Canta Per Me

Canta Per Me

Episode Eighteen: The Oath of Noir

Disclaimer:  ClareBear owns story.  Gundam Wing and Noir are own by some other people.  Got it?

Author's Note: Like any anime series, I hope that this story is getting intense.  I take pride in knowing that none of you can guess what's going to happen next.  Relena fails the test that the Society of Night gave her.  Can anyone guess what thing will be taken from Relena?  Who is Kurai really?  Who's Athena Angeleno?  Relena's pain is only going to be increasing as the story comes towards the end.  I'll be using actually quotes from the anime, Noir, but I'll be changing things around.  The quotes were translated from the original Japanese by the subbing group, Soldats.  ^_^  About the little history lessons, sorry about the little inaccuracies. No time to double check things, and remember alternative universe.  I also wanted to show how powerful and influential the Society of Night is.  Just go with the flow.  Come on now, who doesn't like a good conspiracy theory like thinking the world is ran by a powerful society out to control everyone? 

*          *          *          *          *          *

"NOIR.

The word designates the name of destiny from a distant time.

The two Virgo reign over death.

May the Black hands over the green field…

Please protect the newly born peace."

- opening from the anime, Noir

Location Unknown

            Kurai stood on the hill waiting for the sunrise that morning.  Just three days ago, Relena failed to kill her brother, and Kurai was ordered to meet with her again.  She looked around her and noticed that there were roses.  Beautiful roses with voluptuous buds that opened wide for the sun and the dew.  Roses were beautiful flowers that smelled wonderful, and they were the oldest known flowers in the world. However, the best smelling roses had the sharpest thorns on them. 

            Kurai began to whisper something that she had been taught many times, many years ago:

"Sinners never regather after death.

While the sin itself never fades away.

Love too, shall never disappear.

The recluse have once again given in.

Society's blood is absorbed by the wilderness, and flows into the body.

Both hands of the Society are…"

            She stopped suddenly because it was time to get to work.

*          *          *

Paris, France

            Relena walked purposely from the taxi cab that had dropped her off that morning.  She was summoned by her brother to come to the Preventers' Headquarters in Paris.  She had managed to avoid them for three days, but her brother insisted that she come to the offices anyway.  Relena knew that they were going to discuss what had transpired three days ago when Millardo was targeted for assassination by Noir, but the contract wasn't carried out.  Rather, Relena cancelled it out by killing Quinze.  To top it off, Relena's anger hadn't lessened in the past three days.  As a matter of fact, when the pressure of having to kill her brother was relieved any sadness she had felt was replaced with more anger.

            The man at the front, the one who she had charmed earlier, showed her to the board room that they were using for this lovely occasion.  The man quickly left as if he could feel the cold anger permeating from Relena.  She looked at the room everyone was there: Millardo, Heero, Duo, Trowa, Quatre, Wufei, Noin, Sally, Dorothy, and Lady Une.  Her jaw clutched.  She wasn't the slightest bit afraid of any of them.  She was Noir, if she wanted to kill them, she could have done it in a matter of five minutes.  Relena laughed out loud in her head, 'It's like some thing out of Julius Cesar.  Everyone here waiting for me like the Senate.  Ready to stab me in the back,' she mused.

            "I'm very busy.  I hope that I wasn't called here just to stare at all of you.  Also, how the tax payers like to know that this is how the most expensive war preventing organization uses its time?" said Relena with a slight smirk on her face and her hands on her hips.

            "Miss Relena, you were the one who informed us about Noir's plans to assassinate your brother.  It's been bothering us that you would know about something like that," started Lady Une.  Relena was expressionless to the point that no one could tell what she was thinking, not even Heero.  She knew that the press hadn't gotten a hold of the news about Quinze yet, so she had to be careful about how she answered their questions.  It was difficult with so many eyes on her.

            "Well, I thought it was pretty strange that there would be a contract out on a dead man.  So, I came here to confirm it.  Little did I know that that he was alive," said Relena as she focused in on Lady Une.  It was easier to lie to Lady Une because she couldn't read Relena as well as Heero or Millardo could.  She was talking about Millardo like he wasn't even in the room, which only made her brother get agitated. 

