."

"You miss your father, don't you?" Lady Une questioned.

Mariemaia nodded. "Y-yes.  I didn't even get to know him."

"I miss him too," Lady Une admitted.

"You knew him better than anyone," Mariemaia said, "could, could you tell me about him?"

Lady Une smiled and said, "I'll be glad too."

************************************************************

Raye's images began almost immediately after leaving the hanger.  First, she saw a huge field that was very still and quiet.  She saw herself as Sailor Mars walking through it and she faced Pilot Mars, whose face was covered with a dark fog.  Sailor Mars didn't leave or try to fight back when Pilot Mars raised her gun and shot Sailor Mars.  The second Sailor Mars hit the ground, she burst into flames and the fire grew out to rest of the field.

"What's going on?" Raye questioned.  "Ami didn't tell me it would show me something weird.  Who shot me?  What happened to Sailor Mars?"  She leaned forward, "who are you?"  She tried reading the imaginable flames.  Two words came out ringing clear: SILENCE AND WAR.

A flame crackled close to Pilot Mars face but she wore a half mask on the left side of her face.  It was white with a red star at the eye area and was decorated with flames.  She was dressed in a black sleeveless formfitting suit with black gloves, decorated in flames.  Slowly, Pilot Mars removed the mask and the flames reached up to her shoulders, but did not singe her at all.  There was an eerie smile on Pilot Mar's face as the screams and sounds of explosion started out soft and grew loudly.  The silent field did not sound so quiet now that war stepped onto it.

"You're me!" Raye shouted, "What do you want?  Am I going to turn into you?"

Pilot Mars nodded and shot in Raye's direction.  Raye screamed and covered herself.  Then the images stopped.  "Huh?" Raye lowered her arms.  "That was weird."  She closed her eyes for a second and she saw herself again as Pilot Mars.  There was no way that image was going to leave her mind.  Stunned and somewhat delirious, Raye went back.

**************************************************************

"Hello, Miss Relena," Dorothy said, stepping into her office.

"Who are you?" Serena demanded, immediately reaching for her gun.

"Dorothy?" Relena mumbled, "I never expected to see you again."

Dorothy frowned, "I'm not getting quite a welcome here from anybody."

Relena stood up and looked at Serena as if to say, 'don't even think about it.'

Serena folded her arms and groaned.  Already, Dorothy got on her nerves.

"Where have you been all this time?" Relena asked.

"Outer space."  She replied.  "I heard about what happened on Colony X-18999.  How are you?"

"Fine."

"Miss Relena," Dorothy said, "I'd like to work by your side again.  We were such good friends."

'If you were ever her friend you would've tried to help her when she was kidnapped,' Relena thought.

"Thank you, Dorothy," Relena said and glanced to Serena, "but I have someone to work with me.  This is Serena, my cousin."

"Hello," Serena muttered.

Dorothy nodded, "cousin, huh?"

"Yes," Serena said.  "Body guard too.  Someone has to be there in case someone drugs her tea again."

"I see," Dorothy whispered.  'I've come too late.' She thought.  'No one cares about me.'  "Well, I'm going to go now.  It was nice seeing you, Miss Relena."

"You too," Relena said.

"I'll show you to the door," Serena said and slammed the door the moment Dorothy stepped out.

Dorothy jumped, "how rude," she muttered.

"How can you stand her?" Serena demanded.  "You actually let her get close to you?"

Relena sat back down, "Yes."

"You were friends with that, that…."

Yes, I was."

"Relena, you've flipped your lid!" Serena said, "Can't you tell how 'nice' she was acting to you?  She's playing you for a fool!"

"She already did," Relena said.  "I tried convincing her that war wasn't as beautiful as she thought it was but she didn't believe me."

"Can I kill her?" Serena asked, "Please?  Please, let me kill her!"

"No!" Relena snapped, "I can handle Dorothy."

"She's so annoying!" Serena groaned.

Relena smiled, "she did tend to flatter me a bit too much.  She was only pretending to be my friend."

"I think she's up to something," Serena said, putting her hands on Relena's desk. 

"What makes you say that?" Relena asked.  "You don't know her like I do."

"Why would she come all the way here just to see you?" Serena inquired.

"You left your home and time to protect me," Relena said.

"That's different, Relena," Serena said, "I'm your cousin.  Dorothy's not related to you.  Don't you think it's odd that she came from outer space to ask to work with you again after all this time?  You said yourself you didn't' expect to see her again."  Serena made a concern face, "I don't like the sound of it.  She pretended to be your friend.  What if she was sent her by somebody?"

"Serena, the colonies and earth has finally reached peace," Relena said, "Why would they want to ruin it?"

"That's what I like to know," Serena said.  "I don't think she came her on her own free will just to socialize.  I believe someone sent her to see you."

"Why would they pick Dorothy?"

"Dorothy knew you," she replied, "You trust her and so they knew she could get close to you.  She's hiding something, Relena.  I know it!"

"Who would do this?" Relena asked with a frown, "What do I have to do to stop the war?"

