Canta Per Me
Episode Twenty-Three: Return to Society
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing and Noir. You should know that by now. ClareBear makes no money off of this…
Author's Note: Ah, the last four episodes of Canta Per Me. Who knew that all of this would lead to the end? Remember, this will end at twenty-six episodes like a real anime. Yes, the good guys, i.e., the Preventers, are very confused. They thought that Relena was Noir, but Kurai says she Noir. Yes, it's big mess for the Preventers. Relena is also confused because of Kurai's actions. Who is the leader of the Society of Night? For anyone who wants to be alerted when the new chapters come up and when the new fic starts, just e-mail me through my address, clarebear24@yahoo.com, or leave a review with your e-mail address. I know that most people aren't paying for support services at www.fanfiction.net. There have already been people asking, so this will just make things easier for you guys to keep up. On an interesting note, Noir, the anime, will be finishing up in Japan this month as well. ^_^ Also, for a preview of things to come to the next fic visit my forum and read the things in the Den (bears have dens, don't ya know?): http://network54.com/Hide/Forum/154181.
* * * * * *
"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.
Moscow, Russia
The Preventers were having a hard time figuring out what happened. It seemed that the security cameras were either shot or had daggers in them, so there was no footage of what happened. Relena was gone from the hospital and so was an ambulance.
"The person who came into the room said that she was Noir," said Zechs as he shook his head. He had been out for about two hours from the stuff that Kurai had injected into his body.
"What? I thought that Relena was Noir," said Wufei. He had to admire some of the things that Noir was capable of. Noir was truly a worthy adversary.
"We couldn't locate Meia Krane, but we did find out that Relena was staying at a hotel in Moscow under the alias, Lena Marquise. Talk about hiding in plain sight," said Noin.
"That's the name that was registered. We're not sure, but whomever was staying under that name checked out just about an hour before Relena was taken from the hospital," reported Trowa.
"Just think. The best assassins in the world are women. Do you have any opinions about that, Wufei?" said Sally with an eyebrow raised.
"Hmph," was all the comment that Wufei was willing to make. Heero heard all this and decided to use his laptop to verify some things that were bothering him. He started to do a search on Lena Marquise on the Net to see if anything he thought of before would match. Almost immediately, results came up with information, and lots of it.
"Yes, there's trail underneath that name. The information about where Relena's been during all this time is wrapped in plane tickets and passport information. She left the same day that I arrived at St. Tropes, and she was registered as Lena Marquise in Spain. She was also in the Middle East when that band of rebels were taken down. Everything fits, but it still doesn't make sense," said Heero.
"How far do the records go back?" asked Zechs in a hollow voice.
Heero didn't answer, but he kept working at the computer. For the next hour or so, there was no other sound except for the sound of Heero tapping the keys on his laptop looking for the answer to that question. Finally, he answered, "As far as I can tell, three years. Almost four." He couldn't believe it. How could he not have seen it happen? Suddenly, all the excuses she had made sense. However, the answers were only bring about more questions.
"Three years?" said Zechs in a surprised voice. How could Relena been doing things as terrible as this for so long? At first, he was in a state of total denial, but now he was in a state of shock. His heart was filled with both disappointment and sadness. His disappointment came from the fact that he had so much hope for Relena. His sadness from the feeling that his sister was a lifeless, empty shell. However, there was still the question of who really killed Gustave and Mrs. Darlian. Zechs just couldn't understand it. Also, there was someone else who said that she was Noir, but Relena never said she was. If she was, then she was contracted to kill him just recently. Nothing in his mind made any sense. All he could think of was pulling her back from whatever abyss she had fallen into. Heero was thinking of almost the same thing; Relena talked about a darkness that threatened to consume her. Could Heero save her from it? Or could she still save herself? They didn't understand what was happening. Relena was on her own. There was nothing else anyone could say. All they could do was get back to work and try to find Relena.
* * *
Relena had no idea what Kurai had planned for them, but she disappeared again. Her concerns were not about Kurai, but of the one she called Athena. She could feel something bad was brewing like a storm that was threatening to break out at any moment. She looked at Meia who was sleeping soundly as they took a bullet train back to Paris. The tickets were bought under Meia's name, but not neither one of Relena's names. She thought back to how her brother looked at the hospital. His eyes seemed to plead for answers from her, but she gave him none.
She had to get back to Paris and make sure that no evidence could be found in the flat. The guns and other weapons had to be cleared out of the hiding spaces. Relena didn't care what happened next, even if it meant death. 'I am Noir. I am not afraid of death. I know what my duties are, and I am not afraid. I have to follow everything until it ends, even if it means my death,' she thought as she gazed at Meia. She thought about what things must be likc for her. Relena swore to Dr. J that she would help her, but she couldn't help her. Relena had to get Meia out of the whole thing before it was done.