            "Relena, could you explain yourself?" said Zechs in a cold, steely voice that matched his eyes, unable to keep his temper down any longer.  He had almost unlimited amount of patience for Relena, but this was getting ridiculous.  Relena finally turned her attention to him and narrowed her dark blue eyes.  They stared each other down, neither refusing to back down.  Zechs' jaw clutched, and he turned his head away shaking off her gaze.  Relena suppressed a smile because she had won that small battle of wills.  Everyone else didn't say anything because they didn't want to.

            "I don't have to explain anything to any of you.  In fact, I broke the rules of privacy laws in my work to give you the information.  Besides, you're still alive Millardo, isn't that good enough?" asked Relena.

            "That still doesn't explain how you knew about Noir's plans.  And how it was possible for you to have an employer that has connections to Noir.  Do you have any idea how Noir gets hired for contracts?" asked Heero.

            "I don't know any of the answers to those questions," answered Relena in a whisper.  She was the only one not sitting in the room, and everyone's eyes bored into her.  As far as they could see, she really didn't know anything.  She looked too innocent to know anything further, and they realized that her backbone was made of something tougher than before.  It was as if her backbone was made of Gundanium.  "Now, if you excuse me.  I have work to do," said Relena as she turned to leave. 

            Quatre decided to speak up, "Relena…about your job.  It's not safe.  You aren't properly screening people.  You don't know the people who you're working for.  If you really want to work as a business analyst, you can work for my companies.  I won't even ask for a resume.  You'll probably have an easier job.  And you'd be with people you can trust."

            A soft laugh escaped Relena's lips as she turned around slowly, "Trust?  You say the word as if it matters.  I don't trust any of you.  Some of you have been lying to my for weeks and some for years.  I can't trust any of you to tell me the truth, so I can't trust you to protect me.  I am a grown woman.  I don't need any of you.  I wish I could tell you to stay out of my business, but that's not possible," said Relena with a bitter sarcastic edge on her voice that none of them ever heard before.  She left the Preventers' Headquarters, leaving them to over come their shock.  'The reason why is because I know that they won't stay out of my business.  They're after Noir.  I am Noir,' she thought as she caught a cab back to the flat.

            The Preventers looked at each other for a moment.  Quatre's feeling were hurt because of Relena's reaction to his offer.  She was still angry at them.  "I knew that she would still be mad, but I wasn't expecting that," said Quatre.

            "She's a Peacecraft.  Their tempers can hold for awhile," said Noin knowingly.  Zechs shot her a look.  He knew that Relena was as stubborn as he was, but Zechs knew that she was hiding something from him.

            "She didn't answer any of our questions," said Duo, he had to recover from the shock of seeing Relena like that.  She was so mad, but the anger he saw was so cold; it sent chills down his spine. 

            "That Onna knows something.  I can feel it," said Wufei.

            "I don't think that any of us would disagree with you, Wufei," agreed Trowa quietly. 

            "She's not going to help us.  She's too angry to.  However, she knows more than what she's saying," said Heero.  He never met such hostility from her before.  Her behavior was defensive, and her anger was a cold rage that most people wouldn't be able to see.  Heero also sensed a great amount of pain in her as well.  He wondered what happened to Relena that made her into someone like him.  A cold individual.  Just like him…but the way she was bothered him. 

*          *          *

            Relena returned to the flat to find Meia reading another book.  She was reading A Long Fatal Love Chase by Lousia May Alcott, and she looked up at Relena without any expression.  Was it possible that Heero had more expressions than her?  Relena hung up her coat and walked over to her laptop and turned it on to check if there were any new contracts.  Things were kind of quiet for the past three days.  There were no contracts.  Not even small ones, which were always a dime a dozen.  There was nothing.  Relena didn't like the silence.  It was not only giving her time to think; it was also making her think about what the Society was planning to do her.  She didn't like the idea of them planning things against her.  She knew that she canceled out the contract, but she didn't honor it.  She had taken out one of the members of the Society, and she was now awaiting judgment and punishment.