"Relena, you are one person," Serena reminded, "you can't achieve peace all by yourself.  There are many people in the world that may own a gun.  What about everyone in the colonies?  After living in peace they might want another war.  It has to take everyone in the world and everyone in the colonies to achieve peace.  If there's one person out there somewhere that prefers war to peace--then the fight is not over."

"How would you know this?" Relena questioned.

"Relena, I am a sailor scout, well, I was," Serena replied.  "I have fought many, many battles.  They were a lot different form the ones you've seen.  I fought the Negaverse, the Dark Moon, the heart snatchers…they all wanted something from us.  I didn't fight people, Relena.  I fought evil.  Evil still exists and it's hiding out there somewhere."

"The enemies you fought sound worse than what the gundams fought," Relena admitted.

"They were," Serena said.  "You can reason with people, Serena.  When you talk, chances are they'll listen.  But evil won't.  It takes a lot to stop evil.  If talking had stopped the evil, we would've done it.  But when talking didn't work, we had no choice but to fight.  As sailor soldiers, it was our job.  And even today, will still carry on that responsibility as gundam pilots.  We will continue to fight for love and justice, no matter what gets in our way."

"Now you're the brave and strong one, Serena," Relena said.  "I could never do that."

"I didn't think I could either," Serena said, "but somehow, I did.  I'm going to the work out room, care to join me?"

"Well, I have a lot of work to do," Relena said.

"Come on, Relena," Serena said, "a couple of sit-ups wouldn't hurt you."

"Hey!" she hissed.

Serena laughed and grabbed her arm; "You'll feel much better after a work out.  Besides, I need someone to hold down my feet."

**************************************************************

Raye stumbled out of Moon Zero and walked down the hall like she wasn't really walking.  She was out of it.

"Raye, are you okay?" Mina asked.  "You look like you've seen a ghost!"

"Fire, everywhere," Raye mumbled, "I shot Sailor Mars but it wasn't really me, I…creepy, scary.  Ami said that Serena's gundam showed you things, but…"

Mina raised her eyebrow, "what?  Serena's gundam can show you stuff?"

"Don't go in there, Mina!" Raye shouted, taking her by the arms, "That thing is EVIL!"

"Um, Raye, I think you'd better go take a nap."

"Yes, sleep," Raye trekked on, "sleep."

"You've been in the circus way too long," Mina said after to her. "Oh, if you see Dorothy, don't piss her off!"  Mina thought about Raye said.   'Is it true?  Can the gundam actually show you stuff?'

Mina turned around and started walking to find Serena.  "Well, I should be nice and ask her permission."  She found Serena doing sit ups in the work out room.  Relena held down her feet

"Twenty-one, twenty-two," Relena counted for Serena.

"Hey. Serena, my gundam is being repaired," Mina lied, "can I use yours?"

"Sure," Serena said, not really thinking.

"Thanks, Serena."  Mina grinned and walked back to the hanger.

"Why would they be repairing the gundams if we don't even need them right now?" Relena asked.

"What?" Serena demanded in mid sit up.  "Mina, wait!" she jumped up and starting running after her, "you can't use my gundam!"

"Wait for me, Serena!" Relena cried.

When she reached the hanger, Mina started to get in Moon Zero.  "You can't!"

"Hey, they're not repairing any of the gundams today," Relena noted.

"Don't worry, Serena," Mina said, sitting in the chair, "I'll take good care of your baby!"

"That's not what I'm worried about!" Serena shouted, "My gundam has the Zero system!  It's not safe!"

The midsection closed and Mina left the hanger.

"Zero system?" Relena whispered, "Heero's gundam has the same thing."

Serena grabbed her hand, "come on, we have to let Quatre know about this.  Where is he?"

"I think he's in the piano room," Relena answered.

"Oh, of course!  Duh!" Serena groaned and made haste to the piano room.

"Not so fast, Serena!" Relena shouted, panting.

"I told you needed to work out more!"

Quatre could hear hurried footsteps coming his way.  A panting Serena and Relena came in.

"Hello, Miss Serena, Miss Relena," Quatre said.  "Can I help you?"

"Quatre--," Serena gasped.  "Mina's--"

"What?"

"Well, what Serena's trying to say is--," Relena wheezed.

"Um, would you like some tea?" Quatre offered.

Serena picked up the teacup and poured the hot scalding and funny tasting liquid down her throat.  "Gnaa!" she groaned at its taste.  She grabbed Quatre's vest, "Mina has confiscated my gundam!"

"Are we at war again?" Quatre asked.

"No, she just took it!" she yelled, "My gundam has the ZERO system!"

"The ZERO system?" he demanded, "No, no! NOT THE ZERO!!!!!"

**************************************************************

"Hey, I'm not seeing anything yet," Mina said, disappointed, "You really have spent too much time in the circus, Raye!"

Then Mina saw a face.  It was Sailor V.  There was a sound of a gunshot, and then Sailor Venus appeared.  Another gunshot and Sailor Venus was gone.

"What the?" Mina questioned, "Sailor V and Sailor Venus."