Relena noticed that Meia was slowly emerging from within herself and coming to life. The last thing Relena want to happen was have Meia's life cut short just when she was starting to be alive. She closed her eyes and gave in to some sleep.
* * *
"I told Lady Une about what happened. She said that she would make sure to have Quatre and Duo to get to Paris and keep an eye out for Relena and Meia. Chances are that's where they went. It's home," said Noin.
Everyone else had a somber look because everything was sinking in slowly. No one ever thought that Relena could be capable of such actions. Zechs was sitting still without saying anything. Despite his silence, everyone knew that he was grieving for all the horrible things that happened in his family. He felt like he failed Relena by letting something like this happen. "Who trained her?" he said out loud.
"I don't know. Whomever it was, they did a good job," said Wufei.
"It had to be someone who was close enough to her. I can't imagine anyone being able to get her to these things so easily," said Heero.
"You said so yourself, Heero, whomever trained her, loved her," said Sally.
"We have to go back to Paris," said Noin.
Everyone agreed.
* * *
Paris, France
Inside Relena and Meia's flat all the furniture was thrown about the room, papers were scattered all over, everything was looked over, and there were bullet holes everywhere. From the rooftop of the flat, the sound of gunshots could be heard and also the sounds of men getting killed or thrown off the roof. It was a really dark night in Paris because storm clouds were over the moon, and it was going to rain at any moment.
Not that it mattered because Relena and Meia were too busy trying to stay alive on the rooftop. Relena walked along the apex of one of the roofs and lost her footing, slipping off. She used the butt of the handle of her gun to break her fall. Sparks flew off because it was metal meeting metal. Relena managed to pull herself up and take out two more Knights of Shadows. She ran back up the and jumped down to a more leveled part of the roof. Meia was also nearby; she did a back flip and landed behind two of the Knights and promptly shot them. Relena was grabbed from behind. She struggled to get herself freed and decided to knock him and herself off the roof. She elbowed him and in his surprise, she did a round house kick causing the Knight to fall and slide. He wasn't completely off the roof, but he was barely hanging on. Relena slid down the roof by choice this time, still using the butt of her gun handle to brake herself, when she got close enough, she shot him. He fell off the roof, but she couldn't stop herself. Finally, she stop just at the edge with her legs dangling to the ground below. She used her arms to pull herself up. Another shot was fired hitting the concrete edge of the roof just next to her right elbow. She sneered at the shot, but she heard another shot, and she knew the person was dead. She finally pulled herself up and ran upwards again.
Relena was tired, but she couldn't stop. Her life was at stake, and the survivor inside her wanted to fight back until she couldn't do it any longer. She changed the clip in her gun while the two of the Knights continued shooting her. She shot the two of them when she finished reloading her gun. She took one of their guns. Looking at the sky above her, she felt the first raindrops from the clouds touch her forehead. Her eyes narrowed. They were the same way they were when she woke up after getting shot and decided to become Noir. She just started shooting again, but with ungodly precision and without any hesitation. There was no compassion in her actions. She just needed to kill all her enemies. Her eyes were devoid of emotion, but it was worse. It was devoid of any of her usual compassion that was always present.
Meia watched her with horror as Relena killed all the Knights in sight. She stepped back. Never in her life had she ever been really afraid. She was afraid for herself and Relena. She shook her head and her eyes were wide with fear. Relena once told her how the Zero System worked when someone was just starting with it. Meia read the reports of Heero Yuy losing control and killing everyone during a battle. Was it like this? The Zero System triggered chemical releases in the brain, but this was worse. This was all inside Relena. It was the darkness that she had inside her, and it was consuming her. Relena finally had to stop. Everyone was dead, and she was out of bullets. Her eyes were still narrowed with hate inside them.
"Lena," whispered Meia in a frightened, small voice. Her voice sounded hollow inside her ears, and she sound like a child looking for reassurance.
Relena turned to look directly at her. Her eyes were still narrowed and fierce. Meia gasped. This wasn't the Relena she knew. The lightning cut through the sky for a moment drawing some light; it was followed by the sound of thunder. They both pointed their guns and turned right when the lightning struck. Kurai was standing on the highest part of the rooftop above their heads. They pointed their guns at her.
"The depth of the sins are suitable for the title of Noir," said Kurai as she jumped down in a flash. Relena's eyes relaxed finally into a sleeplike haze. Meia could see it, but it didn't make her feel any better. "You understand now, don't you?" asked Kurai as she walked up directly in front of Relena. Relena's blonde hair hung around her face, hiding it. "You are Noir. And you're finally ready to come home," she added.