            "It's not a contract it's message," said Relena when she opened her e-mail, "'Come to the old battle grounds where the old ideas of Europe had its final stand.  Come to Ireland.  The Ruins,'" she continued.  There was a part of Ireland that was in the middle of no where in the Emerald Isle.  It was the part where great battles had taken place.  It was called simply "The Ruins," and a great hall of learning was built there, but many years back it was burned down during the war.  Relena's uncle told her about the "The Ruins."  The Society of Night also prided themselves in being keepers of knowledge.  They horded knowledge because they knew that knowledge was power, and that kind of power is what empires are built upon.  At one point, the British Empire was spread across the globe.  This all was made possible with the backing of the Society of Night.  However, the Society of Night also caused the Empire to topple. 

The Society of Night was responsible for empires rising and falling.  They were the ones who played with the world as if it were their massive game. When it was discovered that colonies could be made in the spaces, a new rift was made.  It wasn't the rift between countries or races anymore.  It was the rift between Colonies and Earth became the next set of wars that began more than six years ago because of the hostilities between them.  The Society of Night supported the Colonies because they thought that if humankind had the chance to expand past Earth, then everyone would be happy.  However, that didn't happened, Earth wanted to control the Colonies, and the Colonies wanted independence.  The pacifist, Heero Yuy, talked about peace, but he also arose dissents among the Colonies and Earth.  He wanted the Colonies to have its independence through non-violence and absolute pacifism.  The Society of Night had him silenced by the assassin known as Odin Lowe because new Noir hadn't even been born yet. 

            "We'll have to go to Ireland," said Relena in a soft whisper.  She looked at Meia who looked up at her and nodded.  She stood up and went to go get the guns and get started with the rest of the packing.  It wouldn't take long for them to get there. 

            "What do you think they're thinking right now?" asked Meia. 

            "I don't know.  I don't know what either group is thinking right now," said Relena.  She was talking about both the Preventers and the Society.  She wasn't afraid of the Preventers, but she was afraid of the Society.  If knowledge was truly the path to power, then the Society of Night was the most powerful group in the world.

*          *          *

            "Relena's not in her flat.  I'm not getting any answers," said Duo. 

            "I think it's time we do a search of Relena's flat," said Heero.  He failed to mention that he had done so before on purpose.  He knew that Zechs wouldn't be happy to hear about it, but he found that no one had objected to Heero's suggestion.

            "That's probably a good idea.  She may have something there that could be evidence of who she's working for," said Zechs. 

            "I'll help you," volunteered Noin.

            "I don't think that too many of us should be there because she's bound to suspect that someone's been there," said Zechs.  So, it was implied that only Zechs and Noin would search Relena's flat for clues.

*          *          *

Ireland

            "The Ruins" were out in the middle of no where.  Relena and Meia weren't planning on staying for too long in Ireland anyway, but still they had packed overnight bags, and had every intention of arriving back to Paris by the next day.  Relena had reserved a room at a little inn just a few miles from "The Ruins."  She knew that whatever was going to happen, it involved meeting with gunmen who were probably under orders by the Society to shoot first and ask questions later.  Meia remained quiet as usual.  'She really is like Heero, and to top it off, I feel safer around her.  Just like Heero,' thought Relena. 

            "We'll be arriving there soon," said Relena as she put down her overnight bag.  The innkeeper had given them a strange look when Relena said that they would probably be checking out before the day was over.  Relena rented a small jeep to get them through the rough terrain and to "The Ruins."  The part that they were on was green, but rocky.  It could be classified as moors.  Relena stopped the jeep when they arrived to "The Ruins."  It looked like a building that wasn't too old that had been burned down during the wars.  They immediately drew their weapons because they saw someone approaching them.   

*          *          *

Paris, France

            Zechs and Noin searched through Relena's flat very carefully.  It was obvious that Relena wasn't living alone, and that there was another person with her.  They noticed that the person who was living with Relena was smaller than her and female.  "Probably, her assistant, Meia Krane.  She's only fourteen years old, and Heero hasn't found really anything bad about her.  She's a very strange child from what I've heard about her from the others," said Noin.

            "I didn't know how she really lived.  It seems like a nice place," said Zechs as he looked around.  He saw the pool table in the room.  He walked over to it and saw that there were cues in a stand in the corner.  "I didn't know she played pool.  Just like our Uncle Gustave," he said.  They looked around the flat and found something very interesting about it.  There wasn't a lot of things there.