Mina saw a really pretty place where people were happy in love.  One of those couples was herself and Quatre. 

"Awwww," she moaned.

The beautiful images ended badly.  The people started to act hatefully to one another and the flowers began to wilt.  There were noises of energy beams and explosions.  The beautiful place started to look very ugly.  However, through it all, Quatre and Mina stayed close and they were the only remaining couple that acted kindly to one another.  The people started to run after them and she recognized someone in the crowd.  Dorothy Catolonia.  They all looked so angry.  Quatre and Mina ran for it and hid in an alley, where someone hid in the darkness.  The angry people found them in the alley and the stranger stepped forward.  It was Pilot Venus but she couldn't see her face.  Pilot Venus wore a black and orange suit and was armed with a pistol.  She raised her gun and fired and Mina saw a glimpse of her face.  The image ended.

"What?" Mina shouted, "That didn't make any sense!  Why did I even think of piloting this thing?  What a waste of time!"  Mina went back to the hanger.  "Stupid gundam…"

"Mina!" Serena shouted, "You're back!"

The door opened and Mina remained sitting in the chair.  "Serena?"

"Yeah?" Serena peaked in.

Serena leaned forward and grabbed her shirt, "why didn't you stop me?  Why did you let me pilot this thing?  Why the heck are you piloting it?  Don't you know it's cursed?  It's cursed more than I am!"

"Cursed?" Quatre mumbled.

"Hey, leggo!" Serena growled and stepped back, "what do you think I was trying to do anyway?"

Mina got out of the gundam, "your gundam is cursed!"

"No, it's programmed with the Zero system," Serena said.

"Well, you can keep it!" Raye growled.

"Oh no, not you too!" Serena groaned.

"Raye told me it could show you things," Mina said.

"The Zero system is dangerous," Quatre said.

"What I saw scared the hell out of me!" Raye shouted.

Trowa looked at Raye and tilted his head back in a throaty laugh.

"It's not funny, Trowa!" Raye hissed.  "It really did scare me.  If you were in there, you would've been scared too!"

Trowa folded his arms, "I know what the Zero system is," he said.

"You piloted a gundam like that?"

"Yes," he said.  "Heero's gundam has it."

"Why does your gundam have something like that?" Raye asked.

"I didn't know about the zero system," Heero replied. 

"You were the first one to pilot it, right?" Serena asked.

"No."

"You weren't the first person to pilot your own gundam?" Lita questioned, "then who?"

"Was it one of you guys?" Mina added.

"Yeah," Quatre said sadly, "I was."

Mina turned to Quatre, "You were?"

He nodded, "I'm sorry, Mina.  I guess I'm not as great as you thought I was."

"I don't believe it!" she shouted, "no, it can't be!  Tell me it's not true, Quatre!" she grabbed his arms.

"It's true," he mumbled, "Mina, I'm so sorry."

"You're sorry?"

"I know an apology isn't going to change anything," he said, "but I am so, so sorry."

Mina sighed, "I don't understand."

"I didn't expect you to."

Mina ran a hand through her hair and bit her lip.  She wasn't sure what to say to Quatre now.

"I wonder why Serena's gundam smelt like peppermint," Raye said, changing the subject.

"Peppermint?" Serena mumbled.

Lita whistled and glanced around the room, leaning back and forth on her heels with her hands behind her back.  Wufei watched with 'what have you gotten yourself into?' look on his face.

"Lita, what did you do?" Serena demanded.

"I was only trying to be helpful," Lita said.  "I put a air freshener inside your gundam."

"Why?"

"Because it gets so stuffy in there!" Lita muttered. 

"Oh, that's very considerate of you, Lita," Wufei commented, "Could you put a wildflower scented one in mine too?"

"Sure."  She said automatically and cracked, "what? Wildflowers?  Wildflowers?"

"I just…like the smell of wildflowers."

"Did you pilot my gundam too?" Serena questioned.

Lita sighed, "It was an accident.  I must've started your gundam somehow."

"You saw what the Zero system is like?" Wufei asked.

Lita nodded, "at first I thought the air freshener was making me hallucinate."

Wufei fought back his laughter.

"I wonder if Ami did too," Mina said.

"She did," Raye said, "she used it before I did."

"I'm putting a lock on my gundam for now on!" Serena declared.

"Hey, where is Ami anyway?" Lita questioned.

Ami walked in.

"That answers my question," Lita said.

"I think it's a good thing we've all piloted Moon Zero," Ami said.

"Why?" Raye asked, "don't you know how dangerous the zero system is?"

"Yes," Ami said.  "And it can also help you."

"What do you mean?" Serena asked, "hey, are you okay?"

"No, I'm not," Ami said, reaching into her pocket and dropping on a table with a bunch of tools, a cross necklace with a broken chain.  She looked at it for a while and stated, her voice soft with worry, "Duo is missing."

Nice start, huh?  To prepare you, this may not be as long as the other one.  So, I hope you still like it anyway. 

Next Chapter:  Friends and Foes