Relena nodded her head slowly. Meia's eyes widened in surprise and horror. Relena's arm dropped to her side. "She belongs to the Society," said Kurai to Meia. "She remembers everything about who she is. She can't fight her destiny any longer," she whispered knowingly. Kurai reached for the gun that was in Relena's hand and took it without any struggle from Relena. She pointed it at Relena.
"What are you doing?" whispered Meia as her hand trembled around her gun, which she kept on Kurai.
"She must be reminded even further," said Kurai.
"STOP! STOP IT!" screamed Meia as Kurai shot the gun. Relena gasped and fell back, her body crashing onto the rooftop's concrete. Meia stepped back in horror. Relena's eyes widened in pain, but when she hit the concrete, her eyes closed.
* * *
"Duo, you didn't need to come," said Quatre quietly as they prepared to go over to Relena's flat.
"No, I wanted to come. This is about Relena. We've got to help her," said Duo solemnly.
"I don't think she wants our help," said Quatre.
"What do you mean, she doesn't want our help? Of course, she needs our help," insisted Duo.
"That's not what I meant. If she wanted our help, she would have gone to us long before," whispered Quatre sadly. He read the report about what happened when he was in the Middle East. It was her who killed all those people.
"Remember, Quatre, Relena was hired to do all these things. I think that's the thing that we're missing. Who would train someone to be an assassin during a time of supposed peace?" asked Duo. Quatre frowned at the question because he couldn't really answer it.
* * *
Meia trembled all over when she saw Relena hit the ground. Kurai wasn't done yet, and Meia finally had her gun pointed at her. "Why did you do that?" demanded Meia in a cold, dangerous tone that easily matched Heero's. Kurai smiled because Athena told her to inform Meia about her past. It seemed only fitting, and Kurai had to remove Meia without killing her.
"She made a promise to someone that she wouldn't say the truth about you. However, I made no such promise," said Kurai. Meia was taken back in surprise and lowered her gun slightly. "According to your records as Meia Krane, you were born on L1 which is true. You were born on L1, but as you know you're not a Krane. You were born out of out one of the birthing chambers on L1. The only one to survive the bombing attacks in the area. Dr. J, the creator of the mobile, Gundam suit for L1, was the one who found you. You were born into a world of laboratories, but you weren't the only child there. No, you were with a young boy who was called Odin Lowe Jr., but that isn't his real name. His real name is lost. He was later given a code name, Heero Yuy, after the slain pacifist of the Colonies. Tell me does any of this sound familiar?" asked Kurai. Meia shook her head slowly, but her eyes were sealed shut. She couldn't understand any of it. Her breathing was rapid.
"I'll go on. Dr. J realized the mistakes he had made on both of his children. He made it, so that neither could truly function after the war was over. But, Heero Yuy was not as damaged as much as you were. He gave you the name of his dead wife and made sure to get you some help. He made it so that you would find her," said Kurai, gesturing to Relena. A tear slid down one of Meia's cheeks. This was all hurting her. She looked at Relena in a panic. During the whole time that Kurai was talking, Relena had managed to sit back up. The wound was on her right side, but it was only minor.
"Lena was the one who killed Dr. J. The man that raised you and made you what you are," finished Kurai. Meia looked at Relena again with her eyes opened and with tears falling down her ivory pale cheeks. Relena knew about her for a long time.
"That's not true. It's a lie! It's a lie!" insisted Meia, shaking her head violent. Tears continued to flow down her cheeks as she looked at Relena. Relena's face was hidden by the dark and her hair. "Is it true?" asked Meia. Relena didn't say a word, instead tears fell on to her jeans. Meia had never seen Relena cry until that point, and that's how she knew it was true.
"You can no longer continue this journey with her," said Kurai solemnly, knowing that she had just ripped them apart in a matter of minutes.
Meia shook her head again as the tears came down. These were real tears; not like the ones that she cried before because she was sad that she didn't feel anything. "I can't leave her," whispered Meia. Another lightning bolt flashed in the sky. There was the sound of the door on the roof being opened. Kurai and Meia looked to see it opened and Relena gone. Meia cast another look at Kurai and took off running for the door to find Relena.
"She will be at the convent soon," whisper Kurai as she watched Meia from the rooftop still holding Relena's gun in her hand.
* * *
Quatre and Duo were at Relena's flat. They looked at each other and took out their guns because they didn't know what to expect. Duo tried the door knob and found that it was open. He looked at Quatre who nodded, but when Duo opened the door, Quatre raced in to cover him. He was a new husband and father, so Quatre didn't want anything to happen to him. They looked at the room in horror.
"What the Hell?" whispered Duo. They looked around the flat. It was a messy by that time the gunshots had stopped at the rooftop, but they did hear one more going into the building.
"That last shot came from the roof. We have to get up there," said Quatre.