            "I don't get it.  There are no filing cabinets or places for paperwork," said Noin with a frown.

            "There really isn't much here to show that there's any business.  Relena must take everything with her when she leaves for a negotiation," noted Zechs.  He should have felt guilty about rummaging through Relena's stuff, but he didn't. 

            "Hmm…it's so empty.  There are no pictures of family or anything like that.  The pool table and house plants makes it look like a home, but it's so sterile," said Noin.  Zechs had baby pictures of himself and Relena in his flat, along with some photographs of their parents.  When he came to his uncle's house, he took the picture that Gustave had on his desk.  It was a precious picture of Relena at the age of six and Gustave in the pond that Relena used to play in.  Relena really didn't make any arrangements for Gustave's things or his money.  Relena had inherited his estate, but she had refused to take charge of the estate for the time being.  Noin had to admit, even if it wasn't for her love of Zechs, she would classify him as the warmer of the two remaining Peacecrafts.  She used to think that Relena was the warmer one, but she was now even colder than Heero Yuy.  Everyone wondered when and how the change in Relena happened.  There was nothing they could find in Relena's flat, so they made use everything was the way it was before they left.

*          *          *

Ireland

            Kurai was dressed in black shorts, a black long sleeved shirt, and knee high, heavy boots, but she moved silently with them.  Her hair was up in an elegant bun using the steel chopsticks that doubled as knives.  However, she had her arsenal of throwing daggers on her.  She stopped because she had seen that Relena and Meia already had their guns drawn at her.  She smiled a serene smile at them. 

            "What are you doing here?" demanded Relena.

            "I'm here to meet with you again, Lena," answered Kurai.  She looked at the child who was next to Relena and gave her a smile, but Meia wasn't effected at all by the smile.  She kept her gun on her and so did Relena.

            "What the Hell is going on?" Relena commanded an answer from Kurai. 

            "You are here because you are the True Noir," said Kurai enigmatically. 

            "What about being the True Noir?" asked Relena, now she was really confused.  However, Kurai couldn't answer the question because the volley of the gunfire that came at them.  All three of them dove to different directions and prepared to return fire.  While Relena was doing so, she shot a look of suspicion at Kurai.  Who looked back at her and shook her head; this wasn't her idea at all, and she wasn't expecting this either.  The gunshots continued as they made a run for "The Ruins."  Relena and Meia caught up with each other, while Kurai leaped to one of the old support beams.  Two men came underneath the support beam, and she came down upon them with throwing daggers, driving them into the backs of the men. 

            Relena heard something coming from the other side of the walls of the room that only had three walls around, making cover for Meia and her.  She looked at the wall, so she could heard where the noise was coming from and tried to pin point the sound.  The walls were weak and thin because of the weather and time that had passed through the area.  She shot at the wall, and kept shooting until she heard the sounds of anguish and death on the other side.  Meia ran out the protective covering, and Relena didn't stop her.  She let her go.

            Meia flipped back and landed where three men were and shot all of them.  Another man came at her, and she did a roundhouse kick and shot him.  Kurai threw her dagger, killing another three.  'What the Hell is going on around here?  Who are all these people?  Are they from the Society?' thought Relena as she shot another man.  Relena fired again and she kicked another man while finishing him off with a bullet from her .35 automatic.

            There were so many shots fired.  Relena saw more men on the another side without saying a word to Meia about it, she took off after the men.  Kurai killed another man with the flick of her wrist.  She saw Relena run off and smiled.  They were going to have their formal introduction after all, so she went off to follow Relena.  Meia was busy with at least half a dozen men, but she took care of them in a matter of minutes.  When she turned around, there were bodies laying all over the ground.  She noticed that both Relena and Kurai were gone.  "Lena?" she said in a soft voice like a child lost in the middle of nowhere.

*          *          *

Paris, France

            Noin and Zechs returned to the Headquarters in Paris, and they reported that they couldn't find anything.  What made things more suspicious was Relena not having much of anything. Nothing to really indicate to workings of a business analyst who worked strictly freelance at her home.  "Where did she go?" asked Quatre.

            "That's what we're trying to figure out," said Wufei, "Once again, she's left without saying where she was going without much thought about the danger she could put herself in.  She truly is reckless."  Zechs shot him a look, but said nothing.  Wufei was right about her being reckless. 

            "So, Meia Krane is living with her," said Duo.  He still couldn't shake the strange feeling that he got from her.  'That kid is so weird…but where have I seen a kid like her before?' he thought as he looked around him.  His eyes settle on Heero who hadn't said a word ever since Noin and Zechs came back.  He looked as if he was in deep thought.  His eyes were emotionless, and there was no expression on his face.  He looked like a robot.  Or a doll.  Duo blinked and shook any strange thoughts he was having, but he felt a chill go down his spine.  He didn't want to think that there was another person like Heero was walking around.  There was so much damage done to Heero, and there were the lingering long term effects of what Odin Lowe and Dr. J had done to him.  Duo didn't want to think that someone else had the same damage done to them as well.  Or rather her.

            "We need to know where she is," agreed Trowa.  Everyone knew that she was upset at them, but they didn't abandon one of their one, and as far as they were concerned, Relena was still a member of their group.

*          *          *

Ireland

            "The Ruins" were red with the blood of over a dozen men.  The sky above was gray and threatened to bless the red stained ground with rain.  Relena didn't seem to care.  She saw the men, they turned around, and started their assault on her.  She kicked the first one and fire her gun killing one of the others.  Much to her surprise, Kurai came to her aid.  Kurai watched her back and killed two men by throwing her daggers.  They fought together as the men continued to attack them.

            Meia ran until she caught up to them because she could hear them.  When she arrived, she saw the two of them fighting.  They looked as different as night and day.  Kurai with her jet black hair and dark colored, almond shaped eyes.  While Relena had blonde hair and dark blue eyes that were wider.  They moved almost in sync.  They were the same height and their movements were fluid.  Relena's skills now matched Meia's, but it was only when she was with Kurai.  They moved almost as if they were doing dance movements.  All the movements were flawless, and there was no hesitation on Relena's part, and if there was Kurai would have covered her.  They watched each others backs when the other one ducked, the other would attack.

            Relena ducked and fired her gun, while Kurai was over her, and threw one of her daggers.  Meia looked at them with a surprised expression on her face.  Her eyes were widened slightly as she lowered her gun.  They were working perfectly together as if their hearts, souls, minds, and bodies were working as one.  Meia realized this right way, but she was wondering how was this at all possible.  Finally, the last man was dead, and Relena had her gun drawn at Kurai.  Kurai smiled and lowered her arms.  The wide tipped dagger that she used for close range killings was tucked into her sleeve into its sheath with a flick of her wrist.  Relena kept her gun on Kurai.  Meia kept her gun lowered. 

            "Who are you really Kurai?" hissed Relena in a soft whisper as she kept her gun on her. 

            "I'm the other half of yourself.  Your reflection.  I am Noir.  We are Noir," answered Kurai in clear voice.  Relena's eyes widened, but she didn't lower her gun.  Meia betrayed the look of surprise on her face as well. 

            "You said that I was the True Noir," said Relena, not sounding quite like herself.

            "Together we are the True Noir.  We have been designated from birth to be the swords of the Society of Night," said Kurai.  Relena took an involuntary step back from her.  Her eyes narrowed as her hand with the gun trembled slightly.

            "Why are you here?  Are you here because of what happened three days ago?" asked Relena.

            "No.  Not right now.  I've come to inform you that you are to come back home.  You can't continue this endeavor of yours any longer.  The Society won't allow for this any longer," said Kurai as if she delivering a message. 

            "What if I refuse?" challenged Relena.

            Kurai maintained her composure because she expected Relena's outright defiance.  "You will come back with us eventually.  Because you know that you belong with the Society.  You and I are special.  It would just be easier if you complied now.  We can't force you to do anything.  You wouldn't be Noir otherwise," she replied in a casual tone.

            Relena stared at her wondering what she was really talking about.  She knew that she had defied the orders of the Society of Night, but she had yet to see some form of punishment.  She couldn't believe that Kurai was the other designated half of Noir.  She had been born into the Society just like Relena.  Kurai suddenly lifted her right hand, startling Relena.  She raised her gun back up at her.  Kurai had her hand over her heart and her index and middle fingers were pointed out, while the others remained tucked into her hand.  In a clear voice she began to recite from memory:

"Noir.