"Whoa, stop," said Duo. As he pointed out the window. It was Meia Krane running into the night.
"We have to follow her," said Quatre.
"Right," agreed Duo. The two Preventer agents took off for the streets below, while they were running after Meia Krane, Quatre made a call to Headquarters.
* * *
Meia was looking for Relena, but she couldn't see her anywhere. She was sure that Relena had ran for the park. Suddenly, there came a shot from behind her. Meia fired back, and after that she was out of bullets. She threw her gun down. She ran for cover until she could get her hands on another weapon. Incidentally, the park was having some work done on it, so there were some tools in the work site nearby.
A man came from behind her and swung a wide tipped sword towards Meia's head, but she ducked and grabbed a pick. She drove the pick into his chest, killing him, and she picked up the sword because the pick was stuck inside him. She had the sword and immediately swung it killing another Knight that came at her, and finally she had a gun from him. However, she kept the sword on her and continued swinging it. She had killed five Knights brutal with the sword, but still no emotion on her face or in her eyes. There was no hate or love or compassion. It was all indifference.
Meia started to shot the men with her gun. The rain was pouring on her, making it difficult to see through the heavy sheen of rain in front of her eyes. Her hearing was impaired because of the sound that the rain was making. She looked up and saw a figure standing in front of her. The figure just stood there.
"Lena?" asked Meia. The figure said nothing in response. She looked at the figure and saw another figure come up from behind her, and she shot at the second figure. The figure that Meia shot passed didn't even flinch. Finally, the figure walked close enough to her, so that she could see. It was Relena. She had her gun pointed at Meia. Meia let the gun in her hand slip out. "Lena," she whispered. Meia looked at her with sad eyes. "If you knew all this time, then why didn't you just kill me?" asked Meia.
Relena gave her no answer. She just kept her gun pointed at her. "We made a promise before when we first met. When we started this journey together. If you learned who I was, you would kill me," said Meia as the rain came down on her shoulders in a light drizzle. Relena pointed her gun at her, but she was holding on to the gun so tightly that her knuckles were white. Her face was expressionless, but her jaw was clutched. Her blue eyes were steady as she looked into the dark blue pools of Meia's eyes.
"Please kill me, Lena. Please. SHOOT ME!" screamed Meia. Relena's hand started to tremble. "YOU MADE ME A PROMISE! YOU SAID YOU'D KILL ME! WHEN YOU KNEW THE TRUTH! AND WHEN I KNEW THE TRUTH! KILL ME! Please," cried Meia. She had her arms wide open giving Relena more than a clear shot. Her tears came down her cheeks and her lips trembled.
Relena lowered her gun. She turned around and walked away. 'Don't turn back. Don't look back. Keep going. Don't say anything. Just keep moving,' thought Relena as she kept moving. She had to go back to the Society and finish everything that she had started. Everything had come to full circle on her journey. Meia sank to her knees with her face buried into her hands. Relena disappeared into the night once again. "Lena…Lena…shoot me," whispered Meia.
* * *
Duo and Quatre followed Meia all the way to the park, but the lost her. They heard some gunshots and followed the sound. Quatre ran up ahead of Duo and stopped when he saw Relena and Meia standing face to face. Duo caught up with him. "We have to stop this," said Duo.
"No," said Quatre quietly. He looked at Meia who was in apparent tears, while Relena had a cold, hard look on her face. She had her gun pointed at Meia.
"If you knew all this time, then why didn't you just kill me? Please kill me, Lena. Please. SHOOT ME! YOU MADE ME A PROMISE! YOU SAID YOU'D KILL ME! WHEN YOU KNEW THE TRUTH! AND WHEN I KNEW THE TRUTH! KILL ME! Please," cried Meia with her arms wide open giving Relena a clear shot. Relena lowered her gun and walked away. She didn't even look back at Meia. She just abandoned her. "Lena…Lena…shoot me," whispered Meia who was on her knees. She was begging, but Relena just left her.
Quatre walked up to Meia quietly, but Duo kept his gun on her just in case she would do anything. She was shaking. Relena just left her. Quatre placed his hand on her shoulder. She looked scared and sad at the same time. Regardless of what she was and what she did, Quatre had nothing, but compassion for her. He helped her to her feet.
"Let's go back to Headquarters," said Quatre.
"What about Relena?" asked Duo as he looked at the direction that Relena had walked off to.
"She's already gone. We won't be able to find her. Besides, I think that she left her to us for protection," said Quatre. He supported her so that she could walk because he could tell that she didn't really want to be carried.
"Well, I guess we can't put her under arrest. We didn't see her do anything, but we can put her into protective custody for time being," mused Duo out loud. Quatre nodded, and they guided Meia back all the way to the car.
Next Episode, Episode Twenty-Four: What the Future Holds…