The word designates the name of destiny from a distant time.

The two Virgo reign over death.

May the Black hands over the green field…

Please protect the newly born peace."

            Relena lowered her gun to her left side with her left hand.  Something inside her snapped.  She looked at Kurai blankly as if something had come over her.  Meia watched Relena cautiously, and she knew that something caused Relena's eyes to droop as if she were underneath a spell.  Kurai started to say the oath of Noir again.  Relena lifted her right hand slowly and placed it over her heart the same way that Kurai had done before.  On the second time through the oath, Relena joined Kurai half way.  Both of them closed their eyes and said the oath as if they were chanting a spell.

"Noir.

The word designates the name of destiny from a distant time.

The two Virgo reign over death.

May the Black hands over the green field…

Please protect the newly born peace."

            Meia stepped back away again even though she was far enough away.  "Lena…Lena!" she said in a loud voice.  Relena's eyes open again as she looked down to see what she was really doing.  She turned her head slightly to see that Meia actually had a frightened look on her face.  "You were…" trailed off Meia as she shook her head.  Relena was breathing deeply as if she were in pain. Kurai stepped forward towards Relena and cupped her chin with her index finger.  She whispered into her ear, "You can't fight what you are.  It's all your destiny.  Just come home.  You've already done enough here."

            "Stop," pleaded Relena in a whisper as she let her gun slide out of her hand letting it fall to the ground.

            "You know that you belong to the Society.  The Society isn't your enemy.  The Society was the one who built your family, just like mine.  The Society is your family.  That is where you belong," continued Kurai, ignoring Relena's pleas to stop.

            "STOP IT!" shouted Relena in a semi-hysterical voice as she pushed Kurai away from her.  She clutched her hands on her ears.  "Stop it," she repeated.  Kurai wasn't shaken by the explosion of emotion from her.  She merely smiled and stepped away from her.  Meia looked at Kurai without rising her gun.  She walked away from "The Ruins."  Relena sank to her knees as she shook her head in denial. 

*          *          *

Paris, France

            Relena and Meia came right back to the Paris after the fiasco at "The Ruins."  Relena didn't really want to stay in Ireland, and Meia didn't really care if Relena wanted to go back to Paris.  Relena refused to say anything the entire way back to Paris.  Meia wanted to say something to comfort her and make her feel better, but she simply didn't know how.  They came back to Paris, dropped off their things, and went out to eat.  The entire time Heero and Trowa had Relena under surveillance.  Heero noticed that Relena looked different than she did in the morning; it was very clear that the fight she had earlier was taken out of her.  She moved slowly with Meia.  Meia remained emotionless for the most part except for some strange, concerned looks she gave Relena.

            Trowa and Heero followed them when they walked through the streets.  They stopped at a fountain that was lit with flood lights.  It was so beautiful.  Paris at night was always so beautiful, but for those who lived in Paris, they didn't really stopped to notice it.  Relena looked at the fountain as the water rushed through beautiful cravings.  Heero and Trowa kept their distance, but Relena and Meia knew that they were being watched.  Meia looked at Relena worriedly. 

            "Stop that," said Relena in a soft whisper to Meia.  Meia just stared at her even more, but didn't say a word.  "Stop looking at me like that.  I can't stand it.  Please stop," she said in a soft whisper as she turned her head away from her.  Her hair was actually down and the soft tresses obscured her face from Meia.  She couldn't stand the way Meia was looking at her.  Had it been anyone else, Relena could bear it, but not from Meia.  She was supposed to show Meia the way and hopefully make her human.  Relena was failing miserably.  Meia lifted her hand to place it on Relena's shoulder, but she stopped and pulled her hand back down.  She just didn't know what to do, so she just looked away from her as she asked her to. 

            Heero could sense the tension in the air.  He looked at Trowa who nodded in agreement.  They left the pair by the fountain because the best thing they could do.  'I'll find out what's going on between those two.  Who is Meia?  Why do I feel like I know her?' thought Heero as they returned to the car to go back to the Preventers Office.

Next Episode, Episode Nineteen: Relena's Punishment (Part One)…